[mythtv-users] Newbie question: Best HDTV capture device to minimize load?

[Brian Wood]

On Feb 18, 2007, at 2:49 PM, William Munson wrote:

> I am a former Mythtv user who has been away for a while and want to
> purchase some new hardware to let me capture HDTV. I have a nVidia  
> based
> video card (5200) and want to know which capture device is going to
> minimize the cpu load. I have been looking at the HDhomerun and it  
> seems
> to be a good choice. Is there a better one?
>
> Here is my current hardware:
> AthlonXP 2800
> nVidia 5200 driving the GRBHV input of the hd monitor
> 2 PVR-250 capture cards.
>
> Planning on setting up Fedora Core (Maybe Mythdora to start)


The question is how are you planning to get your HD content?  
Capturing HD is not very CPU-Intensive as it is an MPEG stream to  
start with, you just have to have to I/O to store it.

Playing it back is another story. Without H/W help that CPU won't cut  
it, see:

http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/index.php/XvMC