[mythtv-users] Beginner Question - Via Eden

[Jon Whitear]

> I see a lot of users are using Via Eden systems as a frontend, with
> another machine for the backend. How many are using the Via Eden as both
> frontend and backend? What kind of performance would one expect from
> this setup (assuming the M10000 and either a PVR250 or 350)? Having a
> backend system is not really an option, so I'm looking for some input if
> it's worth pursuing an M10000 system to run MythTV on its own.
>
> -Nate
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Nate,

I have an M1000 box that is both back- and front-end. I'm using a DVB
card, so CPU utilisation purely for capturing an MPEG stream to disk is
very low (<10%.) I have no experience of the PVR250/350, but I understand
they have an onboard MPEG encoder, so capturing a stream should have
similarly low CPU requirements.

It's playback that really hammers the CPU. The M10000 has an onboard MPEG
decoder - it'll play Standard Definition digital TV fine (between 40% and
60% CPU utilisation.) I assume an MPEG capture from an analog card will
play back at similar utlisation.

Cheers,

Jon