[mythtv-users] Superserver

[Raymond Wagner]

  On 8/24/2010 19:45, Douglas Choma wrote:
> On 8/24/10 4:33 PM, Raymond Wagner wrote:
>> On 8/24/2010 18:36, Douglas Choma wrote:
>>> Incidentally, it also requires so little power that I'm able to use 
>>> a picoPSU (http://www.mini-box.com/s.nl/it.A/id.417/.f).
>>
>> For what it's worth, that 120W PicoPSU could run most desktop systems 
>> without high end graphics.
>
> That's odd.  Is this mostly true for the newer generation of desktop 
> machines?  It seems like most traditional desktop PSUs start at 400W 
> and go up from there.

Just because they sell supplies that large doesn't mean people need or 
even come close to using anything like that kind of power.

Most desktop dual core processors come in at 60-80W TDP.  Only high end 
quad and hex core processors pull more than 100W.  Some are available 
with 35-45W TDP.  That is peak design power, and you're going you are 
likely to never come close to hitting that.  Low to midrange graphics 
cards are going to pull anywhere from 10-60W under load.  Onboard 
graphics is going to be at the low end of this spectrum.  Memory is 
going to pull 5-10W per stick.  Optical burners and hard drives is where 
you really get hit hard.  Under normal usage, they're only going to pull 
a couple watts, but spin-up is going to be 15-25W each, and burning can 
consume more.

Just as a reference point, our compute nodes at work are 2.67GHz C2Ds 
(E6700s), with 4GB of memory, intel graphics, and a 250GB hard drive.  
At the wall, they pull 115W at initial power on, 45W idle, and 75W under 
full load.  Shave about 20% off of that for PSU inefficiencies and 
you've got what load you could expect an average PC would pull against a 
PicoPSU.
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