Everything is working perfect but just wondering if these load averages are okay while running Live TV at 720-480 from frontend to backend?

BACKEND:
top - 18:01:17 up 1 day, 28 min, 2 users, load average: 0.51, 0.67, 0.64
Tasks: 105 total, 1 running, 104 sleeping, 0 stopped, 0 zombie
Cpu(s): 2.6% us, 6.6% sy, 0.0% ni, 78.1% id, 11.9% wa, 0.3% hi, 0.5% si
Mem: 253952k total, 250304k used, 3648k free, 900k buffers
Swap: 762040k total, 45740k used, 716300k free, 84012k cached

FRONTEND:

top - 18:02:23 up 1 day, 2:27, 3 users, load average: 1.37, 1.09, 1.06
Tasks: 57 total, 1 running, 56 sleeping, 0 stopped, 0 zombie
Cpu(s): 33.7% us, 1.7% sy, 0.0% ni, 62.3% id, 0.0% wa, 0.7% hi, 1.7% si
Mem: 1033024k total, 242880k used, 790144k free, 18244k buffers
Swap: 2044184k total, 47248k used, 1996936k free, 80100k cached

The frontend doesnt have dma enabled(Long story need a new hard drive). Is there anything else I should be looking out for. Here are both machine specs:

BACKEND:
Dual Celeron 433
256MB Ram <- Getting 512MB soon
Abit BP6 Mobo
Ati 128MB vid
Hauppauge pvr250
20 gig hard drive Dma enabled
3COM 10/100 905C

FRONTEND:
Duron 850Mhz
MSI KT4V
1GB DDR PC2100
Nvidia FX5200
6GB drive (DMA wont turn on, getting new drive)
Soundblaster Live
3COM 10/100 905C

I just want to know if there are areas I can look for to be tweaking like changing file systems from xfs to jfs or any other settings. Using the libmpg2 encoding method with deinterlace playback and bob2x framerate.

I've changed the tv playback settings to VIA XmVC becuase my boards has a via chipset and I'm running an nvidia fx5200 are here are my new loads while running Live TV:

Frontend:
top - 19:00:13 up 1 day, 3:25, 3 users, load average: 1.30, 1.22, 1.00

Backend:
top - 19:00:46 up 1 day, 1:28, 2 users, load average: 0.66, 0.51, 0.45

The backend avg has gone down as expected becuase more of the processing is being done on the vid card instead of the backend machine but it caused the frontend to go much higher on avg. Picture and smoothness are great.

Im thinking of putting an hdtv card into my backend machine one day will there be enough power in that backend to handle both cards?