View Full Version : Building a PC for XBMC/VDPAU/1080p
I've always hoped XBMC would go full circle and evolve into something that was put into a standardised box that could have been fully supported with few driver headaches and every last Hz of power drawn from it effectively.
Doesn't look like that's going to happen now though, does it? So I'm thinking of buying/putting together a HTPC to replace the xbox. I've priced the following one up at abou £230, can anyone pick holes as to why I woudln't be able to use this to completely build a PC that was capable of getting 1080p HD out of XBMC?
Shiny Black Media Center MicroATX Case With Silver Trim and LCD Display - No PSU 150275 291 in stock £24.99
Extra Value Micro ATX 300W PSU - 20+4pin, 1x SATA 125004 50 in stock £14.10
AMD Sempron LE-1250 Socket AM2 L2 512KB 2.2GHz Energy Efficient 45w Retail Boxed Processor 134749 138 in stock £24.99
ASUS M3N78-VM GeForce 8200 Socket AM2+ VGA DVI HDMI 8 channel audio mATX Motherboard 152752 117 in stock £52.49
Arctic Cooling Alpine 64 GT Socket 754, 939, AM2, AM2+ Processor Cooler 150982 41 in stock £6.64
Western Digital WD3200AAKS 320GB SATAII 16MB Cache 7200 RPM - OEM 124735 281 in stock £37.32
LiteOn 16x DVD Rom IDE Black Bare Drive - OEM 087664 34 in stock £7.49
Cyberlink Media Center Remote Control - With Mini USB IR Receiver 129977 34 in stock £5.75
Crucial 2GB Kit (2x1GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 Memory Non-ECC Unbuffered CL6 Lifetime Warranty 139662 2 in stock £19.99
This might even be a useful reference point for others in the same boat as me. For what it's worth, savings can be made by removing the HDDs (and network booting) and by canaballising your old PCs for things like the DVD. This has some whistles and bells, such as a reasonably nice case, but generally it's as low as I could go!
Comments please?!
Comments please?!
This is very similar to my setup. There is a minor problem with VDPAU and the 8200 - but there are work-arounds for it as well as one particular release that had a fix. Long term fix should be here soon anyway.
For reference here is my setup:
http://blog.xbmc.org/forum/showpost.php?p=287953&postcount=141
I actually ended up using an old HD and DVD drive... The retail box of the processor usually comes with a fan, unless you are buying that other one for noise reasons - because VDPAU barely uses the processor it never spins up very high.
xnappo
I have a small suggestion. Don't buy an IDE drive, not so much because of the performance, but because IDE cables are a pain to deal with in small cases. I still use an IDE DVD-RW drive, but only because I had a spare one from a dead computer. Also I am very happy with my mATX Asus motherboard, but I have a P5N7A-VM.
Any specific comments about the sound from the Asus -VM motherboard? Has anyone got this and have it working, specifically in my case with optical out.
Have this board, but not in mini-ATX case (I've got mini-tower). Works good.
BTW, what are the problems with 8200 chipset with VDPAU? I haven't been running HD content yet (no use - my TV is still old resolution), but just curious... So far haven't seen any adverse effects on SD video.
Any specific comments about the sound from the Asus -VM motherboard? Has anyone got this and have it working, specifically in my case with optical out.
I've recently upgraded my system based on an Asus P5N7A-VM. It works very well with XBMC, including optical SPDIF out (PCM). The GPU can run a little hot on this board if you use non stock Intel cooler and/or a cooler running on low speed. I'm contemplating putting a 40 mm fan on the GPU, since it idles at around 70 C.
Have this board, but not in mini-ATX case (I've got mini-tower). Works good.
BTW, what are the problems with 8200 chipset with VDPAU? I haven't been running HD content yet (no use - my TV is still old resolution), but just curious... So far haven't seen any adverse effects on SD video.
See this thread:
http://xbmc.org/forum/showthread.php?t=46783&highlight=fullscreen
Have you tried 'artbeats' and/or 'killa'? You *definitely* won't see it on SD video, only high bitrate 1080p. There are three work-arounds:
1. Select 1080i (doesn't really run in 1080i, it is really 1080p) this does not work for everyone.
2. Select 'auto' as resolution. Select 'test'. Restart XBMC. Select '1080p' as resolution'. Select 'test'.
3. Run with vdpau SVN 18670 - it has a 'safe fullscreen' option
Hopefully the fix with be in the main branch soon.
xnappo
on IRC, also discussing how loud this would be because of the restricted airflow in the uATX case and no particularly quiet components.
on IRC, also discussing how loud this would be because of the restricted airflow in the uATX case and no particularly quiet components.
