[mythtv-users] Combo HD Frontend/Backend/Virtual Machine

[Robert Longbottom]

On Sun, 2010-08-15 at 07:49 -0700, Matt Mythtv wrote:
> Hi
> 
> I'm looking to replace my current SD frontend/backend combo with a new 
> frontend/backend combo that can handle HD.
> 
> While I'm at it, I'm wondering if I can get a machine fast enough to also run 
> Windows under a virtual machine. This will eliminate an old computer I have just 
> to run a few Windows only apps.
> 
> I've seen some good prices around for an Athlon II X4 635 (2.9GHz Quad Core, 
> 512kb L2 Cache, 0MB L3 Cache). Would this be fast enough for HD (either 1080i or 
> 1080p)? Would there be anything left over to run a VM?
> 
> 
> Or is trying to run HD video and a separate VM on the same machine more trouble 
> than it is worth?

My media centre PC is an Intel Quad Core Q6600 (2.4GHz).  It acts as
both backend and frontend and runs a windows VMWare image.  Playing back
BBC HD takes about 150% cpu time (1.5 CPU cores) so there is still
plenty of overhead for the VM to run and for the box to perform it's
other duties such as mail server, web server, etc.  I've not gotten
round to putting a VDPAU capable graphics card in it yet, because I
don't really need to.

I'd have thought your spec is more than enough.

Robert.