[mythtv-users] frontend hardware - any reason not to use ion?

[Greg Cope]

On 10 Jan 2010, at 23:47, Kirk Bocek <t004 at kbocek.com> wrote:

>
>
> matt lutz wrote:
>> All,
>> Up until now I was able to use a combination frontend/backend because
>> I was able to keep my server in the basement and run audio & video
>> cables to my receiver.  Very soon I won't be able to do that though,
>> and I'm in the process of evaluating frontend hardware.  I need HD
>> capabilities, and from what I gather, VDPAU has made a small silent  
>> HD
>> capable frontend relatively cheap.  The question I have is whether
>> there are any downsides to the ion platform.  Is the atom fast enough
>> to do all of the newer MythUI features?  I saw somewhere that it  
>> can't
>> support some of the deinterlaces (advanced 2x or something like
>> that?).  Is that a big deal?  Are there further advancements coming
>> down that would make the ion obselete, and I'd be better off  
>> getting a
>> microATX board with a newer nvidia graphics card?
>> This would seem like the ideal frontend assuming the ion is a good  
>> choice:
>> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856173001&cm_re=zotac_ion-_-56-173-001-_-Product
>
> I recently installed an Acer Aspire Revo R1600-U910H as an FE-only  
> host. It's an Ion based system. Works like a charm. Plays 1080p  
> content just fine with VDPAU and only about 10% CPU usage. Almost  
> completely silent. Certainly more quiet than any box with a standard  
> CPU fan. HDMI audio works with the proprietary Nvidia drivers. I  
> have no experience with the open source Nvidia driver.

I have a R3619 (dual core) revo. Avenard repo on mythbuntu 9.10.  2gb  
ram, internal disk for os and mysql, esata drive for recordings.

Can record 4 SD dvb streams (some if which are around 15mbit/sec  
apparently) and watch one without issues.  I do not see HD content  
being an issue.

Real time transcoding/commercial skipping may be an issue.  Mine can  
commflag at 57fps on good sd content so I doubt it could do more than  
30fps on HD.

Other than that fine.  Works well, quite, low power.

Greg