I am running without a case fan with no temp. issues (~45C average).
My power supply fan is quite and the CPU fan never spins up much. However with no other noise in the room, yes you can hear it - but it quite acceptable.
xnappo
I find when I'm using the HTPC there's a LOT of noise in the room :) The only thing is that I'm contemplating this box having a alter-ego as a NAS, though one that would generally only be accessed as a nightly backup and by multimedia played by itself and possilbly some old xboxes dotted around the rest of the house.
To reduce the noise
The PSU is largely responsible for a noise pc, you can have a complete silent solution with
12V/120W or lower power supply for latptop (no fan)
12V to ATX power supply converter
I would suggest using the following CPU cooler: NORTHQ 3392
It's very quite and efficient.
To reduce the heat
An amd CPU running at 1.8G HZ is more than enough to play 1080p, so you could throttle it at 1.8G
echo 1800000 > /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/scaling_max_freq
echo 1800000 > /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/scaling_min_freq
If you gonna play all your stuff over lan, then you probably don't need a hard drive. You can net boot your htpc over aoe or iscsi.
My desktop is more quiet than the laptop on the market proving that the fan on the laptop rotates.
Finally you need to choose the right version of XBMC with vdpau support. Unfortunately no one call tell you which revision will work or not work on your system, you have to try it yourself.
My system (gefore 8100 with AMD 64X2 5000+) works great with xbmc-vdpau @r18436. If you don't want to compile from source you can try my binary here
xbmc-vdpau svn@18436
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=5WOFMSK6
You should wait for ion if you are patient enough. Good Luck!
If you have the old xbox remote, it's cheaper to re-use than buy a new remote (you need a special usb cable, can be found on ebay).
If you have a centralised audio server (pulseaudio) like me, you can stream the audio via local network. Less cable to hang around and plus you have the bonous of "bit-perfect" playback (between audio server and htpc).
No one has mentioned it yet, but with that particular board, there is a bug with ALSA and the onboard optical SPDIF doesn't work. I have found one person that does have it working and am still trying to get back in touch with them to find out the specifics of how they did it. For now, I'm using a coax spdif connection using a cable connected to the header on the motherboard. The bug is reported here: https://bugtrack.alsa-project.org/alsa-bug/view.php?id=4330
I bought the m3n78-vm specifically for the the optical out and I have not gotten it working yet. There other threads on this and an alsa bug ticket (4330) with no resolution yet. I have been using the analog outs for now, but I will probably build something that connects to the onboard spdif connecter, apparently these work. I was a little dissapointed because this seemed like the perfect (price/performance) motherboard for xbmc, but with the 8200 issues and the optical audio not working I would probably choose a different mobo if I was doing it again.
I bought the m3n78-vm specifically for the the optical out and I have not gotten it working yet. There other threads on this and an alsa bug ticket (4330) with no resolution yet. I have been using the analog outs for now, but I will probably build something that connects to the onboard spdif connecter, apparently these work. I was a little dissapointed because this seemed like the perfect (price/performance) motherboard for xbmc, but with the 8200 issues and the optical audio not working I would probably choose a different mobo if I was doing it again.
I used this guide -- it was very easy : http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=997533
I read tomshardware's Nvidia Ion review earlier and it does appear to be very tempting to wait for it. The problem is that the first version is likely to be expensive and unsuitable, then a further wait, etc...
Hey ho, never easy this is it? Thanks for all the comments, I think my hope of a ~£150 xbmc 1080p PC is still a bit off. Maybe next week :)
looks like there's one coming soon....
http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/31/ion-based-acer-hornet-nettop-specs-leak-out-1080p-hdmi-playback/
oldnemesis
2009-04-02, 04:35
Any specific comments about the sound from the Asus -VM motherboard? Has anyone got this and have it working, specifically in my case with optical out.
I use this motherboard for my media center; works fine, including HDMI audio. Make sure you use recent (Oct 2008+) Linux distro, and at least 1.0.18 alsa.
