[mythtv-users] CPU power (was Possible small HD frontend)

[Raphael]

Brian Phillips wrote:
> 
> 
> The heat generation is a product of how hot the transistors are currently
> (and other factors).  Slowing the clock cycle gives you more time to remove
> the heat generated from the last clock cycle, so you could make one argument
> for slowing the clock.  The argument would be that, keeping everything the
> same, you are losing less power to heat generation per clock cycle with a
> slower clock cycle because your CPU is running cooler.  On the flip side you
> are running more cycles of your fan between clock cycles, and spending more
> power there per clock cycle which could very well negate your power savings
> due to less heat generation.
> 

I highly doubt that. A fan uses anywhere from 40 to 100 times less power 
than a typical processor (unless you're using some 10 Watt VIA C7), and 
over time will use much less total energy than a processor regardless of 
the clock rate or load/idle state.

Raphael