Azbox hardware acceleration option
- Thread starter Sambo2
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I saw a comment on another board that says it seems to focus the cpu power on the specific task. This guy was recording a hi bit feed successfully for the first time, using the hardware accel. Sounds like potentially a good thing.
Here's a link to a discussion on the feature, someone think it might be a type of "overclocking".
Hope it ok to post this link
New 0.9.4690 patch - Satpimps
Hope it ok to post this link
New 0.9.4690 patch - Satpimps
Just from the name, I assumed that it must be similar to the hardware graphics acceleration you see settings for on computers. On my computer there are choices for different levels of acceleration. Certainly they must be using graphics acceleration already, but perhaps now they are using more of it?? Perhaps the firmware now has the capability of utilizing some of the hardware acceleration capability of the graphics chipsets that it wasn't using before? Hopefully this would free up some CPU time for other processes like recording or receiving streams, etc. However the posts I saw in other forums, where they were talking about it doing better on recording, I thought it said that they had better results when the acceleration was off, but perhaps I misread it.
The earlier thread link seemed to say that it was simply overclocking the cpu. In which case some people might see improvements, some instability, etc . Personally, I've given up on overclocking anything as a solution. Maybe , if the overclocking worked for you, then I'd consider some better heatsink solutions.
All I know is that one update (three back I think) had my Azbox cooking! Very HOT!
I suspected then that they were experimenting with over clocking then.
I think I'll pass on the option to heat up my box until I put a fan in it.
I suspected then that they were experimenting with over clocking then.
I think I'll pass on the option to heat up my box until I put a fan in it.
I've got overclocked PCs and non over clocked PCs. One I've overclocked by as much as 50% - Opteron 165 CPUs are great for doing that. I've been overclocking systems since 1993, starting with a 486DX-33 overclocked to 50MHz, which was huge at the time.
Anyway, in my opinion it isn't just going to cook your system. It will either work or it won't. So long as you have your box backed up all you would do is format the application area, reinstall the firmware, and restore your channel and satellite lists.
I've done a 20 minute test playing a 1080p h264 DTS movie via NFS on the Azbox. No, it's not a very long test. Probing the board with a laser thermometer the CPU is running at 44.6 Celsius, which is a smidge over 112F. This movie would previously skip, pop, and checker. Gone with hardware acceleration.
In most cases of overclocking, if it's not going to work you'll know in the first few minutes. After that, I don't know if you'd notice on an Azbox because there are minor things that need you to hard reboot from time to time anyway.
Just my opinion. Your mileage may vary.
Anyway, in my opinion it isn't just going to cook your system. It will either work or it won't. So long as you have your box backed up all you would do is format the application area, reinstall the firmware, and restore your channel and satellite lists.
I've done a 20 minute test playing a 1080p h264 DTS movie via NFS on the Azbox. No, it's not a very long test. Probing the board with a laser thermometer the CPU is running at 44.6 Celsius, which is a smidge over 112F. This movie would previously skip, pop, and checker. Gone with hardware acceleration.
In most cases of overclocking, if it's not going to work you'll know in the first few minutes. After that, I don't know if you'd notice on an Azbox because there are minor things that need you to hard reboot from time to time anyway.
Just my opinion. Your mileage may vary.
That said, it just rebooted itself. 
I don't think the power supply in the Azbox is quite big enough for a peltier plate.
I don't think the power supply in the Azbox is quite big enough for a peltier plate.
I noticed my AZBox tends to run hot so I just put a $20 cooling fan that I had bought from Rat Shack for somthing else on top of it (so that it pulls air out not blows air in). The AZbox has been running nice and cool since I did that.
I've had my Azbox playing movies one after the other. Haven't had any problem since that reboot 10 minutes after originally posting.
That's very interesting about the improved performance. I would like to try that mod too. My unit runs very warm now so better cooling would be needed. I've had some receiver lockups on occasion from overheating because of not enough air flow.