It has one COM port, but there is only internal connector (and you supposed to buy a socket connector if you want it). Go to a friend who has old Pentium motherboards, he has to have a lot of them :)
One caviat is that it only has one IDE connector, so if you'll better get either SATA hdd, or SATA DVD.
dtviewer
2009-04-05, 05:37
I've always hoped XBMC would go full circle and evolve into something that was put into a standardised box that could have been fully supported with few driver headaches and every last Hz of power drawn from it effectively.
Doesn't look like that's going to happen now though, does it? So I'm thinking of buying/putting together a HTPC to replace the xbox. I've priced the following one up at abou £230, can anyone pick holes as to why I woudln't be able to use this to completely build a PC that was capable of getting 1080p HD out of XBMC?
Shiny Black Media Center MicroATX Case With Silver Trim and LCD Display - No PSU 150275 291 in stock £24.99
Extra Value Micro ATX 300W PSU - 20+4pin, 1x SATA 125004 50 in stock £14.10
AMD Sempron LE-1250 Socket AM2 L2 512KB 2.2GHz Energy Efficient 45w Retail Boxed Processor 134749 138 in stock £24.99
ASUS M3N78-VM GeForce 8200 Socket AM2+ VGA DVI HDMI 8 channel audio mATX Motherboard 152752 117 in stock £52.49
Arctic Cooling Alpine 64 GT Socket 754, 939, AM2, AM2+ Processor Cooler 150982 41 in stock £6.64
Western Digital WD3200AAKS 320GB SATAII 16MB Cache 7200 RPM - OEM 124735 281 in stock £37.32
LiteOn 16x DVD Rom IDE Black Bare Drive - OEM 087664 34 in stock £7.49
Cyberlink Media Center Remote Control - With Mini USB IR Receiver 129977 34 in stock £5.75
Crucial 2GB Kit (2x1GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 Memory Non-ECC Unbuffered CL6 Lifetime Warranty 139662 2 in stock £19.99
This might even be a useful reference point for others in the same boat as me. For what it's worth, savings can be made by removing the HDDs (and network booting) and by canaballising your old PCs for things like the DVD. This has some whistles and bells, such as a reasonably nice case, but generally it's as low as I could go!
Comments please?!
Did u build this? If so-are you happy with the performance? Just trying to get an idea from others on what works good and what doesnt.
Looking to do a low power build myself with HDMI and optical out for sound. Thinking of using the Celeron 430 1.8Ghz 35 watt for my CPU, but would go with the Sempron you picked if the AMD motherboard is better suited.
BTW, this would do XBMC only and replace an xbox running xbmc. No files would be stored, no burning or ripping, and everything is on a network server. No game play either.
Thanks
i thought VDPAU needs 512Mb video memory to work? this only has 256Mb i have this mobo and would like to know if it will work fine with just 256Mb so i can try linux :)
this is so confusing does the igpu have 256 video memory and uses 256 shared memory? because i see in my nivida control panel it says memory 512MB.
Maby this one ?
================================================== =====================
1 1453 AMD Athlon 64 X2 5050E AM2 processor. A 63.90e 0kpl
1 13570 Samsung Spinpoint F1 1TB SATA 3.0 Gb/s-k 85.90e 0kpl
1 14546 Origen 320W MicroATX-PSU. Erittäi 44.90e 0kpl
2 18894 Kingston 1024MB 800MHz DDR2 NON-ECC DIMM 23.80e 0kpl
1 24766 Aerocool M40 MicroATX-case, musta.Ulko 61.90e 0kpl
1 36885 Asus M3N78-EM -mATX-emolevy.Huippuominai 77.90e 0kpl
================================================== =====================
Totals: 358.30e
Has asus M3N mobo which has Geforce 8300 integarted ( supporting vdpau ) and optical spid. And this setup has really nice mATX form factor. I think the processor would be enough to decode 1080p but we would be missing the point then :D .
PC CHIPS A15G (V1.0) AM2+/AM2 NVIDIA GeForce 6100 Micro ATX Motherboard - $40
Rosewill R102-P-BK 120mm Fan MicroATX Mid Tower Computer Case - $20
AMD Athlon 64 LE-1640 Orleans 2.6GHz Retail Box - $36
Kingston 1GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM 800mhz - $14
ASUS EN8400GS SILENT/HTP/256M GeForce 8400 GS 256MB - $33
LOGISYS Computer PS480E12 480W ATX12V Power Supply - $18
Western Digital 160 gig SATA - $40.00
LiteOn 16x DVD-RW - $21
Total cost $222.
