[mythtv-users] FYI - New HW video accellAPI from NVIDIA

Michael T. Dean mtdean at thirdcontact.com
Sun Nov 16 18:36:35 UTC 2008


On 11/16/2008 09:35 AM, Nicolas Will wrote:
> On Sun, 2008-11-16 at 09:01 -0500, Michael T. Dean wrote:
>   
>> Oh, and there's also the whole, you really don't /need/ GPU-assisted 
>> decode, anyway.  My system happily handles US MPEG-2 HDTV.  If you're 
>> using an HD-PVR to record HDTV to MPEG-4 AVC from (rented) 
>> cable/satellite STB's (with a monthly cable bill), the extra $20 to
>> $30 
>> you spend to get a supported card is really a negligible part of your
>> TV 
>> cost, but you can always buy a system that can play that back even 
>> without the GPU assist (and the support for HD-PVR output is getting 
>> better every day).
>>     
> I'm quite with you, on most part. $30 is cheap compared to the cost of
> an HD-capable MythTV system.
>
> But, I differ on your point about not needing something like GPU decode.
>
> Using the generic CPU works if you go the expensive way. This also means
> noise on the FE, as the CPU fan will start to spin up. Agreed, if you
> watch HD, you will probably have some sound covering the fans, this is
> what happens at my place.
>
> But going with a cheaper CPU, a cheap GPU that can assist HD decoding
> gives less noise and less money spent.
>
> An for most, why waste a good CPU when there is a GPU than can do the
> same job with less efforts, heat and noise?

I'm not saying don't use it if you've got it (when it's available and
working in the app of your choosing, of course), I'm simply saying that
it's not like NVIDIA is forcing you to go out and buy a new GPU.  If you
don't have and don't buy a supported GPU, you have exactly the status
quo--you're right where you were before they announced a new feature
that many in the community will appreciate, so whining that this new
feature isn't supported on your 4-year old GPU is really expecting a bit
more than you should (after all, they didn't have to provide this new
feature at all).

Mike


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