[mythtv-users] Superserver

[Robert Johnston]

On 24/08/2010 6:01 PM, Raymond Wagner wrote:
>    On 8/24/2010 19:45, Douglas Choma wrote:
>> On 8/24/10 4:33 PM, Raymond Wagner wrote:
>>> On 8/24/2010 18:36, Douglas Choma wrote:
>>>> Incidentally, it also requires so little power that I'm able to use
>>>> a picoPSU (http://www.mini-box.com/s.nl/it.A/id.417/.f).
>>>
>>> For what it's worth, that 120W PicoPSU could run most desktop systems
>>> without high end graphics.
>>
>> That's odd. Is this mostly true for the newer generation of desktop
>> machines? It seems like most traditional desktop PSUs start at 400W
>> and go up from there.
>
> Just because they sell supplies that large doesn't mean people need or
> even come close to using anything like that kind of power.
>
> Most desktop dual core processors come in at 60-80W TDP.

<snip />

You are aware that TDP stands for "Thermal Design Power", which is a 
description of the maximum amount of HEAT output by a particular device. 
So a 100W TDP CPU will have to have a heatsink capable of dissipating at 
least 100 watts of heat. It also means that a 100W TDP processor may 
(will probably) use more than 100W of power, as 100W of it are being 
wasted as heat.

Also bear in mind that some devices take much more power at peak load. 
For instance, a hard-drive, while spinning, may take 1-5W, but when 
spinning up the platters, can take as much as 50W. Add to that the 
requirements of motherboards these days (On-board audio, SATA, IDE, 
Firewire, USB, RAID etc.)