[mythtv-users] Dell Studio Hybrid - success

[Jason]

>>> 2)  Have you tested, or can you test, how well it plays back h.264
>>> files?
>>> (There's a couple samples on the MythTV wiki page for HD-PVR:
>>> http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/index.php/HD-PVR).  I'm curious if the 2.0GHz
>>> Core 2 is up to the task or not.
>
> Basically no, it wouldn't do it properly.  All the files played with the
> Internal player, but they stuttered every couple of seconds.  Top reported
> that one core was pinned, and the other one was basically idle
> (Mythfrontend was taking ~100-110%)  The higher bit rate files stuttered
> more often.
>
> mplayer played them back but had severe audio sync problems.
>
> I have no doubt that some day this machine will be able to play those
> files back, but today is not that day.

Well, if anything, it's a good datapoint regarding the HD-PVR performance on
a Core 2 Duo @ 2.0GHz.  It also helps me decide if I should put in for a Mac
mini or Studio Hybrid at this point.  Seems like it's a no.  :)  Maybe a
Studio Hybrid at the 2.5GHz point would do it.

Thanks for taking the time to download and run through the files, though.  I
do appreciate it.

Jason