[mythtv-users] combined HD frontend/backend on P4 3.2Ghz

[Leighton Brough]

Mark Lehrer wrote:
>> I'm currently involved in an upgrade to HD on my myth box. Its a
>> single box that does backend/frontend duties. Current specs are, p4
>> 3.2Ghz, 2GB RAM, GeForce 6600 VGA, onboard Intel Azalia audio which
>> will be used to pass through the digital audio to an external
>> processor.
>>
>> Is it going to be a problem for me to play back HD while recording
>> multiple (upto 4) streams at the same time on that box. I'll be using
>>     
>
> In my experience, a 3.2 Ghz P4 can't even play back a single hi def
> stream reliably, so you are asking for trouble.  I wasted a LOT of
> free time trying to get this exact CPU to work.
>
> Dual core processors are cheap, I would suggest at least an x2 3800.
>
> Mark
>
>   
I've got a 3GHz HT P4 with 2GB RAM and a GeForce 6200. With this 
configuration I can completely reliably record 3 HD streams 
simultaneously with commercial flagging of all three, while playing 
another HD recording. This is using bob deinterlacing and no XvMC. I 
have finally sorted out all annoyances with the playback - there are no 
jerks, stutters or tears under any circumstances anymore and the bob 
deinterlacing does look nice. Nevertheless, it did take a long time to 
settle on precisely the right configuration. None of the playback issues 
I encountered were due to running out of CPU grunt, but more a matter of 
getting the video and myth playback settings setup correctly.

For me recording 3 x streams + 3 x commercial flagging + playback uses 
about 1GB total memory. Commercial flagging is quite memory intensive. 
With 2GB, I also running mytharchive and/or some other stuff as well, 
without swap ever being needed. So 2GB sounds like a good idea to me for 
a BE/FE system with 4 HD tuners.

Leighton