24" 3.06 GHz iMac, 4 GB RAM, 750GB 7200RPM, 8800GS 512MB

[mikecool493]

Machine Type: iMac
CPU Speed: 3.06 GHz (Core 2 Duo, Penryn)
Number of CPUs: 1 physical CPU, 2 cores
Rip Format: mp4
Encoder: AVC/H.264 Video / AAC Audio
Quality / Bit Rate: 2000kbps
1 or 2 Pass: 1 pass

Video Size & settings:
720x480 (source), 640x480 (output)
720x480 (source), 850x480 (output)

Min/Max or Average Frames Per Second (FPS):
640x480 (deinterlace: slow): 37 fps average
850x480 (anamorphic): 40 fps average

Huge difference, compared to my 1.83 GHz Core Duo MacBook Pro, which typically did 12 fps average.

I love this machine, but I only wish the CPU was quad-core. (Of course, that's not possible because the only mobile CPU that is quad-core from Intel is 2.5 GHz and runs hot.) HandBrake has handled the dual-core processor very well. (190% CPU usage by HandBrake.)

One last thing: Before I installed smcFanControl, the iMac CPU temperature got up to 85 degrees Celsius. After installing and setting the CPU fan to 2000rpm (as opposed to 1200rpm), I have not seen the CPU temperature get hotter than 69 degrees Celsius... and this is after a full day of encoding.