[mythtv-users] XvMC and libmpeg2 to be dropped in 0.25

Kevin Kuphal kkuphal at gmail.com
Mon Dec 6 14:57:54 UTC 2010


On Mon, Dec 6, 2010 at 6:11 AM, James Courtier-Dutton <
james.dutton at gmail.com> wrote:

> On 5 December 2010 19:43, Brian Wood <beww at beww.org> wrote:
> > On Sunday, December 05, 2010 12:26:57 pm BP wrote:
> >
> >> A cheap Atom based computer should be able to decode SD content
> >> without GPU assistance.  How old is your hardware in that it cannot
> >> decode SD content with the CPU?  Even seven years ago when I was
> >> running .11 I didn't require XvMC for any SD content.  I think I was
> >> using an Athlon XP 2500 at that time.
> >
> > As a datapoint, Dell stopped putting hardware mpeg decoders in their
> > DVD-equipped laptops at the time their CPUs hit 500Mhz.
> >
> > Of course they were using highly-optimized code for the DVD player, so
> > it might be better to say that 750 Mhz. is required to decode SD mpeg2
> > in software. Myth does more than just play the file, so it would need a
> > little more than just decoding would require.
> >
>
> The mpeg2 decode on the CPU is not the issue with old PCs.
> The problem area is the transfer of data from the CPU to the graphics card.
> XV makes considerable savings in this area over plain RGB putimage.
> XvMC makes even further savings by instead just sending the macro
> blocks to the video card.
>
> I think that another approach might be to have myth 0.24 in a
> maintenance mode, whereby it can always talk to the latest
> myth-backend database.
> So, old PCs can continue to use 0.24 mythfrontend.
> Is this a workable way forward?
>

Being open source, anyone is free to implement this very type of features
and distribute it to all those that desire it.  Don't expect it to be
supported by the main MythTV project though.  It is moving forward.  I
personally, don't understand the arguing.  I have a master backend that can
only play back HD content using XvMC (AGP card, Athlon 1800 processor).  I
understand that with 0.25, I can no longer use it as an occasional frontend
for HD content.  Fine, no big deal.  I have a number of workarounds (many
posted here) at my disposal.  It may be an inconvenience but I've gotten
*years* of good use out of the machine and as a backend, it will continue to
get years more I imagine.  Time to move on and if you can't stay with the
cutting edge, you're welcome to continue running the version you have
forever.

Kevin

Kevin
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