[mythtv-users] Plans for front & back end Myth boxes

[Tortise]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Eric Sharkey" <eric at lisaneric.org>
To: "Discussion about mythtv" <mythtv-users at mythtv.org>
Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2010 8:13 AM
Subject: Re: [mythtv-users] Plans for front & back end Myth boxes


On Mon, Aug 9, 2010 at 4:00 PM, Tortise <tortise at paradise.net.nz> wrote:
> Yes that would do fine, also the one Eric Sharkey recommended has the half
> height brackets, no fan and seemes a very good price.  It is however only
> 256M, I understand 512M is still required so, unless Eric confirms 256M is
> ok, I'd pass on it.

>I ran MythTV in HD on a system with a very similar card (with 256MB)
for quite a while.  It did eventually go bad, but I don't think it was
due to lack of ram.

>What is it that you think requires a minimum of 512MB?

I've run 720p over a 256M system however it would not run 1080i (I am talking H.264 here).  I would regard a reasonable degree of HD 
future proofing (thats been promoted to the new user) to at least be able to play 1080i, and as the additional cost is relatively 
small I advise the investment in ram now, rather than buy another card later, which would seem to defeat the purpose of an economic 
exercise?

Also note my comments about possible additional video memory requirements for dual TV and monitor.

>Certainly for outputting SD video over S-video output I can't think of
anything that would require that.

Agreed, on its own it would be overkill, however it delivers on the future proofing offer / match with a 1080p monitor that are 
largely standard now and one would expect when Jessica does buy one that it would have this capability.  If one only wanted SD then 
a 5200, as suggested, would be enough however as Jessica wants dual functionality then offloading the video processing to the video 
card with vdpau is also a useful investment, leaving the CPU to largely do her desktop stuff.   (FWIW I understand one day 256M may 
be enough, but if and when that day arrives, who knows?)