[mythtv-users] Zotac ID41 as frontend

[Tom Bongiorno]

On Tue, May 28, 2013 at 11:21 AM, Josu Lazkano <josu.lazkano at gmail.com>wrote:

> 2013/5/28 Andrew Stadt <acstadt at stadt.ca>:
> > On 28/05/2013 8:11 AM, Per Jessen wrote:
> >>
> >> Josu Lazkano wrote:
> >>
> >>> Hello all,
> >>>
> >>> I am planning to change my old frontend and repleace it with a Zotac
> >>> ID41 ION1 based box.
> >>>
> >>> I have some questions about it:
> >>>
> >>> 1. I read on the official Zotac web that it support 2x204-pin DDR2-800
> >>> SO-DIMM. Do you recommend to use both slots? Is enough with 2x1GB
> >>> (DDR2-800)?
> >>
> >> My current Mythfrontend has 1Gb, more than plenty imo.
> >
> > While I've effectively retired my Zotac, you might want to search the
> lists
> > regarding ram/shared memory.  IIRC, there was an issue with the ION
> boards
> > that you needed a certain amount of ram (think it was 2Gb) to allocate
> the
> > max shared memory to the GPU.  I do recall with certainty that using 2
> > sticks (enabling dual channel) did fix some playback issues.
> >
> > Andrew.
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > mythtv-users mailing list
> > mythtv-users at mythtv.org
> > http://www.mythtv.org/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
>
> Thanks again,
>
> I just buy this pack:
>
>  - Zotac ID41, 1800 MHz, BGA559
>  - 2 x Kingston 2GB PC3-6400 DDR3 (800 MHz, 204-pin)
>  - Samsung SE-208DB/TSBS DVD-RW slim external USB, 24x
>
> I will add the 8GB SSD disk. While waiting for the pack, do you
> recommend any tutorial or information to read?
>
> I will use Debian Wheezy with XFCE, I always use deb-multimedia
> repository software version (0.26.0+fixes20130425-dmo1 actually).
>
> I will report or ask here any problem, thank you very much for your
> helpful replies.
>
> Regards.
>
> --
> Josu Lazkano
> _______________________________________________
> mythtv-users mailing list
> mythtv-users at mythtv.org
> http://www.mythtv.org/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
>

AFAIK, with the exception of the ND02, all of the Zotac ZBoxes with ION
graphics are at least gen2 chipsets.  These include the ID11, ID31, ID33,
ID34, ID36, ID37, ID40, ID41, ID42, ID80, and ID84.  Gen2 and later all
have at least 512MB of dedicated GPU memory and support VDPAU feature set
C.  No need to added additional RAM for GPU memory.

I run four ID11 boxes with 2x 1GB RAM modules and boot off of an 8GB thumb
drive.  Boot time is slow, but thumb drives are cheap.  For a long time I
was using an 8GB SD card for a boot drive.  Slower boot times than the
thumb drive, but still no problems with that configuration.  I run
dedicated Mythbuntu frontends on these boxes.

Unless you have a requirement of fast boot times, an SSD is overkill in
every way IMO.  On top of that, if you are not apposed to used equipment
and are patient, you can score these machines much cheaper on eBay.  I
scored a couple of my ID11 boxes with RAM for $125 each.  Added a $5 thumb
drive and a $10 remote.

-Tom
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