[mythtv-users] MBE Horsepower...

[Andrew Close]

On Mon, Jan 18, 2010 at 11:04 AM, Brian Wood <beww at beww.org> wrote:
> On Monday 18 January 2010 09:56:12 am Phil Bridges wrote:
>> On Mon, Jan 18, 2010 at 11:46 AM, Brian Wood <beww at beww.org> wrote:
>> > On Monday 18 January 2010 09:33:31 am David Liana wrote:
>> >> I conquer.  You'd probably be better off with a new(er) CPU and/or video
>> >> card.  You can get a ION box starting at $300.
>> >
>> > I think you meant "concur" :-)
>> >
>> > ION machines can be had for $199, (The Revo), that's with the single-core
>> > Atom and the ION "LE".
>>
>> Has it been determined if there are any Myth-centric differences
>> between the ION and the ION LE?
>
> Here's what I know:
>
> http://www.gossamer-
> threads.com/lists/mythtv/users/406858?search_string=ION%20LE;#406858
>
> That thread was back when I was trying to decide whether to buy the Revo with
> the "LE" version of the ION. I did buy it, but haven't set it up yet, as I'm
> waiting I get my new backend working.
>
> $199 for an HD-capable low-power frontend seems pretty reasonable to me.

i know the ION can be used as a good working frontend because the GPU
takes the brunt of the work.  but is it sufficient for a backend
managing the DB and system stuff as well as comm-flagging?  granted,
in process comm-flagging would really make the thing work, but i don't
need things comm-flagged in real time.
looking at the specs (but not totally taking the time to understand
them) my new ION 230 (single core) is clocked faster than my current
AMD mobile Athlon BE (also single core).  so i would guess they're
fairly comparable but the the Atom may not be as good at Floating
Point stuff.  but i'm not sure how much floating point comes into play
with video or if the GPU may be able to be utilized (now/later) for
comm-flagging/transcoding with the advent of VDPAU as it matures.
since i don't really need real time comm-flagging and do very little
transcoding, i'm /guessing/ that the Atom 330 (dual core) would be
fine for a BE only server.  (i do plan on adding a slave BE at some
future point as a VM on my core2quad desktop for additional
comm-flag/transcode support)

thanks for the suggestions/comments so far.  :)


-- 
Andrew Close