[mythtv-users] the ultimate setup

Shawn Willden shawn-myth at willden.org
Mon Mar 7 22:42:52 UTC 2005


Ken Mink wrote:

> A slower cooler CPU would have probably been a better choice.
>  
>

You can still fix that.  Just underclock the CPU down to, say, 1600XP, 
then turn the voltage down as far as you can without losing stability.  
Lowering the clock speed helps quite a bit with temperature, and it 
allows you to run at a lower voltage, which lowers the operating 
temperature even more.

In my (limited) experience, I've found that buying a really fast but hot 
CPU and running it at low speed gives you a cooler CPU than buying a 
slower -- and usually older -- one to begin with.

My MythTV box is a Sempron 2800+ running as though it were a 2000+.  
Even in the tight confines of a Shuttle case, shut up in an enclosed 
cabinet, the CPU never breaks 40C even after hours of continuous 100% 
CPU usage (transcoding DVDs).  Of course, it would transcode faster at 
full speed, but saving 30 minutes on a four-hour transcoding job doesn't 
mean much.  I tend to just pop in a half dozen DVDs at 15-minute 
intervals (that's how long the rip takes) and expect it to be ready for 
some more the next day.

    Shawn.


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