[mythtv-users] HD Woes

[Jarod Wilson]

Yeechang Lee wrote:
> Jarod Wilson <lists at wilsonet.com> says:
>> I prefer quad-core... :)
>>
>> # grep "model name" /proc/cpuinfo
>> model name      : Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU           @ 2.66GHz
>> model name      : Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU           @ 2.66GHz
>> model name      : Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU           @ 2.66GHz
>> model name      : Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU           @ 2.66GHz
> 
> Bah. Real men prefer real server-CPU goodness.

Yes, but I didn't spend a dime on it. :)

> From my new storage
> server:
> 
> model name      : Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU           E5310  @ 1.60GHz
> model name      : Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU           E5310  @ 1.60GHz
> model name      : Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU           E5310  @ 1.60GHz
> model name      : Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU           E5310  @ 1.60GHz

We have some clovertowns floating around too, but only the kentsfield is 
on my desk... :)

> This server stores all my MythTV recordings on a ginormous RAID 6
> array. I went with a single Clovertown quad-core CPU over two
> Woodcrest dual-core CPUs because a) it was slightly cheaper (I was
> already spending a ridonkulous amount of money) and b) left a socket
> in the two-socket motherboard open, in case I ever want to run seven
> transcode/realtime commflag jobs at once as opposed to the current
> three or four,[1] plus a VMware Server VM, a MythTV slave backend, and
> the requisite CIFS and RAID background threads. I went with 1.60GHz,
> the lowest clockspeed available, since a) again, it was cheaper and b)
> given a choice between higher clockspeeds and more physical cores the
> latter made more sense in this context. I've not yet had to regret my
> choice. After a full year dealing with incessant IOBOUND issues and
> video skips when watching a HD recording while recording more than one
> HD stream at the same time, it has been wonderful to not have to worry
> about these issues any more.[2]

My backend is a mere aging dual Athlon MP 2000, which does everything I 
need w/o a problem, since I never transcode anything and usually have 
enough lead time before I watch anything that commercial-cutting is 
already done. The main reason I'm still using this thing over something 
newer is the desire to keep my 3ware 9500S-8 in a PCI-X slot. Its got 8 
250GB SATA drives hooked to it providing plenty of storage and I/O 
throughput (RAID5 + a hot spare and a cold spare on the shelf).

> Eventually I intend to move the two FireWire cable boxes to this
> server and turn it into the master MythTV backend, and turn the
> current frontend/master backend into just a frontend. I haven't
> decided what to do with the ATSC capture card; I may move it as well
> and see if an indoor antenna can still function from inside a
> closet. In the likely eventuality it doesn't, I may either keep it
> with the frontend or invest in a HDHomeRun.

I've got two AirStar HD5000 cards in my box, but I plan to get an HDHR 
and replace one AirStar w/my PVR-500, which is currently sitting in 
another box. I'm starting to find I want a 3rd HDTV tuner, but still 
need the occasional analog one or two (mostly for my kids), so an HDHR, 
an AirStar and a PVR-500 is an attractive combo for me.

--jarod