• Some users have recently had their accounts hijacked. It seems that the now defunct EVGA forums might have compromised your password there and seems many are using the same PW here. We would suggest you UPDATE YOUR PASSWORD and TURN ON 2FA for your account here to further secure it. None of the compromised accounts had 2FA turned on.
    Once you have enabled 2FA, your account will be updated soon to show a badge, letting other members know that you use 2FA to protect your account. This should be beneficial for everyone that uses FSFT.

Processor for an HTPC

D

djBon2112

Supreme [H]ardness
Joined
Jul 29, 2006
Messages
5,279
Currently I've got the system as my NAS in my sig, but I'm thinking now that I'm upgrading the server to a Xeon, to use those parts as an HTPC to play 720p content on my 32" TV. Would the Celeron 420 be powerful enough for that (and that alone), or should I look at a more powerful processor, and in which case, which ones should I be looking at? OS will be either Vista Business x64 (with the media features installed, of course!) or Windows XP Professional (go MSDNAA!)
 
Personally, I'd insist on a dual-core (e1200 is fine). I built an XP MCE system around a Banias 1.5 several years ago, and even then it was a bit underpowered. I don't know how much encoding you plan to do, but watching+encoding will absolutely bludgeon that poor 430.

I was going to build my system with a T7250 (Mobile-on-Desktop), but then the 780G launched and I was swayed towards a low power Athlon X2 instead.
 
The G945 isn't very good in an HTPC, too low quality, and the 420 is going to be pretty damn slow. Your best bet is going new with a E2xxx series CPU (the 2160s do fine from my experience) and a G45 based board.

Also, AMD tends to do better performance wise at this kind of low end and they do have the better IGPs for it (Gigabyte's 780G mobo) so I would heavily suggest them instead.
 
I do no encoding, just watching, and pretty much everything I've got is x264.

I was looking at the AMD solutions, but already have these parts, and an AMD system is more money that I don't have. Would adding an ATi video card help?
 
Unless all of your x264 content is encoded with a DXVA compatible profile then no a video card isn't going to help since all the decoding is going to be strictly CPU.

If it is encoded using a DXVA compatible profile then yeah, adding a H264 compatible video card will do the trick.

Most likely your going to have to get a new setup. Single is fine for SD content; dual core is needed for HD content.

If you decide to that you need something different I've been trying to track down a Celeron 420 for a WHS box I'm putting together. LMK if you decide to sell it (or swap it, if the dude every sends it I'm suppose to be getting an AM2 + 7025 mobo for my HTPC to replace the X2 3600+ and 6150 mobo in it).
 
I had one in my gaming desktop for a while to replace a Pentium D .... and it's defiantly not a bad cpu if you overclock it, and defiantly a lot better than that old PD... try out a bsel pad mod if your motherboard doesn't support overclocking
 
Get a good CPU, cause some of the 1080p encodes max out on low clocked C2D.
I would get E5200, high clock and low heat and power consumption FTW.
 
athlon 4850e + 780G mobo seems to be the set up of choice for the people at avsforums. Since I know jack about HTPCs as my only means of viewing is via this computer and monitor, I take their opinions over mine.
 
Hrm, from what I've been hearing this isn't really worth it. Oh well, guess my sister gets a new computer instead ;)
 
To decompress full HD signals properly, you should have a Quad minimum. Otherwise you will get stuttering/artifacts.
 
i have a P4 northwood 3Ghz HT and a mobile 9700PRO in a dell laptop - it plays 720 content fine over the network - how ever 1080 is has it's problem!

unless you use a program that has hardware acceleration (powerdvd and coreavc) your vid card wont do jack

friedchicken said:
To decompress full HD signals properly, you should have a Quad minimum. Otherwise you will get stuttering/artifacts.
Click to expand...

Smoke much crack? you don't, my e4400 + 7600GT played 1080 content fine out to my 37 LCD TV, and it was only using one core with media player classic.
 
I forgot to point to the QC in my sig while multi-tasking at work,as being the min for full playback of VC1 or AVC. Considering that most HTPCs are built with the intent to push 1080P over a screen > 40" with 5.1 audio.

Seriously why I hate these forums. Instead of educating those not "in-the-know", posters feel they need to throw out childish responces like "Are you on Crack?".

While "HD" is not my forte, I do have other compentencies which I can speak to, with great confidence and in-depth knowledge. But what is the point when you have e-Bully attitudes and flames cutting anyone down who doesn't spend 90% of their time scouring forums and tech reports.
 
friedchicken said:
I forgot to point to the QC in my sig while multi-tasking at work,as being the min for full playback of VC1 or AVC. Considering that most HTPCs are built with the intent to push 1080P over a screen > 40" with 5.1 audio.

Seriously why I hate these forums. Instead of educating those not "in-the-know", posters feel they need to throw out childish responces like "Are you on Crack?".
Click to expand...

You can go over to avsforum and find at least 100 very knowledgeable posters tell you that you are wrong. It seems somewhat more formal there so you probably won't get any "are you on crack?" answers but you will get many informed htpc users explaining why what you claimed is not true.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=26
 
needmorecarnitine said:
You can go over to avsforum and find at least 100 very knowledgeable posters tell you that you are wrong. It seems somewhat more formal there so you probably won't get any "are you on crack?" answers but you will get many informed htpc users explaining why what you claimed is not true.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=26
Click to expand...

Thanks needmorecarnitine. I have no problem with people telling me when I am wrong, or to clarify my position. However, as you said, there are ways to do it without looking like an azzhat.

Cheers.
 
friedchicken said:
I forgot to point to the QC in my sig while multi-tasking at work,as being the min for full playback of VC1 or AVC. Considering that most HTPCs are built with the intent to push 1080P over a screen > 40" with 5.1 audio.

Seriously why I hate these forums. Instead of educating those not "in-the-know", posters feel they need to throw out childish responces like "Are you on Crack?".

While "HD" is not my forte, I do have other compentencies which I can speak to, with great confidence and in-depth knowledge. But what is the point when you have e-Bully attitudes and flames cutting anyone down who doesn't spend 90% of their time scouring forums and tech reports.
Click to expand...

It's one thing to ask a question and get a response like how you're describing; it's another thing entirely to post "you need a quad if doing HD" nonsense without even knowing if a quad is really needed or not. Thats both FUD and BS to state something that is clearly wrong.

You getting "flamed" has everything to do with posting a ridicules comment as fact and others pointing out that it's wrong.

A quad is only needed in an HTPC if someone is using four or more CableCARD tuners while pushing that same 1080p content to four or more Extenders. You don't need Quad for HD; shit, strictly for Blu ray/HD DVD movies you could get away with a Celeron 420 single core and a 3450, G45, 780G, 8000 series IGP.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top