Replaced the case fan with quieter coolermaster I had in spare parts reserve.
Enabled cool n quiet in BIOS with stock heatsink. CPU is 45w, and has never gone over 113 F
Works great up to and including 1080i
this is so confusing does the igpu have 256 video memory and uses 256 shared memory? because i see in my nivida control panel it says memory 512MB.
The IGP itself normally has no RAM at all. BIOS simply reserves xxx mb of System RAM for the IGP. You may tweak that in your BIOS. As for very recent nvidia drivers (since 185.19) there's a possibility to grab additional system ram for vdpau if the reserved mem is not enough. This only works for IGPs so far, not for add-on cards.
pshepherd
2009-04-21, 21:29
I have been through a similar upgrade and ended up with:
- Travla C138 mini-ITX case - (had to replace the psu with a 120W picoPSU)
- Zotac GeForce 9300-ITX WiFi Mini-ITX (Socket 775) PCI-Express DDR2 MOBO
- Pentium Dual-Core E5200 2.50GHz
- Corsair 2GB Kit (2x1GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 XMS2 Memory
- Western Digital 320GB 2.5" Scorpio WD3200BEVT SATA
- Samsung SN-S083A/BEBE Slimline Internal DVDRW Black SATA - OEM
- Cyberlink Media Center Remote Control - With Mini USB IR Receiver
Probably overspeced (and overpriced) but does what I wanted ie runs XBMC/vdpau/1080p and at a reasonable temp 45C - will probably replace the stock fan with AKASA AK-955 Intel Cooler.
good luck, paul
I have been through a similar upgrade and ended up with:
- Travla C138 mini-ITX case - (had to replace the psu with a 120W picoPSU)
- Zotac GeForce 9300-ITX WiFi Mini-ITX (Socket 775) PCI-Express DDR2 MOBO
- Pentium Dual-Core E5200 2.50GHz
- Corsair 2GB Kit (2x1GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 XMS2 Memory
- Western Digital 320GB 2.5" Scorpio WD3200BEVT SATA
- Samsung SN-S083A/BEBE Slimline Internal DVDRW Black SATA - OEM
- Cyberlink Media Center Remote Control - With Mini USB IR Receiver
Probably overspeced (and overpriced) but does what I wanted ie runs XBMC/vdpau/1080p and at a reasonable temp 45C - will probably replace the stock fan with AKASA AK-955 Intel Cooler.
good luck, paul
Have you tried "killer sample" on that box? I might buy the same components as you that's why i want to know...
Pvt_Ryan
2009-04-24, 15:01
SteveC: Can you post links to where you are buying from.. I need a case (if i go mATX a PSU too). But your prices look brilliant.
pshepherd
2009-04-24, 19:59
Have you tried "killer sample" on that box? I might buy the same components as you that's why i want to know...
Yes it plays fine with a very low CPU loading.
paul
I have just started following this forum after learning of the breakthrough with VDPAU. Before I build my own HTPC I would like to resolve the followings:
I have been using XBMC on XBOX for years until I had to switch to PCH for Blu Ray movies two years ago. The PCH (A-110) does one thing real well: bitstream the HD audio as is to my audio receiver over HDMI. I have been searching the forum to find out if XBMC for Linux (Babylon) can bitstream the HD audio over HDMI now? I really cannot tell since most people appear to re-encode in mkv with FLAC.
The PCH cannot handle the Blu Ray subtitles (PGS) but FFMPEG have been handling them for quite a while (e.g. Media Player Classic). Can XBMC (Babylon) handle PGS subtitles directly from the m2ts file? Again most people talk about idx and srt support, I never see any mention of native PGS support.
If someone could point me to a thread that cover theses two subjects or confirm that these are supported it would be really appreciated.
would the 120W picoPSU handle a Asus P5N7A-VM GeForce 9300 Socket 775 + LG Electronics Blu-Ray +Intel Pentium Dual Core E5200 2.5GHz Socket 775????
would be ok???
thank you
If you got a 120W external PSU it may be enough. Normally you get 90W PSUs which may be not enough under load at stock speed and voltage. I'm running an nvidia 8300 board with and AMD 4850e and a notebook hdd (no optical drive) which is handled well by the 120W pico, but your hardware may need about twice as much energy i think.
