[mythtv-users] Random lockups on Mythbackend

[Brian Wood]

On Sunday, December 19, 2010 08:46:45 pm dwoody1 wrote:

> > As always, it depends. Are we talking about SD or HD program
> > material?
> 
> I record OTA and Mythtv shows 720, 1080, HD and sometimes blank. But,
> we live in Texas, so I assume it is all digital if that makes a
> difference.

So we're talking about HD. I suspect your CPU is not capable of that 
much activity with HD, especially since you are using software decoding.

I guess everything's bigger in Texas, including file sizes :-)

> I have been using the HDMI output. I thought that used less cpu than
> using VGA output. But perhaps still too much.

I wasn't aware that HDMI made any difference in CPU usage, first I had 
heard of that.

> 
> Could cpu usage between 88% - 95% be causing my problem?

Yup. Remember that top shows only an average over time, and you probably 
have peaks that are well over that.

> 
> If so, from your comments above, a VDPAU-capable video card would be
> called for. From your experience, are there cards that you would
> recommend or avoid?

From comments here and other places I'd go with an nVidia GT220 or 240, 
they are reasonably priced and seem to work well.

First thing I'd try is turning off commflagging, that should reduce the 
load considerably, and I'd guess you could play back a single program 
OK.

But an nvidia card should reduce your decoding load a lot, but I still 
wouldn't try commflagging more than one program at a time.