[mythtv-users] comments on hardware for a combined frontend/backend

[matt lutz]

On 10/1/07, David George <david at thegeorges.us> wrote:
>
> On 10/01/2007 04:31 PM, matt lutz wrote:
> >
> > If you have the time, can you please comment on my proposed
> > frontend/backend?
> >
> > Motherboard - ASUS M2N-E
> > http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16813131022
> >
> > CPU - AMD Athlon
> > 6000+http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103773
> >
> > Memory - G.Skill 2GB
> > (2x1GB)http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231098
> >
> > Video Card - nvidia
> > 6200LEhttp://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16814121019
> >
> > Hard Drive - WD SATA2
> > 500GBhttp://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16822136143
> Looks good.  Couple of comments.  Athlon 6000+ ?  Do you do a lot of CPU
> intensive stuff on this machine?  Even playing 1080i and 720p will only
> take about 50-64% of one of the cores on a 3600+ without using xvmc.
> Unless you need that much horsepower I would go with one of the 65watt
> or 65nm AMD X2 and enable cool-n-quiet.  2Gig is a good amount for
> combined front/backend.  Any reason for the WD hard drive?  I haven't
> had any problems with them in a while, but I usually get the Seagate
> with 5-year warranty.  WD is typically 1 year (in this case they don't
> say what the warranty is).
>
> --
> David
>
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David/Todd/Jonathan,

Thanks for your comments.  It sounds fairly unanimous that my CPU is a bit
of an overshoot.  I do realize it's probably more than I need for playback &
recording, but I do transcode a lot of HD down to 720x480 to play back on
some SD frontends.  So I just figured the more horsepower the better, since
sound & power isn't really an issue for this setup.  However, I suppose it
would make sense to save some $$ on the CPU and buy some more storage.

As for the hard drive choice, I didn't really have a preference between WD &
Seagate.  If Seagate has a 5 year warranty, I will probably go with that.
thanks.

I currently drive my plasma with a frontend through the VGA port.  The added
distance to get to the new box will only be an extra foot or two, so it
should be okay.  I would prefer to go DVI, but I'd have to rip my livingroom
wall apart (again - I ran it 3 years ago), which I don't feel like doing.
As long as it's decent, I'll keep it at VGA.

thanks again.

Matt
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