[mythtv-users] HD-PVR playback--high CPU usage

[Alan Young]

On 03/25/2010 09:08 AM, Greg Woods wrote:
> On Thu, 2010-03-25 at 15:13 +0000, Andre wrote:
>
>>>>> No--not using VDPAU
>
> I've got a system with AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 4200+,
> and I have never been able to get HD-PVR recordings to play back
> smoothly without VDPAU. With VDPAU, it was a piece of cake. With VDPAU,
> I was even able to get an old Celeron-based front end to play back HD
> recordings (letterboxed on an SD TV). So this may depend on how much
> money you have to spend vs. how much your time is worth, and how much
> you enjoy tinkering with the system. You could spend hours playing with
> HD-PVR settings and maybe get it to work, or spend $60 on a video card
> that can do VDPAU and be done with it.
>
> Another thing to think about is the output settings of the STB that
> feeds the HD-PVR. Forcing that to be constant removes one variable in
> what the HD-PVR will do.

I have a AMD X2 4200+ and it could almost do it with software.  I had to 
overclock it a bit and drop the playback rate to 0.9, but it was actually 
watchable for the most part with standard mythtv.  I've since moved on to 
VDPAU like others.  However the OP could also try the CoreAVC codec and myth 
patches.  Even though I'm using VDPAU for playback,  I've recently started to 
use those for commerical flagging and it does make a difference in flagging 
time.  If the OP can't go the hardware route, they could try that route and 
see if it works.  It is cheaper than a VDPAU card.

Alan