Re: [Mvpmc-devel] NSLU2 as mythbackend replacement

[Roger H. <ra...@wi...>]

Tom Metro wrote:
> Matthias Barmeier wrote:
>> the mythbackend consumes 1500kW/h per year.
>> I now use a NSLU2 for storing the recorded videos and the mysql database.
> 
> So how are you recording new shows if you aren't running the back-end on 
> the NSLU2? Are you powering up the high-power back-end server selectively?
> 
> So you're looking for a way to accomplish playback that isn't dependent 
> on the high-power back-end server being powered up?
> 
> 
>> ...is it enough to put the videos and the database on
>> the NSLU2 to play videos with mvpmc without having the myth backend
>> powered on ?
> 
> I don't know, but I'd expect not. The MythTV client in mvpmc works, with 
> only a few limitations, without a database connection. That means it 
> uses the MythTV protocol to retrieve lists of recorded shows, to 
> initiate playback, to stream shows, and delete shows.
> 
> In theory, if you have access to the database, you can duplicate all of 
> that functionality without using the MythTV protocol, and use NFS to 
> access the video files instead of streaming, but I doubt the mvpmc 
> client will be able to do this without significant changes.
> 
> Options might include:
> 
> -Run a MythTV back-end salve on the NSLU2 (or another computer you might 
> already have running on your network).
> 
> -Use one of the user contributed scripts to create symlinks to the video 
> files using show titles extracted from the DB. Then browse your shows 
> via NFS. (You won't be able to delete.)
> 
> -Use UPnP to access your shows, but this will require using the script 
> in the previous option if you want friendly show titles. (Assuming you 
> aren't running MythTV back-end on the NSLU2.)
> 
>   -Tom

If he is desperate enough he could use the mythrename.pl script with the
symbolic link option to create a directory on nfs that had full 
reasonable names of the files and then view the files through the 
filesystem options.   This would leave it unable to delete shows and
unable to do other mythtv related functions.

He could also probably play some Wake-on-Lan games and have the mvpmc
wake up the mythtv box as necessary, one might even be able to setup
the mythtv box to schedule its own wakeups for recordings and other
tasks.

What I would suggest to minimize power useage is to get a AMD low
power cpu and enable powernow, I don't believe the Intel cpus do
quite as good a job of dropping power usage as the AMD's.

My mythtv machine pulls more like 1200kw/yr (138W-measured at idle) with
5 disks (4x500+1x160) and a number of fans, this is with a 2Ghz AMD
cpu with powernow enabled, without powernow enabled it pulls over
200W without anything really running, and pulls a bit more if heavy
loads are running, and this is not a lower power cpu, so with a
higher end lower power cpu throttled down the power usage would probably
be lower, and my machine does have a abnormal number of disks in it.

One could also use a cheap laptop to run the mythtv stuff as laptops
use lots less power.

                                      Roger