Broadcom Crystal HD, It`s Magic.
1080p HD content playback has always been the Holy Grail for any Media Center application but this has traditionally been difficult; playback using software decode alone requires a very hefty CPU and hardware decoding has only been made available recently using the nVidia’s VPDAU technology, available only on Linux. Windows has its own platform specific solutions and poor old OSX has no public APIs available at all. There really is nothing around with a common API that enables hardware accelerated 1080p HD content playback that can also be used under all three major platforms (OSX, Linux, and Windows). Well, that situation is about to change.
The Dark Knight vc1 running at 1080p on an AppleTV
Through hard work and the joint efforts of several TeamXBMC/Redhat developers and the Broadcom Media PC Group, cross-platform hardware decoding of mpeg2, h.264 and VC1 video content up to 1080p will be coming to XBMC on OSX, Linux, and Windows via the Broadcom Crystal HD Hardware Decoder (BCM970012). The Broadcom Crystal HD is available now in a mini-PCIE card with ExpressCard and 1X PCIE form factors to follow. This means that the AppleTV and all those lovely new netbooks, Eee Boxes and older Intel Mac Minis have exciting new potential.
This solution has a common programming API, so many 3rd party developers and applications will be able to leverage hardware accelerated video content playback across OSX, Linux, and Windows platforms with minimal source code changes. Best of all, this is an open source solution with full source code for driver and library available for OSX and Linux under a GPL/LGPL license. Wow, this indeed is the Holy Grail and a major score for the open source community as this means no more tainted Linux kernels! Support has already been added to XBMC under the svn trunk. Our bleeding-edge users can expect to find the feature in the next nightly builds from our community builders, the more patient can wait until the next stable release. Other media projects such as FFmpeg, MythTV and Xine will soon follow as their developers add support.
The Windows driver binary, as well as the Linux source code for the driver and library can be found at the Broadcom web site. For OSX, the binaries and source code for the driver and library will be hosted at google code. Users in the USA can purchase the Crystal HD mini PCIE card from Logic Supply for $69 at the time of this posting, and of course there’s always ebay for those outside the USA.
@pmprichard
I think this would work :
http://www.mydigitaldiscount.com/SPD/runcore-70mm-50mm-sata-pata-combo-mini-pci-e-external-usb-enclosure–80000BF1-1254500643.jsp
The BCM970012 for my appleTV just arrived, already replaced the WiFi-card with it and installed the drivers.
So now I am waiting patiently for the next XBMC release that supports Crystal HD.
Thanks to davilla so far, and thanks to all other developers involved – looking forward to sell my WD TV Live ;)
I dug into the mini PCIe to PCIe and found a couple of options. One specifically calls out that it works with this, but it is about 2-3x (with shipping) the cost of the other option. Unfortunately, the cheaper option has not tested this device out and is focused on wifi adapters.
Here is the cheaper untested version:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170422041954
Here is the more expensive and should work as it claims to have tested this device:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180452507677
Note the title of this auction is for the MP1, but the full detail description is for a different product. I have confirmed with the seller that it is for the MP1.
Here is a link showing its compatibility list:
http://www.bplus.com.tw/PDF/Compatibility_List.pdf
Since my XBMC box is in the spirit of being the least expensive option, I am going to try the unproven one. Yes, I am a glutton for punishment. ;-)
-Dave
My card arrived this morning.
Planning on buying a second hand AppleTV to test on this week.
@Baba
No, I’ve already mentioned this twice now, A mini pcie to USB adapter will NOT work. USB does not provide enough bandwidth even if the adapter works and the above adapter will not work at all as it only taps the USB pins on the mini pcie connector.
@davilla
Hmm… that is disappointing that the mini PCIe to PCIe I mention above likely not working. From digging into it and seeing the more expensive (2nd) option specifically calling out this device on their compatibility list, I was hopeful. I am now much less hopeful of the cheaper option, but had to try it. I will post up the likely dismal (based on davilla’s comments) results from the cheap one, since I have already ordered it …
Any one want to try the 2nd one and share with the community? :-)
-Dave
something like this?
http://cgi.ebay.de/DeLock-PCI-Express-PCIe-miniPCIe-Adapter-USB-SIM-UMTS_W0QQitemZ350300163907QQcategoryZ30942QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp4340.m263QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DSIC%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BIEW%252BFICS%252BUFI%26otn%3D11%26ps%3D63
@davilla
Oh.. That link to the eBay auction has the wrong product information in the detail area of the auction. Here is a page that has a little more info about the MP1
http://www.hwtools.net/Adapter/MP1.html
Does, “Supports two primary system bus interface: PCI Express and USB” mean that it does more than tapping in to the USB pins?
