[mythtv-users] Dual SW card usage on XP2200

[John Freer]

Hi all:

I've got an XP2200 box that I've been really happy with with myth.  2
SW Hauppauge cards, btaudio.  Everything works fine, but I'm getting
choppy playback when recording two streams and playing back one.

top shows that I'm in general 10% free CPU, but it spikes to 100%
every few seconds or so.  

The box is also my firewall box for NAT, etc., so I think that other
services are occasionally pulling CPU power and causing the skipping.

Could someone post some suggestions on the best things to try first,
second, etc.?  I could just go in and re-nice stuff, but I don't know
if that's the best course.

I've also tried reducing the encoding rates, and am using RTJPEG,
etc.  That seems to reduce average CPU, but doesn't address the
spikes that cause the choppyness.

What's the best route to optomize my setup?  (Outside of getting a
PVR250 or XP3000).

Thanks,
John.


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