I have been through a similar upgrade and ended up with:
- Travla C138 mini-ITX case - (had to replace the psu with a 120W picoPSU)
- Zotac GeForce 9300-ITX WiFi Mini-ITX (Socket 775) PCI-Express DDR2 MOBO
- Pentium Dual-Core E5200 2.50GHz
- Corsair 2GB Kit (2x1GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 XMS2 Memory
- Western Digital 320GB 2.5" Scorpio WD3200BEVT SATA
- Samsung SN-S083A/BEBE Slimline Internal DVDRW Black SATA - OEM
- Cyberlink Media Center Remote Control - With Mini USB IR Receiver
Probably overspeced (and overpriced) but does what I wanted ie runs XBMC/vdpau/1080p and at a reasonable temp 45C - will probably replace the stock fan with AKASA AK-955 Intel Cooler.
good luck, paul
I think I am going to built this too. How much did you end up paying for everything? Just so I know good prices when I see them. Do you have any complaints about this setup? I am just looking for a solid setup running windows or linux that can play 1080p. Might get a blueray dvd drive instead so I can rip my blueray movies to it as well. Also I am going to put in a 3.5" 1tb harddrive instead for some more space (the case says you can put in a 3.5" and block the pci slot (unneeded for me).
do you have xp or vista running on it?
also 32 bit or 64 bit?
pshepherd
2009-06-03, 23:15
I think I am going to built this too. How much did you end up paying for everything? Just so I know good prices when I see them. Do you have any complaints about this setup? I am just looking for a solid setup running windows or linux that can play 1080p. Might get a blueray dvd drive instead so I can rip my blueray movies to it as well. Also I am going to put in a 3.5" 1tb harddrive instead for some more space (the case says you can put in a 3.5" and block the pci slot (unneeded for me).
do you have xp or vista running on it?
also 32 bit or 64 bit?
I posted some comments and link to pictures on:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=16530476&highlight=#post16530476
In general it's good ..
1) h/w build was a bit complicated due to replacing the stock internal supply - easy to do but it did add to cost and additional cables etc.
2) in the end I used 1GB which was sufficient and left the memory module next to the picoPSU board empty
3) s/w install was fairly easy - I run a minimal ubuntu intrepid 32bit install as per the archived article at:
http://xbmc.org/wiki/index.php?title=HOW-TO_install_XBMC_for_Linux_on_Ubuntu_with_a_minimal _installation_step-by-step&oldid=12537
Main problem was with the remote - not all keys worked so I binned it and modded my old xbox DVD remote and used LIRC. Had to play with the sound a bit to get it working over hdmi.
4) assuming a 3.5" drive fits I would be a bit wary due to size as it will occupy a bigger volume and impair ventilation compared to a 2.5" laptop drive - it will also consume more power. I would go for a small internal drive and put content on an external media server, NAS or an external USB/eSATA box - if it doesn't have to be in the case, put it somewhere else. I put content on a linux server with cat5 cable (not tried the wireless card).
5) I am still playing with the fans a bit - Zotac have had issues with automatic control via the bios, I run with them manually set to low revs. I added a 40mm scythe fan on the IGP and replaced the noisy case fan.
6) I haven't got suspend working properly, suspends ok but remote is n/a after it's woken up. Zotac have screwed up the suspend (usb power downs so you can't use the remote to wake it up, see avsforum thread and here http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1384187
7) sample HD content plays fine however I am not sure that I have got xbmc set up correctly re interlacing etc. I mainly watch SD and have a mythTV backend recording UK digital terrestial TV and use xbmc to watch it.
8) overall cost was £400 - shipping costs add up if you start to play with the initial configuration
paul
why did you end up replacing the stock psu with the picopsu? I found the case coming with a 120 watt power supply...could I just use that?
pshepherd
2009-06-04, 01:30
why did you end up replacing the stock psu with the picopsu? I found the case coming with a 120 watt power supply...could I just use that?
I believe it provides the wrong power distribution ie current at each voltage - EPIA/VIA mobos have a different current demand for 12v 5v etc than intel atx/itx mobos. There is a thread here or on avsforum that the zotac mobo will not boot on a EPIA/VIA psu as there is insufficient current at 12v.
I ended up getting this case instead (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811163149) the silverstone sugo sg05-b.
