[mythtv-users] ION Platform with case

[jedi]

On Mon, Sep 28, 2009 at 01:06:35PM -0400, Phill Wiggin wrote:
> On Mon, Sep 28, 2009 at 12:56 PM, jedi <jedi at mishnet.org> wrote:
> 
> > On Mon, Sep 28, 2009 at 11:11:07AM -0400, Phill Wiggin wrote:
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >    Also, these Atom CPUs are extremely weak. Any video you play should
> > > > be hardware accelerated through vdpau even if it is SD content. Without
> > > > vdpau enabled for your particular player/content, these boxes are
> > > > inferior to an AppleTV. XVMC is what makes the AppleTV usable.
> > > >
> > >
> > > I'm not sure which specific models you're referring to when you say
> > "these
> > > Atom CPUs".
> >
> >     ...the one in the system I was describing in the bit of text you
> > deleted.
> >
> >
> I wasn't actually arguing whether you were right or wrong in your specific
> comparison. Just trying to clarify for everyone that not all Atom systems
> are inferior to the AppleTV.  I thought your "these Atom CPUs" could be
> taken similarly to "these kids these days".

     The Asrock 330 originally mentioned is my test hardware.

     I will probably grab a revo now that it's finally here. It figures
that it would arrive just as I broke down and tried something else.

> 
> >
> > > For the record, the Zotac ION N330-based boards (zIONs) are leaps and
> > bounds
> > > better than the AppleTV. No hardware acceleration needed.  I have an ATV
> > as
> > > well as a zION330, and I can state as fact that the zION outperforms the
> > ATV
> > > in every situation.  From interface snappiness to network-file scanning
> > > (MythVideo) to SD/HD playback.
> >
> >     MythTV benefits greatly from the superior video chip and having more
> > video memory. It also benefits from vdpau acceleration when it's in use.
> >
> >
> Of that, I've no doubt!  I'm waiting as patiently as possible for .22, and
> I'll be using VDPAU too. =)
> 
> 
> > >
> > > I'm still running .21 (since .22 isn't officially out) without VDPAU.
> > > Running everything through software, the zION kicks the ATV's little
> > anemic
> >
> >      If I go out of my way to push the system, the N330 falls over before
> > the ATV will. Raw core speed is about on par between the N330 and the ATV
> > but the N300 has what appears to be 4 cores. Dunno how that works out with
> > the hyperthreading and something that could take advantage of it. I would
> > not expect myth to take advantage of the "4 cores" but I could be wrong.
> >
> 
> I'm curious as to what you mean by "falls over".  My ION has been 100%

     The non-vdpau decoder can't keep up. I have seen this with high bitrate
DVD MPEG2 and with aggressively transcoded SD h264 content. It stutters, stops
and drops frames.

[deletia]

     Beyond performance, the fact that it has a proper BIOS is nice and it
can restart itself in the time it takes for a mini to get past it's white
screen. The powerbutton on the asrock is also convenient. Turning off the
ATV was always a pain. Turning off/on the mini was only slightly better.