[mythtv-users] SMP Performance

Greg Grotsky spikeygg at gmail.com
Sun Dec 10 19:41:50 UTC 2006


On 12/9/06, Brad DerManouelian <myth at dermanouelian.com> wrote:
>
> You will see advantages with a dual-core or multiple processor system
> since MythTV uses a collection of applications to perform its
> functions. For instance, you'll be able to record, watch HD content,
> commercial flag as you're watching it, and even transcode some
> previously watched program at the same time since each process will
> be spread out over the available cores/cpus. If you only have 1 CPU
> available, it would be very difficult to do all that simultaneously.
> I've noticed my AMD 64 X2 4400+ will use a little more than 100% CPU
> (between mythfrontend and X processes) when watching HD resolution
> content (without XvMC) so I would get stuttering if I didn't have the
> second core.


While it's true that you will see advantages with an SMP system since myth
is a whole bunch of programs, you should be able to do a lot more than that
with a AMD64 4400+ X2.  On my system, I can watch OTA HD 1920x1080i
broadcast streams without XvMC @ ~70-80% cpu (no studdering) and I'm using a
AMD64 3200+ single core and an Nvidia GeForce 5700 Ultra, running AMD64
Debian Etch.  No problems while doing on-the-fly commercial flagging
either.  I'm toying with the idea about upgrading to an X2 processor and
getting a second pcHDTV card so I can do PIP with two HD streams... that
would be sweet.

Anyway, don't blame my gains on the 64-bit operating system.  I was running
32-bit Debian for the first half of my mythbox's life and there was no
change in load.

-Greg
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