[mythtv-users] CPU power (was Possible small HD frontend)

[Michael T. Dean]

On 03/22/2008 03:47 PM, Raphael wrote:
> Michael T. Dean wrote:
>> I'm pretty sure I've seen other comparisons where mobo's/chipsets were 
>> tested revealing some pretty astounding differences, though I don't feel 
>> like digging them up (and don't remember the details well enough to give 
>> the results).  :)
> Essentially on the desktop side, the Northbridges in Intel motherboards 
> pull considerably more power than an AMD motherboard does. Nvidia 
> chipsets are a particularly bad example. I've seen numbers upwards of 
> 50W in some reviews. A typical number I saw thrown around a bit was 20W 
> for an Intel brand chipset. The typical northbridge on a motherboard 
> made for an AMD processor uses somewhere below 10W (I can't remember for 
> sure either, but I vaguely recall seeing even sub 2W numbers -makes 
> sense: they don't actually need a northbridge). So basically when people 
> say "I have a 45W proc and yours is 65W, nyah nyah," make sure to tell 
> them to add the power for the memory controller in the northbridge if 
> it's an Intel.

That's pretty much what I was thinking (but unwilling to say without 
numbers/references to back it up).  And, this information is far more 
relevant to most MythTV users than the FB-DIMM/DDR2 differences I 
mentioned that appear with Xeon systems (though some--like the user to 
whom I responded--do use Xeon systems).

So really, measuring CPU power is meaningless when it comes to 
"greenness" of a system.  You really need to measure system power usage 
at the wall.

Oh, and don't get me started on PSU's.  I'm starting to think there's 
actually something to the whole 80 plus thing ( http://80plus.org/ ).  
Though it's interesting how this utility-company-funded "incentive" 
program just costs me (an individual) money (since I have to buy the 
more expensive PSU).  Fortunately, when one of my Myth PSU's blew up 
last week, there was a really good one-day sale on an 80-plus PSU.  Once 
I "borrow" my Kill-A-Watt back from a friend, I plan to see how much of 
a difference it makes (and, if sufficient, may start replacing PSU's on 
other always-on systems of mine).  Of course, doing so may only be green 
in the greenbacks sense because it means taking a bunch of working PSU's 
to my local hazardous waste disposal facility.

Mike