[mythtv-users] Should I Upgrade Frontend from AMD 3200+ to AMD X2 3800+ (DualCore) ?

[Brad Templeton]

On Sun, Feb 15, 2009 at 06:38:42PM +1100, Jean-Yves Avenard wrote:
> Hi
> 
> 2009/2/15 Brad Templeton <brad+myth at templetons.com>:
> >
> > Not true.   Depends on the supply, but usually not for most vendors.
> Don't state something is "not true" without providing an explanation
> to back your point.
> 
> http://www.quietpc.com/nz/faq.html#psuq1
> Do higher powered PSUs cost more to run because they consume more power?
> 
> No, more powerful PSUs will consume around the same amount of power as
> lower powered PSUs in any given PC system. Your electricity bill will
> not be higher when using a more powerful power supply!

I apologize for not being more detailed.

Turns out a lot of power supplies have a real dip in efficiency in
the very low end of their load range.   The 80 plus spec demands
80% efficiency at only 20% load and up.  It does not demand it
below 20%

But my very capable myth front end is drawing only about 50 watts most of
the time.   This is below 20% of total load for all those high-powered
power supplies.     Supplies will differ -- some will do better at these
low loads than others do, but I have seen many supply efficiency graphs
that dip quite a bit below 20%.  If I put on a 500w ps I would be
running at 10% load much of the time and while some of them might do
just fine it is no longer something the engineers were working on to
meet the spec.


You will pay for for a big PS and you may be getting less.