[mythtv-users] Is this hardware sufficient?

[raphael]

Jesse Dhillon wrote:
> In your considered opinions, should this hardware be sufficient to 
> support a backend/frontend plus one remote frontend, both watching HDTV:
>
> CPU: AMD Athlon64 3200+
> RAM: 1GB
> Motherboard: nForce3 chipset, DFI LanParty nf3 250GB
> Video: Nvidia Geforce 6800GT 512MB
> HDD: Maxtor 500GB SATA, Maxtor 250GB SATA
> Tuners: 2x pcHDTV 5500
> Linux: Ubuntu Edgy 6.10, amd64 kernel
>
>
>   
In my opinion based on what I've seen and heard, you will most likely 
need XVMC working on the nvidia card (jsut XV probably isn't enough).  
Without xvmc I'm betting that processor won't handle it.
Like another poster said, I have a 3200+ in my windows machine and it 
can handle HD with one hand tied behind its back (mainly working with 
720p, haven't tried 1080i much, but that should be no problem).  But the 
main reason for this is that the graphics drivers in windows do a lot of 
the heavy lifting.  So, if you get xvmc working properly it's worth a 
try.  You already have the hardware anyway so give it a go.
Also, watching HD on a remote frontend won't put a heavy load on your 
BE.  The FE will again need to be powerful enough to decode HD.  If the 
BE isn't watching at the same time, the only load is the power it takes 
to record.  Of course, I don't use HD in myth so I don't know if the 
load required to record is huge or not.
Raphael