Thomas Glomann wrote: > # however, the softdevice plugin does not take use of the onbaord mpeg2 > decoder. So running on a M6000, VDR will probably work in software decoding I posted the following on the softdevice list - I kinda assumed people here would also be on that list if interested in software decoding: I'd like to report my success with softdevice on my Eden powered ME6000 mini-itx mainboard built on Debian. The ME6000 is a 600MHz VIA Eden powered mainboard with CLE266 chipset. I was really interested to get the accellerated MPEG decoder going, because with a 600MHz processor I really didn't think it was going to work with a software decoder solution. I'm using: Kernel 2.6.11 DirectFB-0.9.22 DFB++-0.9.22 VDR 1.3.23 Softdevice-0.1.1 Streamdev-0.3.3-pre3-geni and this is configured as a diskless (Actually, I'm using a 16MB flash card to boot with the custom initrd image containing the USB WLAN driver and then mounting root on NFS) client with a USB Wireless NIC. Yes, I like pain, and this setup produced plenty. DirectFB *does have* support for the MPEG decoder in the CLE266. It seems support for that function is growing rapidly now the VIA drivers are in the open. Softdevice makefile was configured for DFB_SUPPORT, FB_SUPPORT (Not actually needed), and DEFINES += -DUSE_MMX. The output methods were built as a single library. Note that PP_LIBAVCODEC and MMX2 are _not_enabled, they require instructions not available in the Eden processor. Performance. On the whole, great. I'm using a 17inch LCD monitor for output. Sure, the quality doesn't come close to that produced on my main VDR box with FF DVB card and 32inch screen - if you look at the 17inch screen from one foot away you can see some (not too significant) MPEG artifacts inthe form of blockiness here and there - but from usual viewing position it's great. This system is in my main bedroom at the end of th bed. The majority of channels are just fine, with maybe a few high bitrate ones that are too much for the decoding (or other) process. On these few, the A/V sync moves apart over a period of some secods and a brief <click> on the audio is heard and sync is restored. The process repeats. On usual channels with plenty of movement, say MTV, processor utilisation is maybe 60-70% for the VDR and associated processes. On high quality channels it hits maybe 80% and having the OSD active may make the audio stutter slightly until it's cleared. This all gives a load average of around 1.0. I _may_ be being unfair to softdevice, and it _could_ be the WLAN device located in a bad spot. I have moved it since I noticed the dodgy channel (I noticed it on BBC News 24 of all things) and I haven't noticed it since. Just managing expectations if anyone else was thinking of doing the same. Conclusion. Compared to my previous installation with a DXR3 card? It's on a different planet! The DXR3 would crash at least once per viewing sesion, the OSD menus were slow and clunky, scrolling through the channel list quickly would almost certainly kill it. With the above softdevice setup, the menus are, oh, so slinky and snappy, the remote is very responsive (as it should be) and the A/V quality excellent. Changing channels is somehow quicker too. Steve
