source post_source
{
    type = mysql

    sql_host = localhost
    sql_user = ***
    sql_pass = ***
    sql_db =   ***
    sql_port = 3306

    sql_query_pre = SET NAMES utf8
    # query before fetching rows to index

    sql_query = SELECT *, id AS pid, CRC32(safetag) as safetag_crc32 FROM hb_posts


    sql_attr_uint = pid
    # pid (as 'sql_attr_uint') is necessary for sphinx
    # this field must be unique

    # that is why I like sphinx
    # you can store custom string fields into indexes (memory) as well
    sql_field_string = title
    sql_field_string = slug
    sql_field_string = content
    sql_field_string = tags

    sql_attr_uint = category
    # integer fields must be defined as sql_attr_uint

    sql_attr_timestamp = date
    # timestamp fields must be defined as sql_attr_timestamp

    sql_query_info_pre = SET NAMES utf8
    # if you need unicode support for sql_field_string, you need to patch the source
    # this param. is not supported natively

    sql_query_info = SELECT * FROM my_posts WHERE id = $id
}

index posts
{
    source = post_source
    # source above

    path = /var/data/posts
    # index location

    charset_type = utf-8
}

<?php

    require "sphinxapi.php";

    $safetag = $_GET["my_post_slug"];
//  $safetag = preg_replace("/[^a-z0-9-_]/i", "", $safetag);

    $conf = getMyConf();

    $cl = New SphinxClient();

    $cl->SetServer($conf["server"], $conf["port"]);
    $cl->SetConnectTimeout($conf["timeout"]);
    $cl->setMaxQueryTime($conf["max"]);

    # set search params
    $cl->SetMatchMode(SPH_MATCH_FULLSCAN);
    $cl->SetArrayResult(TRUE);

    $cl->setLimits(0, 1, 1);
    # looking for the post (not searching a keyword)

    $cl->SetFilter("safetag_crc32", array(crc32($safetag)));

    # fetch results
    $post = $cl->Query(null, "post_1");

    echo "<pre>";
    var_dump($post);
    echo "</pre>";
    exit("done");
?>

[array] =>
  "id" => 123,
  "title" => "My post title.",
  "content" => "My <p>post</p> content.",
   ...
   [ and other fields ]

0.001 sec.

=> 0.346 sec. (average)
=> 0.340 sec. (average of last 10 query)

"SELECT * FROM hb_posts WHERE id = 123;"
=> 0.001 sec.

"SELECT * FROM my_posts WHERE id = 123;"
=> 1.612 sec. (average)
=> 1.920 sec. (average of last 10 query)