[mythtv-users] Virtualisation in the home network – ready for mainstream?

[David Schlenk]

On Thu, Sep 3, 2009 at 6:34 PM, Jon Whitear<jon at whitear.org> wrote:
> On 04/09/2009, at 1:50 AM, David Schlenk <mythtv at schdav.org> wrote:
>
>>
>> Intel:
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_chipsets#Core_2_Chipsets
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_chipsets#Nehalem_Chipsets
>>
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X86_virtualization#Intel_Virtualization_Technology_for_x86_.28Intel_VT-x.29
>>
>> AMD:
>> Yes unless it is old or is particularly cheap Sempron. Budget virt
>> boxes is pretty much the only place AMD wins over Intel right now, as
>> Intel uses it to segment their market.
>
> Judging by intel's CPU comparison (ark.intel.com/vtlist.aspx) if I want to
> go quad core with VT-x, I'm looking at a core 2 8400 (~AU$230) or one of the
> 9xxx aeries. Is there much difference other than cache size and speed?
>
> The AMD Phenom II 810 is around the same price as the 8400.
>
> The intel chips won't have VT-d. I can't tell if AMDs Iommu is a function of
> the CPU, the chipsets or both. Should I care?

You need an RD880 or RD890 for AMD IOMMU, and only a few specific
Intel chipsets do VT-d, and of those some of them are only exposed if
the BIOS allows it. See the Intel chipset wikipedia pages for
specifics.