[mythtv-users] Minimum CPU / Video specs for HDTV Frontend?

[jack snodgrass]

On 9/22/06, Preston Crow <pc-mythtv06c at crowcastle.net> wrote:
> On Fri, 2006-09-22 at 12:44 +0200, Tino Keitel wrote:
> > On Fri, Sep 22, 2006 at 03:31:46 -0500, jack snodgrass wrote:
> > > Anyone know the minimum CPU / Video specs for a HDTV Frontend box?
> > > I just installed a fresh copy of a linux desk top on one of those
> > > mini-itx, fanless, 600mhz CPU boards and tried to play a HDTV mpg
> > > file and it sent the CPU to 100% and brought the machine to it's
> > > knees..... so a 600mhz mini-itx system is out.... I am looking
> > > for something for the living room to run diskless ( and hopefully
> > > fanless )
> >
> > A 3 GHz Pentium or 3000+ Athlon CPU should work. With less CPU power,
> > you get close to the limit IMHO. I tested "Elephants Dream" in HD with my
> > 1,6 GHz Core Duo, and it played fine.
>
> The first issue is video.  You really need an nVidia 5200 card.  The
> newer cards aren't as well-supported for XvMC (they use a different
> technique or API or something).  And obviously, you need to use XvMC to
> get the graphics card to do most of the work.
>
> Once you do that, you probably are fine with about a 1.5GHz cpu.  I have
> an AMD 2500, and it is at something like 40% during playback.
>
> I haven't heard any reports of one of those mini-ITX with a VIA CPU
> working for HDTV, though.
>

I wonder if I'd have any ( better ) luck using the mini-itx box as a
X-Windows terminal and have the 'host' read / process the video
and just send the x-window content down the wire to the mini-itx
X-Windows thing.  How much CPU is used for raw output to the
video card and how much CPU is used to handle the mpg file?

jack