[mythtv-users] Should I Upgrade Frontend from AMD 3200+ to AMD X2 3800+ (DualCore) ?

[Brian Wood]

On Friday 13 February 2009 23:07:35 Ben Coleman wrote:
> I have the option to purchase a dual core processor for an existing
> legacy motherboard (socket939) that currently only has a single core chip.
>
> Do people think I will get any benefit in uplifting this frontend to
> dualcore?
>
> I don't currently playback a lot of HD content but will be when I
> upgrade the TV in six months.

Depending on how good a price you can get on the X2 I'd do it. If nothing 
else, each core will be faster than your present one. This assumes your mobo 
will support the X2.

Socket 939 is a dead end, the mobos are very hard to find anymore, and the RAM 
will not work in the AM2 boards (they need DDR2, 939 uses DDR).

But, having said that, I own 3 939 machines, I just remember that eventually I 
will have to replace them.

But a slightly faster CPU with dual cores is certainly worth doing, if the 
price is right.

Even the X2 3800+ is not fast enough to play back high bitrate h264 without 
VDPAU, and would probably be marginal for HD MPEG2.

If you have a PCIe slot, I'd put a VDPAU capable video card into it. If your 
mobo is AGP then you can't do that, and the mobo is coming to the end of its 
life.

-- 
beww
beww at beww.org