[mythtv-users] *Solution* Capture Card Power Requirements

David Rees drees76 at gmail.com
Mon Aug 24 19:25:26 UTC 2009


On Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 12:02 PM, James Crow<james at ultratans.com> wrote:
> Michael T. Dean wrote:
>>> Not enough to pay for the supply, but at least I have stable power now.
>>
>> Not in the short term, but...  ;)  Note, also, that it's not difficult to
>> find 80 PLUS PSU's in the $40 and lower range if you buy when they're on
>> sale.  I've bought all 7 of mine for $29.99 or $39.99 with free S&H.  Mine
>> are also all 400W-430W PSU's.  At that rate, saving a couple dollars per
>> month can recoup cost before too long.

I was going to say the same thing, Mike... :-)

> I could have gone with a smaller PSU, but I plan to upgrade to a newer quad
> core system and may need the extra power.

Unlikely.  Unfortunately, it's way too easy to fall into the "bigger
is better" trap or "I might need it in the future, so I better get the
bigger one".  People do it all the time with PSUs and other things
(like cars, gotta have that V8 SUV in case I need to tow something!).

Right now your processor has a TDP of ~90w.  Even the highest power
quad cores have a TDP of 150w.  You're system probably peaks just over
200W right now.  So another 60W from the most power hungry quad core
will leave you well under 300w.  And as Mike mentions, a 600w is
totally overkill for a system which idles at ~100w, never mind less
efficient and will generate more heat.

Typically the smallest PSU you can buy these days is around 300w, and
I would expect one of those to work just fine for now and the future.
And if you must have more power, a 400w PSU would be overkill for 99%
of the systems out there.

Or heck, just screw it.  Just get that 1000w monster[1] and you'll
have enough power for 5 computers in one!

-Dave

[1] http://www.ocztechnology.com/products/power_management/ocz_z_series_1000w


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