Re: [gentoo-user] Any video optimization tips?

[Michael Mol <mikemol@gmail.com>]

On Fri, Dec 16, 2011 at 6:11 AM, Walter Dnes <waltdnes@waltdnes.org> wrote:
>  I'm trying to make an older PC display high-def streaming video.  It's
> a Dell Inspiron Desktop 530, with 2 gigs of ram, assembled and shipped
> August 2007.  It has an Intel dual core (*NOT* a "Core Duo") cpu like so
> (from /proc/cpuinfo).
>
> vendor_id       : GenuineIntel
> cpu family      : 6
> model           : 15
> model name      : Genuine Intel(R) CPU            2140  @ 1.60GHz
> stepping        : 2
> cpu MHz         : 1595.660
> cache size      : 1024 KB
>
>  The original Intel onboard GPU wasn't really up to the task.  I bought
> an Nvidia GeForce 6200 video card, set it up, and it handles 1280x720p
> video OK, from my HDHomerun TV tuner box.  1920x1080i shows the
> occasional hint of stuttering.  I followed the instructions at
> http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/xorg-config.xml including the Nouveau
> driver.  I'm running ICEWM to minimize system overhead.  Are there any
> other tips and tricks for getting better video performance out of this
> admittedly old system?  glxgears shows 382 fps when the system is idle.
>
>  It works without an xorg.conf.  This also happens to my mdev test
> machine (no udev).  I'm attaching the Xorg log file for more detail.

Use any nVidia card capable of full, in-hardware decoding of full
h.264 AVC. I've got two GeForce 210s which I purchased because A) they
were $50/pc two years ago, and B) they did exactly this.

Then enable vdpau. (But that means running the proprietary drivers,
disabling KMS, disabling NOVOU, etc)

Then use any media player with support for vdpau. I know mplayer will
do it. I'm unsure about ffmpeg, flash, etc.

With an (old) $50 card, you can get an old Core 2 desktop system to
serve as an HTPC.


-- 
:wq