Sorry for making this more confusing.
Thanks,
-Dave
@Baba
I wonder if this (or something similar) will work for the wireless card that gets popped out of the AppleTV. It’d be nice to keep wi-fi capabilities and since the card was already in the system, we wouldn’t need new drivers for it. I just don’t know if it’ll work/get recognized over USB.
I would like to use this broadcom chip on an Intel D510 card. However this mainboard hasn’t any DVI or HDMI port… Any low-cost solution to add a digital video output to this mainboard ?
I just realized that the Airport Express Ethernet port can be used as a LAN port towards the ATV while being connected through wireless to my Airport Extreme :) nice… no need for nasty hacks to get wifi back! :D
@Daverx7
Daverx7,
I think the cheap option should work, in theory. If the card is able to do what it claims, it should be fine. davilla was referring to the ones that convert to USB, but both the cheap one and the expensive one have PCIe connectors.
I may buy the cheap one just for kicks. But please let us know how that goes.
del
Any ethernet to WiFi box/ adaptor would do the job…
@delirial
I will be happy to share what what happens. I have both the Crystal HD and mini PCIe to PCIe adapter on order and is being shipped. Unfortunately, it is beingshipped from around the world, but I hope to get them some time this week.
BTW, do we have any XBMC builds that take advantage of the Crystal HD yet? I want to make sure I am using the correct build for this.
I so look forward to simplifying and not having to launch an external player to take advantage of H.264 processing off of the CPU. What I am currently doing is working okay, but it just doesn’t completely feel like XBMC. :-)
-Dave
Guys when is the BCM970015 due ?
Broadcom Crystal HD installed, it’s awesome! anybody one to buy Dvico Tvix 6500A? i have one for sale :))) Upgrade for 20E to enable fullhd, what a trade!
But i have problem for now with ONE movie (Home), movieinfo is below.
Home: Matroska: 10.00 GiB, 1h 58m 8 824 Kbps (9 063 Kbps), 1920*1080 (16:9), at 23.976 fps, AVC (Container profile=Unknown@4.1) (High@L4.1) (CABAC / 4 Ref Frames) – choppy playrate, 10fps, many many errors, unwatchable, error: 4000%+ its possible that movie is incorrectly converted.
Star Trek: Matroska: 14.1 GiB, 2h 6mn 13.0 Mbps (13.3 Mbps), 1920*800 (2.40:1), at 23.976 fps, AVC (Container profile=Unknown@4.1) (High@L4.1) (CABAC / 5 Ref Frames) – superb, no problem at all 24pfs 99% of time
It’s time to make donation for your great work, THX
For those looking for CrystalHD enabled build check out the official xbmc nighties builds via Billy the BuildBot. See http://mirrors.xbmc.org/nightlies/osx/
@Multipass
I could tell you but then I’d have to…..
Public estimates are Q1/Q2 2010.
is this one working for the apple tv? do i need some adapter ?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BroadCom-BCM970012-Chipset-4-UMPC-Mini-PCI-e-HD-Decoder_W0QQitemZ260534816458QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Computing_Networking_SM?hash=item3ca915ceca#ht_4087wt_1167
or this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BroadCom-BCM970012-Chipset-4-UMPC-Mini-PCI-e-HD-Decoder_W0QQitemZ260532826882QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Computing_Networking_SM?hash=item3ca8f77302#ht_4087wt_1167
Thank you just what I needed. Be using the Jaunty Patch Stick but prefer the native version.
these builds have all the stuff in them, no need to do anything else than crystal module in atv?
Are the Windows nightly builds also crystal enabled by now ?
Hi guys. I was wondering if any of you had problems with apple TV playing all the high definition .mkv files ? It lags seriously, i have XBMC from you and love it but apple TV does not seem to be handling the file size or resolution well enough.
With hope for a solution.
Best regards Raggie
@Raggie
apple tv doesn’t play mkv files without an addon card properly installed … this is what this whole thread is about
Okay thanks. How do i get one for my apple TV ? Is it for sale in public markets or do I have to modify a card like this myself ?
@Raggie
http://xbmc.org/davilla/2009/12/29/broadcom-crystal-hd-its-magic/comment-page-1/#comment-9390
I got this info from page one on the comments of this topic. I believe all the information you need is either in the comments or in the article itself.
Hope this helps.
-Dave
Right now what is the cheapest, small (mini itx) system that can be built that will run XBMC and smoothly play 1080p
Is it cheaper to build a system using the Ion Chipset, or is it cheaper to get a cheap mini itx board and the Broadcom card?