[mythtv-users] Building new Mythtv Box

[Steven Adeff]

On Mon, Jan 10, 2011 at 2:15 PM, jedi <jedi at mishnet.org> wrote:
> On Mon, Jan 10, 2011 at 11:43:49AM -0500, Joe wrote:
>> On Mon, Jan 10, 2011 at 11:35 AM, R. G. Newbury <newbury at mandamus.org> wrote:
>> > Ditch the Nvidia 6200. You have FIOS so you get HD. You really need at least
>> > a 9500GT or newer (GT220 etc) for vdpau to lower the load on the CPU. That
>> > CPU will work, but will be stressed if you are recording and playing at the
>> > same time.
>>
>> I agree with everything Geoff said except the above comment about
>> needing VDPAU... My current main BE/FE is using the onboard Geforce
>> 6150 LE ... Records on all three tuners (dual HDHomeRun + PVR-150) and
>> simultaneously plays back HD to our LCD TV just fine.  CPU is an older
>> dual core Athlon (5200+ speed grade maybe?) but it's nowhere near it's
>> limits.
>
>    The older nvidias are likely to not support modern video inputs.
> An 8x00 card can be had cheaply and is really the bare minimum of what
> you want to be dealing with these days.
>
> [deletia]

yes, with the C2D CPU a VDPAU capable video card is not a requirement.

BUT, for $40 you could purchase a GT220 on sale which would free up
your CPU for commercial detection, transcoding, etc.
I'm not saying you need to purchase this now, but if its budgetable
I'd say do it. It will also give you a proper HDMI output with
multi-channel audio output, and I feel the picture quality with VDPAU
and specifically the GT220's ability to use the Advanced (2x)
deinterlacer on 1080i content and the HQScaling for SD content, is
well beyond what the software versions can do.

I think of it as a highly suggested option. I just built my parents a
combined BE/FE and even though it has a processor more than capable of
the decoding and deinterlacing and such, but they have a 50" HDTV and
my dad watches lots of soccer, so the better deinterlacer and the
HQScaling (which can only be done through VDPAU) was well worth
spending $40.

-- 
Steve
http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/User:Steveadeff
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