I think it will provide me with the space I desire for the 3.5" harddrive and it has a 300 watt power supply which will be plenty for what I need. People also say that the fan provides good airflow and is pretty quiet. So my final setup will be:
SILVERSTONE Sugo SG05-B Black SECC Steel Mini-ITX Tower Computer Case SFX 300W 80Plus Power Supply
ZOTAC GF9300-D-E LGA 775 NVIDIA GeForce 9300 HDMI Mini ITX Intel Motherboard
Intel Core 2 Duo E7400 Wolfdale 2.8GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80571E7400
Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST31000528AS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive
Kingston 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400)
LG Super-multi Slim Notebook DVD Rewriter Black IDE Model GSA-T40N
its definitely overspeced.....but I plan to use it for some other things too besides XBMC. I will just have it perminently attached to my 52inch 1080p tv and be able to use it to surf the web and do various tasks......store my blueray movies, stream nonblueray movies from my desktop.....In the future I might upgrade the dvd drive to a blueray drive (dont have the money right now).....and I might get a 5 bay sata enclosure which I can add more 3.5" harddrives for more space using the esata port on the back. What do you think?
I think I am going to run windows on it. Is there any disadvantages of this? I have to choose between 32 or 64bit and xp vista or windows 7.....not sure what I am going to use....any suggestions?
pshepherd
2009-06-04, 20:24
Choice of Windows v Linux depends on too many factors for someone else to make a recommendation. If you are not familiar with linux then there will be a learning curve but I found it interesting and the best choice for me.
Weatherman
2009-06-07, 21:09
I am considering taking one of my old P-4 2.6 or 2.8Ghz HP small form factor systems and loading up the the Linux version of XBMC. If I disable the onboard Intel video - and install Nvida cards - I am really interested to see if I can do 1080i or 1080p.
I have tested it with the Windows version, and 1080 is super chopping and laggy (with the integrated Intel video and Windows).
Do you think it is worth the effort to give Linux and buying a nVida card for one of these to test?
Thanks.
- Mark
A friend of mine runs xbmc on a P3 with 1000MHz and an nvidia 8400GS PCI w/512MB RAM ...and he's watching 1080p movies on that junk. That should answer your question :)
Weatherman
2009-06-07, 22:24
Haggy - Even H.264 encoded video with high bitrates? That is AWESOME if that is the case!
I have a boat load of old HP small form factors all P4 2.6 or 2.8 Ghz systems that I could basically turn into 1080p XBMC stations! I still use (3) modded original Xbox systems with XBMC - and have been waiting for an inexpensive solution to move up to native HD.
If this works, this shouldn't cost more than the (2) nVidia cards you mentioned. I also will have to investigate if I can use my Xbox controller -> USB on the PC. I saw they have drivers and the hardware for that type of connectivity. I'm no Linux expert, but this will make me learn it..
- Mark
Yes, h264 for most of the files. Note that h264 is fully supported by VDPAU on all cards whereas VC1 and MPEG2 only get partial acceleration on most 'better' cards. You should have a look at nvidia's readme to choose the right card. AFAIK the 8400GS is a G9x chip which has full decoding support. Here in germany such a card is about 25 EUR, so give it a try.
Weatherman
2009-06-08, 01:05
Haggy - Would this one work?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814141094
It seems like the card you are talking about. Not that expensive at all - considering I wouldn't need a super PC to achieve this now.
Thanks..
Yes, that would do. Newer 8400GS cards are based on the G98 chipset series which provide full decoding support for h264, vc1 (wmv) and mpeg2. Video decoding is done entirely on the GPU so it is nearly unimportant what CPU you're on.
You could also go for this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121235 if you don't need a direct HDMI out (DVI->HDMI cable will always do), which is even cheaper (25$) after rebate. Just look for the newer 8400GS and 512MB VRAM. Newer cards have a gpu clock of 567MHz, the older ones 400MHz. Detailed VDPAU info and supported chips can be found in the nvidia driver readme: http://us.download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Linux-x86/180.60/README/appendix-h.html
I was doing some background price-checking, in case I decide to build an XBMC box... and I got to wondering, what's the benefit of an ION-based system over a mini-ITX board with a Celeron (for example)?
Here are two newegg wish lists I put together:
Celeron-based XBMC box (https://secure.newegg.com/WishList/MySavedWishDetail.aspx?ID=6962009)
and
ION-based XBMC box (https://secure.newegg.com/WishList/MySavedWishDetail.aspx?ID=6962309)
Both are virtually identical save for the cpu/mobo/gpu, and both are the same price ~$295USD.
