Netbook Video Performance?

K

Klade

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jul 21, 2004
Messages
158
Hello,

I am in the market for a netbook. For the most part I want it for simply tasks like web, and word processing. However an absolute essential requirement will be smooth full screen video playback. This could be something as basic as hulu and youtube or something more intensive like a Doctor Who or possibly fansub of an anime. The largest video file I would expect to play would be around 700 megs. Most will be sub 400 megs.

I expect to upgrade to 2 gigs immediately after purchase. What I wanted to know is if the video processing in these machines had improved to the point where this is possible using the intel integrated cards (ie I don't want to pay for a nvidia chip).

Primarily I am looking at the Asus 1005HA-PU17, I'd also consider other asus or Samsung machines. I do however want to stay at or around 300 before the price of the ram upgrade.

Thanks in advance for any advice.
 
im not sure, but for 700mb avi's i would imagine any old atom can do that. if you can afford it though, go with an ion powered netop... thats about as good as it gets right now (until a few more months)
 
I just purchased an Asus Eee 1005HAB. It handles firefox with 4-5 tabs, pidgin, w7 updating, and watching House in normal 300-400mb an episode quality just fine. I was a little worried about the video performance when I first bought it, but I am so far pleased with it. I currently, also, only have 1gb of ram in it.
This is what I just bought: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Asus+-+...Blue/9705433.p?id=1218154378164&skuId=9705433

$299 with 6 cell battery.
 
Acer Aspire One 532g.

But for 720p and less, any current netbook without a dedicated video card will work.

Also, 11.6" netbooks with CULV processors (instead of Atom) and Intel 4500 MHD will do up to 1080p.
 
This all sounds good, it means I can buy a netbook without fear of getting stuttering when watching videos which in all fairness will probably be about 1/3rd of the use I put the machine to.

I appreciate the recommendations for ION but unless someone sells such a machine for less then 300 its just not going to happen. I need something cheap, and I recognize this machine will not be a desktop (or even full functioned laptop) replacement. I just need it to play full screen videos, word, internet with wireless b/g/n, and a 6 cell battery.
 
Anything that needs the adobe flash player at any higher resolution (480p+) will probably have issues AFAIK unless you have acceleration.. Thus things like hulu, youtbue, may stutter on an atom platform. It isn't guaranteed but you said "without fear". Thus in this case...unless you go ION....your needs (without fear) cannot be met.
 
Trepidati0n said:
Anything that needs the adobe flash player at any higher resolution (480p+) will probably have issues AFAIK unless you have acceleration.. Thus things like hulu, youtbue, may stutter on an atom platform. It isn't guaranteed but you said "without fear". Thus in this case...unless you go ION....your needs (without fear) cannot be met.
Click to expand...
Perfectly put.

Btw, the 10" Acer 532g with ION 2 is supposed to be $380 when it comes to North America. I think that's the closest you'll get to $300 with an ION system for now.
 
What about the Broadcom crystal hd card? that's available on eBay for $15 and it'll accelerate h.264 decoding...
 
What are you gonna do with it after you buy it? It's not like it plugs into USB, right?

Edit: Actually, I guess some netbooks might be sold with it built-in, like the new Dell Mini 10... Or is still "coming soon"? Anyway, yeah, this Broadcom thing might work too for the video.
 
shurcooL said:
What are you gonna do with it after you buy it? It's not like it plugs into USB, right?

Edit: Actually, I guess some netbooks might be sold with it built-in, like the new Dell Mini 10... Or is still "coming soon"? Anyway, yeah, this Broadcom thing might work too for the video.
Click to expand...

No, it should be in production for the Dell machines now.
 
My 5 year old lenovo that's using standard (for the day) intel integrated graphics can play full screen hulu and do all the things I need my netbook to do. (actually I am trying to get the netbook to replace the lenovo). So really what I'm looking for is first hand experience from folks with these netbooks. Arguments about what "should" be the case while appreciated are not really definitive in my mind. I already know that intel integrated graphics solutions can perform this feat, I just wanted to verify that the netbook is similarly capable.
 
Your 5 yo lenovo is probably using a powerful Pentium M or something similar chip. Of course it's powerful enough, even with a weak graphics chip.

These netbooks are running an Atom cpu, which is not a beast. What people have told you here is fairly accurate.
 
This video looks pretty good to me:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jofruouiUo

Around halfway through this fellow tests youtube videos in standard def and hd both in full screen and regular. It seems hd in full screen via flash does give it a stutter but standard def in full screen does not slow it down which is great to know.
 
Klade said:
Hello,

I am in the market for a netbook. For the most part I want it for simply tasks like web, and word processing. However an absolute essential requirement will be smooth full screen video playback. This could be something as basic as hulu and youtube or something more intensive like a Doctor Who or possibly fansub of an anime. The largest video file I would expect to play would be around 700 megs. Most will be sub 400 megs.

I expect to upgrade to 2 gigs immediately after purchase. What I wanted to know is if the video processing in these machines had improved to the point where this is possible using the intel integrated cards (ie I don't want to pay for a nvidia chip).

Primarily I am looking at the Asus 1005HA-PU17, I'd also consider other asus or Samsung machines. I do however want to stay at or around 300 before the price of the ram upgrade.

Thanks in advance for any advice.
Click to expand...

1005PE (Atom 450)- full screen flash playback is not possible to get better than 20FPS. It is relatively smooth, but not silky.

But you will not have issue playing any other video file. 1080P whatever MKV, AVI, DivX etc will only use maybe 50% CPU and play at 60FPS.

My video of 1005PE Hulu:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37ymjgWiEy8
 
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