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

[Raphael]

William wrote:
> Brian Wood wrote:
>> 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.
>>

I would disagree strongly with that. Even playing 1080i HD mpeg2 my X2 
3800 uses around only 30% usage without xvmc or vdpau. Marginal is a 
very strong term to use for that. I would more put it "has a huge 
comfort zone margin". I don't know anything about how it handles h.264 
though. I've been using this for a couple years now and don't see myself 
getting rid of it for quite a while since right now it can handle the 
highest bitrate OTA (and digital cable) I can find.
Raphael