Although the Celeron system has a GF9300 gpu and the ION has the GF9400, I gotta think that either one will suffice for 1080p XBMC joy, and the Celeron cpu most likely kicks the hiney of the Atom...
Not to mention the 9300/celeron system has 802.lln wireless and faster & more memory capability
So ... what's so great about the ION system? Am I missing something?
Thanks...
Maybe those links aren't as "public" as I thought... Basically the only difference between the two is the cpu/mobo choice:
Celeron system:
Zotac GF9300-D-E (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813500022) $139.99
Celeron E1400 2.0GHz Dual-core (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116069) $49.99
ION System:
Zoltac IONITX-D-E (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813500030) $189.99
Pick your own case, hdd, memory & media drive.
Virtually the same price, $190 for mobo/gpu/cpu, but it seems like the Celeron/9300 system kicks the butt of the Atom/9400 system...
Thoughts?
Power consumption, resulting in a lower bill, less fans, thus less noise. Additionally the atom is the only CPU you would stick in one of those fancy superslim cases like the Silverstone LC19. The celeron alone smokes as much power as the whole ion system.
My 2 cents
xbmcforme
2009-06-14, 11:21
... Detailed VDPAU info and supported chips can be found in the nvidia driver readme: http://us.download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Linux-x86/180.60/README/appendix-h.html
How do you determine what chipset your video card has?
wikipedia for example: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GeForce
Maybe those links aren't as "public" as I thought... Basically the only difference between the two is the cpu/mobo choice:
Celeron system:
Zotac GF9300-D-E (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813500022) $139.99
Celeron E1400 2.0GHz Dual-core (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116069) $49.99
ION System:
Zoltac IONITX-D-E (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813500030) $189.99
Pick your own case, hdd, memory & media drive.
Virtually the same price, $190 for mobo/gpu/cpu, but it seems like the Celeron/9300 system kicks the butt of the Atom/9400 system...
Thoughts?
Sion28,
I have built XBMC machines that you are looking at doing and I have to say that I am a big fan of the ION board over the celeron route if you are looking to build a pure HTPC setup. However, if you are going to try and go the dual purpose route then the Celeron is probably a better choice because as you said the Celeron is a lot better CPU than an Atom. That said I would really look into the ION route. I have been very impressed with the two Zotac IONITX boards that I have. Plus like Haggy said the Ion boards use a fraction of the power.
xbmcforme
2009-06-15, 10:25
How do you determine what chipset your video card has?
Haggy, let me rephrase. How do you determine the "chips" (ie: G84, G86, G92, G94, G96, GT200, G98, MCP77, MCP78, MCP79, MCP7A). From what little I've found some cards are the same family but have different chips (like the 9600GT can be found with either G92 or G94 chips).
Well to determine exactly what chipset is used you can look for a certain clock/shader speed. For example the 8400GS exists both in an old (G84?) and new G98 revision - whereas only the G98 has VDPAU ability. You can easily spot those cards which have a clock speed of 567MHz whereas the older one has 400MHz
Look at those tables on the wikipedia page, they should list every nvidia chipset ever built. I understand that nvidia's naming/marketing scheme is crap and confusing :)
/Haggy
Metamorph
2009-06-21, 22:02
Any suggestions in change i stream all my media have gigabit router with cat 6 cables.
silverstone HTPC Case
Vista Ultimate 64 Bit
Gigabit Motherboard
2.6ghz Core2Duo
8GB OCZ SLI-Ready Edition DDR2 6400
300GB HD
9400 GT Nvidia
Lite-On Dvd-Rom Drive
2TB NAS (Network Attached Storage)
almostalive
2009-06-24, 20:12
I think I've figured out on what I would like to get.
Newegg.com public wish list (http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=14134608)
Any foreseeable problems with this setup?? or any recommended changes?? Right now it looks all good to me but other users input is welcomed.
HwyXingFrog
2009-07-01, 06:49
Ok, guys, just read through it, been Using XBMC since my Original Xbox and have two Geforce 8200 mATX boards with 4850e and 5050e CPU's.
I really want to upgrade, and be tiny, and super low power.
All I need is Mobo/CPU/Case/Power/Ram and maybe run off USB or 2.5 inch.
