[mythtv-users] Secrets for low powered front ends ?

[linux guy]

On Tue, Oct 11, 2011 at 4:08 PM, Mark Kendall <mark.kendall at gmail.com> wrote:

> Much of the current MythTV code was written and tested on a first
> generation ion box (dual core) and I still use that box for my main
> frontend. I don't have a clip or sample in my collection of 'oddities'
> that it cannot play. I'm sure someone could dig out a 1080p avi (which
> would fall back to software decoding and be unwatchable) or a badly
> encoded H.264 - but from a practical perspective, it handles
> everything.

My work laptop is a T8400 (?) Duo. I ripped a certain DB into an MKV
file.  It plays it fully screen OK.   It also plays it in a 600x800
window, but other processes are not terribly responsive and
occasionally it stutters. Top says its using 100% of 1 core.  This is
all with the nouveau driver.

Conversely, my ION2 box plays the same file using about 20% of one
CPU, using VDPAU, of course.