[mythtv-users] Superserver

Raymond Wagner raymond at wagnerrp.com
Wed Aug 25 01:27:28 UTC 2010


  On 8/24/2010 20:24, Robert Johnston wrote:
> You are aware that TDP stands for "Thermal Design Power", which is a 
> description of the maximum amount of HEAT output by a particular 
> device. So a 100W TDP CPU will have to have a heatsink capable of 
> dissipating at least 100 watts of heat. It also means that a 100W TDP 
> processor may (will probably) use more than 100W of power, as 100W of 
> it are being wasted as heat.

I don't understand this.  The power has to go somewhere, it has to do 
something.  A processor doesn't produce light, noise, or physical work, 
all that's left is heat.

> For instance, a hard-drive, while spinning, may take 1-5W, but when 
> spinning up the platters, can take as much as 50W.
I did mention that, although the ratings I've typically seen for drives 
put it at about half that.


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