[mythtv-users] Re: Energy Usage of MythBoxes

[Thor Johnson]

> If the computer turned all the electricity it consumed
> directly into heat it could do no more than a 350 watt
> space heater.  That is to say, very little. (most space
> heaters are 2500 watts and up).
> 
> A 350 watt power supply seldom draws more than 100
> watts because no one burns cdroms while recording floppy
> drives and exercising the harddrive to the max on a box
> with every slot filled and every card pulling the max.
> Just does not happen.

I mostly agree with what you're saying but I figure I'll thow a few
logs in the fire; except:  Most US power supplies are ~50% efficient,
so you can draw up to 700 KW (mine says 750 KVA), but the power factor
for these puppies is terrible (.6-.8 like another poster said), so the
"real" consumption may not be as visible...

> Times 30 days = about $33 /month. << Worst Case
> ~5.00 <(ya, I deleted this bit prematurely) << Best Case

The real number should be in between -- I don't think you can count a
myth box that pegs the CPU as idle most of the time...  Hrm... this
might be my excuse to get a PVR x50 card (~20/mo savings, payback in
5-6 months... not too shabby).

-Thor Johnson