[mythtv-users] Re:Front end choice: Mac Mini versus VIA EPIA. Mac OSX remote control?

[Todd Ignasiak]

On 8/31/05, Nick <knowledgejunkie at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 8/31/05, Todd Ignasiak <ignasiak at gmail.com> wrote:
> > I have a Mac Mini, and I think it's great.   The form factor is
> > unbeatable, and I don't think I could make a Mini-ITX box for near the
> > same price.   I use mine for all the Apple Apps (iTunes, iMovie, iDVD,
> > etc.) and general Unix functions.   But, not for MythTV.
> >
> > I use MythTV for HD material, which makes the Mini a no-go.   The
> > 1.42GHz CPU in mine is not fast enough to decode/display HDTV
> > material.    The mini's ATI Radeon video hardware does have support
> > for MPEG2 acceleration, unfortunately Apple has chosen not to open an
> > API into this functionality.   So, HD is out of reach for the Mini.
> 
> I'd be amazed if the hardware didn't have MPEG2 acceleration/iDCT
> support (I'd think all ATI cards for the past several years have had
> this in hardware). Whether or not it is implemented in their driver is
> another story.

Yeah,  that's what I said.   The Mini, and most other Macs have video
chips that support iDCT offload.   Unfortunately, Apple does not allow
access to that hardware via any standard API.

So, HD applications, like the EyeTV viewer, have system requirements
MUCH higher than they really should.

A 1GHz P4 should be able to easily handle 1080i/720p MPEG2 playback,
if they can use the MPEG2 acceleration.    Without the hardware
assist, the requirements are much higher.