[mythtv-users] ASUS E35M1-M Pro boards

[Raymond Wagner]

On 2/9/2011 14:00, Johan.van der Kolk wrote:
> On 02/09/2011 07:52 PM, Raymond Wagner wrote:
>> On 2/9/2011 13:33, Johan.van der Kolk wrote:
>>> Typical (more like maximum) usage scenario: 2 to 3 recordings 
>>> simultaneously, possible HD, while watching one.
>>> Commflagging might be limited or given a low priority.
>>
>> No.  This system will likely be too slow to handle HD MPEG2, and 
>> certainly too slow for HD H264.  With DVB, you record what the 
>> broadcaster sends you.  You don't have a choice whether it is HD or 
>> not.  While in theory, this should perform hardware decode offload 
>> using the integrated video, but until AMD gets their act together, 
>> and stabilizes their support for VAAPI on Linux, that's not going to 
>> happen.
> Not sure where VAAPI comes in to play at a backend.... :-). When I 
> said watching one, it would be at a frontend (remote). Did not mention 
> that explicitly, apologies.

For a backend, the same comments about Atom backends come into play.  
Recording digital TV is itself fairly non-demanding.  There is no real 
processing, just parsing the MPEG container for keyframes, and dumping 
the recording to disk.  The problem comes with guide data handling, 
scheduler runs, and any reprocessing you intend to do.  As you 
mentioned, you can run commflagging at lower priority, but the scheduler 
must run any time you change your channel lineup, update your guide 
data, or modify a recording rule.  The more channels and tuners you 
have, the longer this will take.

Also note that you don't need to buy an underpowered system for low 
power consumption.  While the Zacate systems actually have power gating, 
and idle around half the power of Atom systems, you can get a high end 
Core i5 idling under 25W.  Tuner cards and hard drives are going to be 
stacked on top of that, regardless of what underlying board and 
processor you use.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/25w-performance-pc,2551.html