[mythtv-users] Power Saving Frontend Ideas

[Brian Foddy]

On Sunday 13 April 2008, Rick Hudson wrote:
> DISAFAN wrote:
> > I'm curious for input on the issue of power saving in a frontend. What
> > techniques people have used, setups, etc.
> >
> > Do you shutdown your frontend when not in use, put it in power-saving
> > mode, leave it on?
>
> How little power is considered "saving power"? Less than 1W like a properly
> designed embedded device? Some computers still use alarming amounts of
> power even while in standby. I had a computer that drew like 20W when it
> was supposedly off!
>
> I have a combined frontend and backend so so my requirements are slightly
> different so my solution is to have an efficient computer and leave it on.
> My whole computer only uses about 15W (measured) when it's idle with the
> HDD spun down (OS is on flash drive) and I figure that's reasonable
> provided all the other theatre gear (monitor, amp, sub, etc) have sub-watt
> standby modes - which they do.
>
> Yes you could probably obtain a slightly lower mean power consumption by
> using suspend-to-RAM or something but it's just too much hassle to try and
> put a linux server into standby mode.

Can you describe your machine a bit more.  15 watts of power is
VERY low in my experience.  I too have a kill-a-watt and the lowest
power machine I have in my house is a p2-450 that uses about 56
watts, its a linux firewall running 24x7.  I'm ashamed to mention my
frontend that because of bios and cpu upgrade issues, doesn't have
any low power sleep or easily power-down options.

I'd be curious in a ultra-low power firewall machine where performance
isn't a big issue, and a much better performance HD frontend machine
that has good sleep and power features.

Thanks,
Brian