[mythtv-users] CPU for a frontend

[William Otten]

On 2/26/2012 1:46 PM, R. G. Newbury wrote:
> On 02/26/2012 02:35 PM, William Otten wrote:
>> On 2/26/2012 1:07 PM, R. G. Newbury wrote:
>>> On 02/25/2012 11:15 AM, dave cunningham wrote:
>>>> Hi All,
>>>>
>>>> My current frontend is SD only with an Intel Little Falls board.
>>>>
>>>> This has been fine (if a little slow navigating menus) but I'm now
>>>> moving to HD and so it's time to upgrade.
>>>>
>>>> The frontend is and will be fanless in a mCubed case. I'm running on a
>>>> PicoPSU type power supply so am quite limited component wise.
>>>>
>>>> Where I am at is GT430 + 4GB RAM + either a G630T or i2100T (+ DVDR,
>>>> net-boot).
>>>>
>>>> This frontend will be used exclusively DVB-T/T2/S/S2 FTV in the UK.
>>>>
>>>> Is there any reason as to why I should choose an i2100T over a G630T?
>>>> (Conversely a G630T appears to be 50% cheaper than an i2100T here so
>>>> that's the way I'm currently leaning).
>>> For a Frontend-only box there is no reason why you cannot use an ION
>>> based motherboard. I purchased a Zotac ION 2 years ago when they were
>>> introduced, for use as a VOIP box. It does that job just fine!
>>> But before I installed the VOIP setup, I tested it as a fronted.
>>>
>>> No problems playing myth recorded OTA High Def. The box runs off a power
>>> brick. It touches 35 watts for an instant during boot, and thereafter
>>> stabilizes around 27-29 watts during HD replay. Small CPU fan is the
>>> only fan installed. It has an Atom 330 dual core cpu and on-board nvidia
>>> gpu (9500 or 9600 chip, can't remember which).
>>>
>>> Lots of boards of this type at logicsupply,com for reference and of
>>> course at mini-itx.com.
>>>
>>> But if you are going to build up a box, then you probably should browse
>>> at ark.intel.com  (yes that is an "R") and look at the i3 *and* i5 2xxxT
>>> series cpus. They are all low TDP versions. The i3 I have my eye on is
>>> the 2120T at 35 watts or the i5 2390T also at 35 watts TDP. Both are
>>> dualcore at about 2.5 to 2.7GHz. There are also 17 watt chips! running
>>> in the 1.5-1.7GHz range with Intel 2000 or 3000 video chipsets.
>>>
>>> Given that the Zotac cpu is that sort of speed the real question point
>>> for THIS use, is the video chipset. It looks like Intel will have full
>>> video accel for their chips in the not too distant future. In the
>>> meantime, you would need the GT430.
>>>
>>> Of course, these are limited chips but they are built for a particular
>>> niche.
>>>
>>> And our limit is generally determined by the amount of 'wallet-pain' we
>>> wish to endure....
>>>
>>>
>>> Geoff
>>>
>>>
>>>
>> Here are more examples of users only using the intel sandy bridge gpu
>> with success and getting very good video quality.
>>
>> http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/mythtv/users/501137
>
> Agreed. But at the moment there are still reports of glitches and
> gotchas. But the required patches to mesa are working there way upstream
> and the Intel code is getting better. At the moment, I would say the
> *safe* course for the OP is to assume that he will use the GT430 and
> hope that he will be able to remove it at some point in the future.
> Note that *removing* the Nvidia blob requires some pre-planning as its
> install routine *replaces* some libraries and *does NOT* save the
> copies. Extract the bin file by running NVIDIA....bin -x and you can
> read the install script to see which libraries it replaces. I keep
> intending to write a script.....
>
> Then again, there is always the 'nuke it from orbit' re-install path...
>
> Geoff
>
> Well we all have opinions and several others and myself believe differently than you. I can say that my experience is stable and very good. My wife is very pleased! Thats says alot. :)
>
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