[mythtv-users] Apple TV FE with DVD Player?

[Scott D. Davilla]

>  >>Hmmm.   I can think of a couple of different ways to interpret this
>>>statement in practice.   It looks like you found a pocket of
>>>ignorance in my head.  :-)    Would you be willing to elaborate or
>>>point me at a source of more information?
>>
>  >There's only one way. You have video content resolution and you have
>>video display resolution. They are independent. It's an easy concept,
>>for example, one uses an HDHomeRun to record 480p, 720p or 1080i
>>video content. That's the native size of the video content.
>>
>>Now I can play that video content on different sized video displays.
>>So 480p content played to a display running at 720p and so on.
>>
>>So there is nothing that prevents play 480p, 720p and 1080i mpeg2
>>content to a AppleTV that is driving a display at 1080p.
>>
>>The AppleTV cannot render 1080p content to any display resolution.
>
>Ah, thank you for the very clear explanation.   That was the
>interpretation I was hoping not to read, but I don't think it is a
>huge stumbling block.    So, if I have 1080p content stored on my
>backend, it cannot be played/rendered by the AppleTV.    However, my
>understanding is that there isn't that much 1080p content available
>yet.  Is that correct?

The only 1080p content is HD-DVD and BlueRay. And I guess some 
European broadcasting of the air. Maybe HD-PRV but I don't remember 
if it can capture 1080p component. 1080i component yes.


>Can 1080p content be converted by the backend into something less
>beautiful and therefore playable by the ATV, such as 1080i or 720p?

Yes.

>If I build a front end from scratch are there minimum specs listed
>somewhere for equipment to render 1080p?
>
>I've been considering the AMD dual core processors in the range
>between the Athlon 64 X2 4600+ (2.4 GHz) and the Athlon 64 X2 5200+
>(2.7 GHz) with some kind of Nvidia based motherboard.   Or the Intel
>E2160 (dual core 1.8 GHz) or E7200 (dual core 2.53 GHz) in some kind
>of Intel based motherboard, based on discussion which suggests that
>the Intel drivers are giving good support for XvMC now.

Since 1080p is mpeg4/h.264 and there are no Linux hardware assisted 
video decoders for that type of content. It's a pure cpu decode game 
with video card possibly doing re-scaling with GL. Not to start a cpu 
war but the Intel Core2 Duo smokes the AMDs but they will cost 
slightly more. That E7200 will be plenty of ponies and also not 
require a wind tunnel of fans to cool.

Remember that a MacMini with 2GHz Core2 Duo and intel GM950 video 
chipset can handle 1080p. So any Core2 Duo faster than that or with 
better video is bonus.

Also remember that nvidia 8xxx/9xxx series cards do not have any XvMC 
decode ability but with an E7200 class cpu, you don't need it.