[mythtv-users] Raspberry Pi suitability for MythFrontend

[Nick Rout]

On Mon, Feb 20, 2012 at 3:41 PM, Raymond Wagner <raymond at wagnerrp.com> wrote:
> On 2/19/2012 20:58, Mark Hutchinson wrote:
>
>
>
> On Sun, Feb 19, 2012 at 5:17 PM, Nick Rout <nick.rout at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> On Mon, Feb 20, 2012 at 2:06 PM, Mark Hutchinson <markhsa at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>> > I hope this gets developed.  The amount of 100+ watt frontends replaced
>> > by a
>> > 3 watt machine would save serious $ overall. Standardized hardware like
>> > the
>> > pi could be just the ticket. One optimized download for myth frontend on
>> > known hardware. Massive advantages.
>> > I would view this as a critical move forward.
>>
>> As I think Raymond was explaining, it is not just playback that is
>> needed. Myth themes use up a heap of ram. Ram is cheap on x86/amd64
>> machines, not so on Raspberry Pi etc.
>>
>> I think therefore that R pi is unlikely to make a good frontend if you
>> want to run mythfrontend.
>>
>> It may work well as a uPnP or xbmc based frontend, in the same way as
>> a WD Live or Popcornhour and other STB's can be used as a front end.
>
>
> OK.  So if XBMC can do it, my can't Myth?  Are the themes that much more
> intensive and such?
> Not being sarcastic at all, I just really don't know.  I am not a coder.  I
> am just really interested in saving power and optimized software for
> standardized hardware is always a good match I would think?  Just a possible
> opportunity.
> I know it would take off huge if people could get a $25 or so fronted for
> myth.  Maybe this is not the device, but you will see major acceptance of
> this device I suspect for many projects.
>
> dd an image onto a flash drive for RPi and off to the races.  It would be
> huge.
>
>
> I don't know if XBMC can do it well.  The things I've seen with XBMC have
> said to use the 256MB version, meaning it too wouldn't run all that well on
> 128MB.  The basic issue is that MythTV was never designed to run on embedded
> hardware.  We use PC hardware, where 512MB of memory was typical a decade
> ago, so development has been rather fast and loose with memory usage.
> MythTV could be tightened up to run a graphical theme at 1920x1080 with only
> 256MB of memory, it's just never had to before, and will require someone
> with significant knowledge of the code base spending a long time optimizing
> code.
>
> If this 3W device would be replacing an existing 100W+ frontend, then all
> you have to blame for that is poor purchasing decisions in your past.  The
> Core2 Duo and Athlon II X2 lines topped out at 65W TDP, and ran considerably
> lower at idle.  Modern chipsets don't take much, nor does a modest video
> card, and a dedicated frontend needs no hard drive.  It's not difficult to
> get one idling under 40W, and less than double that under load.  i3 systems
> with Intel graphics can be done for well under 30W.  You could even go for a
> Mac Mini, or something with similar laptop hardware, that ran under 10W.
>
> Now sure, 30W is still an order of magnitude higher consumption than the Pi,
> but then realize that utility rates in Northern America put power cost at
> somewhere around $1/W/yr.  That's only $30/yr to run that comparatively high
> end i3.  Now consider the fact that it is a dedicated frontend.  It does
> nothing but playback, and has no need to be powered up except for playback.
> Turn it on for the few hours a day you might be watching TV, and then put it
> in standby or powered off.  Even when you account for the fact that those
> hours it is on will be under higher load, and consuming more power, you're
> still talking something well under $10/yr.  There's a point somewhere at
> which that law of diminishing returns kicks in, and that power consumption
> cost becomes irrelevant to the argument.

having said that, and I agree with you, it would be cool to have a
frontend run on such a small low power device. Almost a wristwatch
frontend :)

Maybe someone will get something going once these things are actually
released to the public.

There are other projects with similar hardware too.

There are plenty of people who would like a tablety device for
watching and controlling myth. duct tape one of these to a low power
lcd touch screen and you have your poor mans frontend tablet -
although how that price compares to an android/iPad tablet i don't
really know.

Anyway, very low power consumption AND small size will find new places
and uses for computers, including as myth frontends. (whether running
mythfrontend or something else).