Mailing List Archive

CPU For Pundit Frontend
Hi,

So after reading lots and thanks to people that answered my questions
on here, I've decided to go ahead and build a system based around a
Pundit as a MythTV frontend (only).

The only thing left is to choose a CPU for it. As it will only be a
frontend I figured I don't really need something too powerful. I can
get a Celeron 1.7 GHz pretty cheap so I was thinking that would be
the way to go.

Then, realising that the Pundit has variable speed fans dependant upon
temperature that got me thinking...

What would be cooler? A Celeron running at high CPU usage, or a faster
P4 2.4 GHz chip running at significantly less CPU usage?

If I could pick a chip which ran cooler, then maybe that would keep
the fans running slower and therefore quieter?

Any opinions? Am I just being crazy? :-)

Thanks,
Matt

--
Matt N. Marsh
Email: matt@mattmarsh.net
Web: http://www.mattmarsh.net/
RE: CPU For Pundit Frontend [ In reply to ]
-----Original Message-----
From: Matt Marsh [mailto:matt@mattmarsh.net]
Sent: Monday, June 02, 2003 2:29 PM
To: mythtv-users@www.snowman.net
Subject: [mythtv-users] CPU For Pundit Frontend


Hi,

> So after reading lots and thanks to people that answered my questions
> on here, I've decided to go ahead and build a system based around a
> Pundit as a MythTV frontend (only).

Hey, I've got one of those... : )

> The only thing left is to choose a CPU for it. As it will only be a
> frontend I figured I don't really need something too powerful. I can
> get a Celeron 1.7 GHz pretty cheap so I was thinking that would be
> the way to go.

I'm running a Celeron 1.7. As a front end only, the CPU utilization
isn't high with this cpu anyway. Unless you have other tasks in mind I'd
go with the cheaper processor... The machine is very quiet and the fan
only kicks into high mode briefly when it boots. Myth Frontend tasks
won't be enough to kick the fan up.

<snip>


............................................
Dan Mount
RE: CPU For Pundit Frontend [ In reply to ]
> I'm running a Celeron 1.7. As a front end only, the CPU utilization
> isn't high with this cpu anyway. Unless you have other tasks in mind I'd
> go with the cheaper processor... The machine is very quiet and the fan
> only kicks into high mode briefly when it boots. Myth Frontend tasks
> won't be enough to kick the fan up.

I'd tend to agree with this, too. the 2.0 celeron was a bit slow for
my tastes for a backend-frontend machine (I wanted really nice mpeg4
video), so I upgraded to a full p4 2.4. It loves in a cupboard with
very little ventilation, and the fans never spin up to full speed. They
get loud enough to hear in a quiet room while it's encoding, but for
playing, I can't even hear the fans.

anyway, save yourself some money - though I'd shoot for a 2.0 celeron
since I don't think it's that much more than the 1.7.

-Chris
RE: CPU For Pundit Frontend [ In reply to ]
-----Original Message-----
From: mythtv-users@snowman.net [mailto:mythtv-users@snowman.net]
Sent: Monday, June 02, 2003 3:45 PM
To: Dan Man
Subject: RE: [mythtv-users] CPU For Pundit Frontend


<snip>

> Thanks for that, just what I was hoping to hear!

Good...

> Dan, I think I saw a posting from you in the archive where you
> mentioned that you might put some notes about your setup of the
> Pundit on your website? Are there any such notes? and where abouts
> is your website?

It's more of a log of my experience... If there's anything you'd like
more specifics on, just let me know...

http://www.bubber.com/pundit/

............................................
Dan Mount
Re: CPU For Pundit Frontend [ In reply to ]
Matt Marsh wrote:
> Hi,
>
> So after reading lots and thanks to people that answered my questions
> on here, I've decided to go ahead and build a system based around a
> Pundit as a MythTV frontend (only).
>
> The only thing left is to choose a CPU for it. As it will only be a
> frontend I figured I don't really need something too powerful. I can
> get a Celeron 1.7 GHz pretty cheap so I was thinking that would be
> the way to go.
>
> Then, realising that the Pundit has variable speed fans dependant upon
> temperature that got me thinking...
>
> What would be cooler? A Celeron running at high CPU usage, or a faster
> P4 2.4 GHz chip running at significantly less CPU usage?

I think a Northwood P4 1.6A or 1.8A might be a bit cooler, but from the
others' comments, it seems the Celeron 1.7 wil work alright.


Pete