Anybody able to do full 1080p with "Killer Sample" or most common 1080p .mkv rips using XBMC Live (Or XBMC in Ubuntu) and the Zotac IONITX-C and just have it work out of the box without hassle.
http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=26670BD7659
And then I'll probably get this super small case:
http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=25410AC2154
I stream everything over my network, so I don't need anything special for my XBMC player.
I'm probably ordering them both on Thursday.
Thanks.
Yes, that would do. Newer 8400GS cards are based on the G98 chipset series which provide full decoding support for h264, vc1 (wmv) and mpeg2.
readme: http://us.download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Linux-x86/180.60/README/appendix-h.html
So when I read this readme right: ION does only "complete acceleration" on h264. VC1 and mpeg2 are "Partial acceleration" (What does this mean?).
--> Have to go for G98 chipset instead of ION. :o
EDIT: Just found in WIkipedia, that ION is "MCP79". So the nvidia readme says taht it should accelerate everything like the 8400GS? Or is this en error? I am getting confuesed.
I can´t find a Info at NVIDIA which chips are on ION (9400m) and on 9300m. To know if both can acalerate everything.
ION is based on MCP - so it has FULL acceleration for all three codecs.
ION is based on MCP - so it has FULL acceleration for all three codecs.
OK, thats perfect. And the 9300M.
Because then I could by the a mini-itx 9300M with an E5200 to have some more cpu to get AEON running well, and have some extra power for other stuff.
Please read - i thought you've already been there: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GeForce_9_Series#GeForce_9M_Series
It's G98 based, thus full acceleration. Tbh: full acceleration or not is absolutely unimportant. even partial acceleration does the hard job on the gpu - so any cpu will do.
Please read - i thought you've already been there: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GeForce_9_Series#GeForce_9M_Series
It's G98 based, thus full acceleration. Tbh: full acceleration or not is absolutely unimportant. even partial acceleration does the hard job on the gpu - so any cpu will do.
Sorry my fould. I was looking only at the description, and couldn´t see the chip. But more down there is a table.
So thx for ur patience with me.
Now I only have to decide if I need the more power of an E5200 > Atom 330
tstack77
2009-07-09, 16:39
Because then I could by the a mini-itx 9300M with an E5200 to have some more cpu to get AEON running well, and have some extra power for other stuff.
Is it confirmed that the dual-core Atom 330 on the newer zotac boards WILL lag/stutter on AEON?
Is it confirmed that the dual-core Atom 330 on the newer zotac boards WILL lag/stutter on AEON?
Aeon stutters on ANY cpu :P *duck*
Now I only have to decide if I need the more power of an E5200 > Atom 330
For 1080p / htpc uses: no. Ion will save you heat, noise and some bucks on the power bill. If you're tempted to do anything else or are planning to compile xbmc from svn you may be better off with the E5200.
For 1080p / htpc uses: no. Ion will save you heat, noise and some bucks on the power bill. If you're tempted to do anything else or are planning to compile xbmc from svn you may be better off with the E5200.
I thinking to run the HTPC as media/print-server and maybe utorrent as well. Or to use another pc for that...
Is it confirmed that the dual-core Atom 330 on the newer zotac boards WILL lag/stutter on AEON?
No, still no user-report about this.
I thinking to run the HTPC as media/print-server and maybe utorrent as well. Or to use another pc for that...
No task the atom could not handle, especially the dual core one (330). I'm thinking about tasks that really max out your cpu like compiling, encoding videos, doing weather forecast computations, nuke simulations,...
Yes, this is what i need. somebody who tells me, go for the cheaper, energy-saving option. ;-)
Think will go for the Atom 330. So I only need to find my stuff in Spain :-( If not I have to go for the Asrock for 320€
The Zotac ION-A should be available soon in spain. ATM it's completely sold out here in Germany.
not completely.
http://www.cartft.com/catalog/il/1076
but quite expensive.
but quite expensive.
Yes. But it includes shipping.
Yes. But it includes shipping.
nope: http://www.cartft.com/catalog/shipping_and_handling
(we're getting OT)
Hm... You're right. But they must have increased the price:
This was my order:
http://upload.olol.ch/thumbnails/images/1247216213_cartft_ion.jpg
Its in german. Sorry for that :D
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supply_and_demand :)
(though a really great price for this board. Those guys are located here in my home town - next time i have to visit them)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supply_and_demand
Yes yes... I know :D
Those guys are located here in my home town
Haha! What a luck :D
Alright. Backt to the topic.