[mythtv-users] Interesting potential lightweight frontend

[Michael T. Dean]

Jules Bean wrote:

> Michael T. Dean wrote:
>
>> I've seen a "review" saying that it is possible with the dual 2.0GHz+ 
>> PowerMac G5's (although the review simply took Apple's word for it), 
>> but impossible with available x86-based CPU's ( 
>> http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=25057 ).  So, when Apple releases 
>> their new MacIntel's (in January?), you'll be getting a nice feature 
>> loss (especially since the Intel chip is lacking some must-have AMD 
>> features).
>
> Thanks for the link. Interesting.
>
>> Let me know if you seen anything more current (i.e. testing the 4800+ 
>> or the 5000+ or ...  I haven't yet put Myth on my 4800+, but when I 
>> do, I'll do some tests.  (Still working on getting an HDTV antenna 
>> installed in my attic in between the trusses...  What a pain.  Stupid 
>> homeowner's association...)
>
> No, I don't have anything more current. I was only going on my own gut 
> feeling about powerpc/AMD comparisons, which is, roughly, that a G4 
> performs better than an Athlon XP with the same 'number' but not all 
> that much.
>
> That article didn't say what software they were using. Could it be 
> that the commonly available x86 codecs just aren't as well optimized 
> as the one Apple has written for the powerpc?

Quite possible.  I'm pretty sure the Inq was using Windows PC's, so that 
may also have an effect.

> And maybe when Apple make the switch they will make some effort to 
> port some 'fast' H.264 code to the new procs. It would be really, 
> really ironic if after all this time when AltiVec failed to deliver 
> performance that people cared about, HDTV turned out to be the 
> killerapp for AltiVec and Apple was switching away from powerpcs...

Yeah.  I think it's hilarious that Apple chose now to switch to the 
Intel processors.  Throughout Apple's history there have been 
overwhelming reasons to choose Intel procs over the 
"just-so-we-can-say-we're-different" PowerPC.  However, right now, 
PowerPC is stronger than it has ever been in its entire existence.  And, 
with the advances the industry has made in platform independence (such 
as software-based virtual machines like Java/.NET/Parrot and 
virtualization technologies like VMWare/Xen), there's less reason to 
move to the "everyone-else-is-doing-it-that-way" solution.

Also, when you factor in IBM's opening the PowerPC core, I really think 
we might be entering the golden-age of PowerPC.  (This isn't to say it 
will replace x86, but that it has a future that's much stronger than 
it's past.  I think the PowerPC will survive.  Many other chips of today 
probably won't have a Sparc of life in the future... ;)  (Pure 
opinion/conjecture.  Not based on any specific information.)

> It's all pretty academic to me since I'm in the UK and HDTV isn't 
> going to get to me any time soon on free-to-air. To be honest, I'm not 
> fussed;  whilst I can certainly see the difference between HDTV and 
> plain PAL DVD-quality, it's nothing something that I care about when 
> watching TV.

Yeah.  I'm only switching to HD "because I can."  I know--and 
admit--it's a complete waste of time/money, but it's fun...

Mike