[mythtv-users] looking for a motherboard...

[William Powers]

Mark Lehrer wrote:
> Ack!!!!  Intel is a horrible idea.  I have an AMD x2 3800 and it is great.
> I had a Prescott and it was a nightmare.  If you are not doing hi def then
> you'll be OK, but otherwise go AMD.
Not to run down AMD, because I would *MUCH* prefer to have gone with 
AMD, but Intel is considerably cheaper for low-end dual core.  I was 
doing OTA high def on a slave backend/frontend with a 2.8 gig P4 
Northwood and it was fast enough for playback, but if the transcoder 
kicked off, or anything else needed to run, it was nothing but stutter - 
stutter, jerk - jerk.  I needed to upgrade.  I wanted to get an X2 
3800+, but that would have been a $400 upgrade, what with CPU, m/b and a 
PCI-e graphics card.

After looking at all the alternatives, I ended up getting a Pentium D 
820 (dual 2.8 gig Prescott cores) along with an Asus P5VD1-X motherboard 
(which let me keep my existing AGP graphics card and DDR memory) for 
$220.  Yes, it runs hotter than Hades under load, but It only uses 120% 
CPU (of 200% total) for 1080i playback, vs. 100% CPU with the 
Northwood.  Playback is now always smooth, even while transocoding and 
recording a program at the same time.

I still wish, however, that AMD had released an X2 3200+ for under $200

Bill