[mythtv-users] Zotac Zbox Replacement

[Tom Lichti]

On Fri, Aug 12, 2016 at 3:30 PM, R. G. Newbury <newbury at mandamus.org> wrote:

> On 08/12/2016 07:52 AM, Michael A Weber wrote:
>
>>
>> On Aug 11, 2016, at 10:15 AM, R. G. Newbury <newbury at mandamus.org> wrote:
>>>
>>> On 08/11/2016 12:58 AM, Michael Papet wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hi all,
>>>>
>>>> I've got a Zotac Zbox of uncertain vintage running Debian testing that
>>>> simply cannot seem to draw OTA HDTV when the frames get "busy" (think
>>>>
>>>
>
>>> If you open a console and run dmidecode and lspci -v you cam learn a lot
>>> about the machine.
>>>
>>> I have an early Zotac Ion which runs an Atom 330 CPU at 1.6G and it
>>> handled OTA HD perfectly *with the proper nvidia driver installed*. Mine
>>> has an nvidia GeForce 9400M gpu which now uses the 'Legacy' 340.xxx series
>>> driver.
>>>
>>> It's been my VOIP box for some years now but I ran it as a myth frontend
>>> for a while for testing purposes with iirc a 190.xxx series nvidia driver.
>>> It had no problems even with very high bit-rate HD content. (Normal network
>>> broadcast HD runs about 7Gig per hour recorded, but CBS for one, broadcasts
>>> sports (NFL!) at a higher bit-rate and runs about 11Gig per hour. The Zotac
>>> had no problems with that).
>>>
>>> Maybe you should try installing the nvidia driver again? It's fiddly to
>>> do but worth it.
>>>
>>>
>>> Geoff
>>>
>>
>
>> +1
>>
>> Or, if those commands Geoff suggested let you know that your existing
>> Zotac hardware is definitely not capable, I recommend checking into a used
>> Zotac Zbox with better specs.  I picked mine up from eBay on the cheap,
>> attached it to my network and setup a network boot, and it’s been an
>> outstanding performer (and certainly not bad on the eyes or a space hog).
>> It’s an ID84 for whatever that’s worth, no hard drive and 2GB ram.
>>
>> Mike
>>
>
> My box is the original Zotac Ion. The second gen ION 2 was even more
> capable. I don't think that there is anything deficient in the hardware for
> mythtv playback. As noted, installing the nvidia native driver is a pain
> but it's just a longish series of finicky steps
>
> The hardware itself is rock solid. Mine has been running as a VOIP server
> for seven and a half years now and all I have had to do is clean the little
> fan. The case is rather small and it needs a 40 mm fan. I have had uptimes
> into the 240 day range and present uptime is 75 days.
> Asterisk forever!
>
> Geoff


I also have an original Zotac ION and it's still working fine as our main
front end. The menus (especially in the videos section) can be a tad slow,
but playback is rock solid (OTA HD mostly). Haven't touched the setup in a
couple of years, and it's been running for at least 5 years.

Tom
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