[mythtv-users] Newbie questions...
MagicITX
magicitx at gmail.com
Wed May 25 16:12:11 UTC 2005
On 5/25/05, Michael T. Dean <mtdean at thirdcontact.com> wrote:
> Ben Bargabus wrote:
>
> ><snip>
> >
> >
> >>1. I've not had trouble with the VIA DMA problem. I seem to recall
> >>some talk that it could be an FC3 on VIA problem. Maybe I shouldn't
> >>say that since I can't recall specifics of the conversation. YMMV
> >>
> >>
> >FC3 as in Fedora? I'm a debian guy, I assume then that would be fine.
> >
> >
> Although Fedora Core 3 may have its own set of DMA issues with Via's
> (broken) DMA implementation, the one that gets most Myth'ers is the
> massive amounts of DMA traffic required to run the PVR-x50 cards from
> Hauppauge. The ivtv drivers tend to have more issues running with
> (especially older) Via chipsets (the issues are usually hard locks which
> require a hard reboot).
>
> Although some people have ivtv working with new Via chipsets, it's
> probably worthwhile to go with the Intel chipset to start with and in
> future backends, you can take your chances with a Via. The new ivtv
> drivers tend to work around the problem as much as possible, and some of
> the people using the most problematic Via chipsets brag about uptimes in
> the 2-3 day range. I actually have to reboot my Dish network receivers
> more often (about once a month) than my Myth box (which has had uptimes
> in the 90+ day range--although I've never hit a max on it: I do way to
> much hacking on it to get the uptime any higher).
>
> I had one of the Via chipsets that caused significant problems (the
> KM133) in an old system I had lying around that I used to test out
> MythTV, and the $40 I spent to get an SiS-based motherboard (for an
> Athlon) was the best $40 I ever spent. For a computer whose sole
> purpose it to take shows from other people's schedules and make them
> available on your schedule, availability is an important consideration,
> so IMHO, it's worth a little bit extra to make sure it will work when
> you need it (so you don't miss that 2-hour Lost season finale).
>
> Mike
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> mythtv-users at mythtv.org
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>
It is hard for me to comment on the DMA issue because I've never
encountered it. I personally have 3 mythtv boxes in the room with me
running on the VIA M10000, the ME6000 and the SP13000. All have
either a PVR150, 250, or 500. I have one running as a backend for the
ME6000. I rip dvd's to the backend, play videos from the backend,
watch recordings, etc - all high bandwidth activities and never had a
lockup. My main system's uptime is:
09:04:49 up 20 days, 1:47, 1 user, load average: 0.27, 0.06, 0.02
(I don't remember why I rebooted it three weeks ago but it wasn't a
lockup. I think it lost keyboard focus when MythWeather couldn't
connect to the Internet.)
I'm not denying the difficulties other's have had. Only that the
problems probably no longer exist. YMMV
--
Tim
www.magicitx.com
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