[mythtv-users] Looking for good specifications for mythTV

Chris Ribe chrisribe at gmail.com
Wed Jan 18 23:29:01 UTC 2006 

"Chris, when you say 600MHz PIII, is that with a hardware MPEG
encoder/decoder or without?  For SD that is"

That is for hardware encode/software decode.

Hardware encoding is really the only way to go, IMO.  I had a software
encoding capture card for awhile ,and the picture just sucked.  I suppose
with enough processor you could crank up the quality, but it just isn't
worth it for a dedicated myth box.

On 1/18/06, Chris Hembrow <chris.hembrow at pixelseventy2.net> wrote:
>
> the epia sp 8000 is 800mhz fanless, and has hardware mpeg-4
> acceleration. That's my next front end :)
>
> On 18/01/06, Gavin Haslett <gavin at nodecaf.net> wrote:
> > The Epia P is a great board for a Myth-like box... my next frontend will
> probably have that (for my bedroom) because a fanless configuration would be
> nice.
> >
> > However, it's not without its flaws. The 600Mhz CPU is barely powerful
> enough to run a frontend and backend together... forget trying to use it to
> transcode. The core is based on the old Cyrix core, so a lot of the math
> takes a back seat to integer performance. Not a big deal with video, but
> when dealing with compression/decompression of MPEG-2 or 4 streams this can
> start to saturate these 600Mhz CPUs pretty quickly. All Pentium-class CPU's
> are not made equal... bear that in mind when shopping for a media-PC.
> >
> > Oh, and on the 600Mhz, if you're running MythMusic then better not try
> to run full-screen visualizations either :)
> >
> > I would also point out that even with the XvMC support for these boards,
> don't try HD content. You need a LOT more muscle than this to pump HD to the
> screen, even the 1Ghz version of the board won't handle it.
> >
> > Be aware of the specs also; I'm not sure if the Epia P does come in a
> 1.3Ghz form, I think it tops at 1Ghz as I recall. Either way, as pointed
> out above since it's based on the Cyrix core some of the floating point ops
> are a little slower than a similarly clocked Intel or AMD. However, the heat
> and electricity used are a lot nicer in these cores.
> >
> > We're still in a phase where embedded systems are a huge compromise...
> but the situation's improving dramatically and continues to. Now, if we can
> only see some lower prices on the hardware :)
> >
> >         -----Original Message-----
> >         From: mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org on behalf of Chris
> Weisiger
> >         Sent: Tue 1/17/2006 10:53 PM
> >         To: Discussion about mythtv
> >         Cc:
> >         Subject: Re: [mythtv-users] Looking for good specifications for
> mythTV
> >
> >
> >
> >         Here is the link
> >
> >
> http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/mainboards/mini_itx/epia_sp/index.jsp
> >
> >         Chris Weisiger wrote:
> >
> >         >The thing is with the mini-itx stuff is that I have an old NES
> and i was
> >         >reading about
> >         >building mini-itx systems and thought while im building it...to
> build it
> >         >in a way
> >         >to use it as a pvr system.....which i was looking at getting a
> mini-itx
> >         >board
> >         >that can handle a 1.3 or so processor
> >         >
> >         >This is the motherboard that I was looking into
> getting....thats if i
> >         >cant locate
> >         >a mini-itx to handle a pentium processor
> >         >
> >         >
> >         >
> >         >Gavin Haslett wrote:
> >         >
> >         >
> >         >
> >         >>So long as you're not trying any HD content, this is probably
> good
> >         >>(though that one's obvious given the 350). I run mine on an
> AMD 800 with
> >         >>768MB RAM and it runs like a champ. Single PVR-250 and an
> NVIDIA card
> >         >>running XvMC for playback.
> >         >>
> >         >>-----Original Message-----
> >         >>From: mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org
> >         >>[mailto:mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org] On Behalf Of Chris
> Weisiger
> >         >>Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 10:02 PM
> >         >>To: Discussion about mythtv
> >         >>Subject: [mythtv-users] Looking for good specifications for
> mythTV
> >         >>
> >         >>What are some good specs for a mythTV box..I have seen specs
> for high
> >         >>end machines doing multiple recordings....I am not looking
> into doing
> >         >>such things...
> >         >>
> >         >>All i am looking for is to record a single channel while
> watching
> >         >>it....and the possibility to pause live tv...
> >         >>just a basic recording box....
> >         >>
> >         >>I am looking into buiding a mini-itx box with laptop
> components....slim
> >         >>line cd/dvd, laptop hard drive, dimm or sodimm memory
> depending on what
> >         >>type of mini-itx motherboard i get or is recommended....
> >         >>
> >         >>What is the lowest possible processor speed to accomplish
> recording and
> >         >>pausing live tv....
> >         >>
> >         >>i was looking into getting a mini-itx with a 1.3 processor?
> and a
> >         >>pvr-350 card?
> >         >>
> >         >>i know memory helps the system..so i was planning on maxing
> out the
> >         >>memory..i found a mini-itx board that can support 2 gig or
> ram...and the
> >         >>hard drive space of course is not an issue for me to deal
> with...it is
> >         >>basically the processor speed..
> >         >>being this is the first
> >         >>attempt at creating a mythTV box...
> >         >>
> >         >>_______________________________________________
> >         >>mythtv-users mailing list
> >         >>mythtv-users at mythtv.org
> >         >>http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
> >         >>
> >         >>_______________________________________________
> >         >>mythtv-users mailing list
> >         >>mythtv-users at mythtv.org
> >         >>http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
> >         >>
> >         >>
> >         >>.
> >         >>
> >         >>
> >         >>
> >         >>
> >         >>
> >         >
> >         >
> >         >_______________________________________________
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> >         >mythtv-users at mythtv.org
> >         >http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
> >         >
> >         >
> >         >.
> >         >
> >         >
> >         >
> >
> >
> >         _______________________________________________
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> >
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