[mythtv-users] FE/BE on AppleTV

jedi jedi at mishnet.org
Sun Oct 3 18:20:07 UTC 2010


On Sun, Oct 03, 2010 at 11:42:23AM -0400, Raymond Wagner wrote:
>  On 10/3/2010 11:23, david.w.smiley at gmail.com wrote:
> >>From: Raymond Wagner<raymond at wagnerrp.com>
> >>
> >>  On 10/2/2010 22:21, david.w.smiley at gmail.com wrote:
> >>>I bought an AppleTV with the intention of using it for MythTV (and
> >>>Boxee), though I've been charmed by the native capabilities of the
> >>>devise, so I'm not loving the idea of replacing it with a linux
> >>>distro.
> >>The original AppleTV was a 1GHz Pentium M, with XvMC capable nVidia
> >>graphics, and 256MB of memory.  It really didn't have enough memory to
> >>run a high resolution frontend, so the UI was slow.  Even with XvMC, it
> >>was only capable of moderate bitrate MPEG2, so it failed on most HD ATSC
> >>content.  It made a pretty mediocre frontend.
> >Nevertheless, I know in my web searchers I've seen people successfully
> >doing 720p with a linux based AppleTV, MythTV frontend.
> >http://code.google.com/p/atv-bootloader/wiki/mythtv   (and there are
> >other references I've found)
> 
> The ATV bootloader is designed for the original AppleTV.  You could
> decode and play 720p video, but resolution is not the issue, bitrate
> is.  XvMC works with MPEG2, so it will help some.  You can manage up
> to moderate bitrate MPEG2 with it, but you will run out of steam
> long before you hit full ATSC bitrate (19mbps).  XvMC does nothing

     I had no trouble running full bitrate ATSC on the AppleTV. I also
never had any problems with divx transcoded recordings either. I did
have some problems related to power management. That impacted the NIC
more than anything else.

     The main problem with the old AppleTV is that it was made obsolete
by the Hauppauge HD-PVR. That box spits out stuff that the old AppleTV
isn't going to handle period. Your mileage will not vary.

[deletia]

      Although the old AppleTV does have that expansion slot...


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