[mythtv-users] Performance issue

[Kevin Pulliam]

On Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:55:47 -0400, Matt Vollmar <matt at vollmars.com> wrote:
> William wrote:
> 
> >>I just realized that maybe I didn't state my question.  :-)  Is this
> >>performance normal?  I saw other people saying that there
> >>should be no
> >>problem recording and watching a recording at the same time with this
> >>type of system (or doing more).  Please help!  I bought this
> >>system so
> >>that I could record and watch at the same time.
> >>
> >>Thanks,
> >>
> >>Matt
> >>
> >>Matt Vollmar wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>>Hi Mythical World,
> >>>
> >>>First of all, I add my thanks to the long list that has already
> >>>accumulated.  I'm sure we will soon have to start a mailing
> >>>
> >>>
> >>list just
> >>
> >>
> >>>for thanks soon.
> >>>
> >>>I just built a new box:
> >>>- Shuttle SS51G V.2.0
> >>>- Celeron 2.4 GHz
> >>>- 512 MB PC2700 DDR RAM
> >>>- Western Digital 120 GB HD (8MB Cache, 7200 RPM)
> >>>- PNY NVidia MX440 64MB DDR AGP (6111 Drivers)
> >>>- ATI TV Wonder PCI
> >>>- External DVD Writer via USB (for boot) or IEEE1394
> >>>- Mandrake 10.0 upgraded to Cooker (so basically 10.1)
> >>>- MythTv with all plugins from the site - CVS version
> >>>  -- Alsa AND OSS compiled in because I wasn't sure if that
> >>>
> >>>
> >>was my prob
> >>
> >>
> >>>  -- XvMC compiled in because I have the MX440
> >>>
> >>>
> >
> >Try recompiling without the xvmc support. Use the plain Xv drivers. Your
> >system is probably right on the edge performance wise due to the fact that
> >you use a software encoded ATI card. I had many problems with stuttering
> >until I got rid of that compile option.
> >
> >If that does not fix it, perhaps its time for an upgrade. Switch to a
> >PVR-250 card or other hardware capture card and lighten the processor load.
> >
> >Bill
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >mythtv-users mailing list
> >mythtv-users at mythtv.org
> >http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
> >
> >
> Thanks for your input.  I tried with just XV before, but I will try it
> again.
> 
> The one thing that bugs me about that is that the HOWTO states this:
> 
> Here are a few data points:
> 
>     * A PIII/733MHz system can encode one video stream using the MPEG-4
>       codec using 480x480 capture resolution. This does not allow for
>       live TV watching, but does allow for encoding video and then
>       watching it later.
>     * A developer states that his AMD1800+ system can *almost* encode
>       two MPEG-4 video streams and watch one program simultaneously.
>     * A PIII/800MHz system with 512MB RAM can encode one video stream
>       using the RTjpeg codec with 480x480 capture resolution and play it
>       back simultaneously, thereby allowing live TV watching.
>     * A dual Celeron/450MHz is able to view a 480x480 MPEG-4/3300kbps
>       file created on a different system with 30% CPU usage.
>     * A P4 2.4GHz machine can encode two 3300Kbps 480x480 MPEG-4 files
>       and simultaneously serve content to a remote frontend.
> 
> That bottom one basically tells me that I should be able to encode one
> and watch one...additionally, the one with the AMD1800+ is well below my
> specs.  If it's just not going to be possible, then I won't worry about
> it, since I don't normally just watch TV, but I want to be able to watch
> a movie even if one is being recorded.
> 
> Any other ideas?
> 
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> 

Just a note,
  My Celeron 1.8Ghz is about 10% faster than my Athlon 850Mhz. 
Celeron does not = Pentium4.  Based on the above conversion, a Celeron
2.4 should be equal to an Athlon 1.3Ghz.  (While I haven't finished
getting Myth to run on my system), I would expect a Cel 2.4 to give
performance 25% better than the PIII/733 or the PIII/800 lines above.
I would not expect your system to be capable of recording and viewing
live tv at the same time.  I'm building my first Mythbox from my
Athlon 800, but I'm using a pvr-250 (or a 350) as my base encoder to
reach the performance needed.

-- 
Kevin

Kevin.pulliam at gmail.com