[mythtv-users] How slow can we go, cpu wise? P2-333?

[Cory Papenfuss]

> Hi,
> I just completed a project installing and successfully
> running MythTV on a P2-266 and it worked great.
>
> I am going to make a webpage documenting this install
> as it was a lot of fun.
>
> Low End MythTV
>
> http://mysettopbox.tv/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3766
>
> Post replies there or send me emails if you want more
> info. I think that reusing old PCs for PVRs has a
> great future.
>
 	I would just like to say that my experience has been that when 
sampling at low resolution, you want to do everything possible to maintain 
the native number of lines (i.e. 480 for NTSC).  Recording at non-square 
pixels is a non-issue for Xv-supported playback, but the quality is much 
better.  It also more accurately represents a lack of bandwidth for low 
quality modes.  In other words, from what I've seen, 320x240 looks worse 
than 160x480.  Maybe it was 240x480... I don't remember exactly.

 	As another benchmark, I was fairly happy with a bttv-based dual 
Celeron 300->450 FE/BE combo.  It would do 352x480 taking 95% of one cpu 
to record, and about 80% of the other to play back.

-Cory

*************************************************************************
* Cory Papenfuss                                                        *
* Electrical Engineering candidate Ph.D. graduate student               *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University                   *
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