CPU for 3d HTPC

[sopran2]

Hello!

I am confused for choosing CPU for my HTPC. HTPC will be used only for blu ray movies and some full HD and 3d movies from hdd not for gaming. Audio and Video is going to Onkyo TX-NR509 and then to Samsung TV-46C750
So i would like to go for MSI H67MA-E35 motherboard supporting HDMI 1.4 with 2nd gen intel processors and i am thinking can i use Intel Pentium G620 or g840, g850 or i have to choose i3-2100 or i need spend a lot of cash for i5-2500k ?
Question is what processor i need and will it play 3d movies without GPU at all only with CPU integrated graphics?

If its not possible play 3d only with CPU integrated graphics and i need seperate GPU card then can i go with g620 CPU (will it be enough powerful ?) and ATI Radeon HD 5450 SILENT 512MB?

Will it be enough with 4 gb RAM ( dual channel 1333mhz)?

Thanks in advance!

 

[cmndr_andi]

Hi there,

Looking here the HD 2000 graphics on the i3 or Pentium CPUs will be sufficient to decode 1080p 2D and 3D video. However, these onboard Intel GPUs still have trouble with 24fps video - so I would recommend a graphics card from AMD or Nvidia if you are building a HTPC from the ground up (like a HD 6670 - the 5450 can't accelerate 3D playback) or go for an AMD LLano system - which has a very impressive onboard AMD GPU.

As for RAM, tbh a single 2GB stick would be fine for running windows and decoding 1080p 3D video, but considering the price of RAM then a 4GB dual channel kit is a good option.

 

[sopran2]

Hi there,

Looking here the HD 2000 graphics on the i3 or Pentium CPUs will be sufficient to decode 1080p 2D and 3D video. However, these onboard Intel GPUs still have trouble with 24fps video - so I would recommend a graphics card from AMD or Nvidia if you are building a HTPC from the ground up (like a HD 6670 - the 5450 can't accelerate 3D playback) or go for an AMD LLano system - which has a very impressive onboard AMD GPU.

As for RAM, tbh a single 2GB stick would be fine for running windows and decoding 1080p 3D video, but considering the price of RAM then a 4GB dual channel kit is a good option.

Thank You!
As more i read as more i'm getting confused but your replay was really helpful.

If i choose GPU like 6670 then i think i can easy go with g620 CPU because HDMI 1.4 output from MOBO is no longer necessary and this CPU will be enough or i'm wrong? My point is to cut costs as possible. And energy efficient as well, where i3 will be great i think.

I would be agree go with AMD system with no problem but then i need to start my build from ground again I need microATX MOBO due to case limitations and i did not find any cheap AMD MOBO with HDMI 1.4 support. usb 3.0 and sata 6Mbs like Intel MOBO.

 

[cmndr_andi]

Thank You!
As more i read as more i'm getting confused but your replay was really helpful.

Happy to help

If i choose GPU like 6670 then i think i can easy go with g620 CPU because HDMI 1.4 output from MOBO is no longer necessary and this CPU will be enough or i'm wrong? My point is to cut costs as possible. And energy efficient as well, where i3 will be great i think.

Yea, that would work fine. When you use a graphics card like a 6670, then the majority of the HD video (and 3D video) decoding is done on the graphics card - so the CPU is left running relatively idle, even when the system is playing a high bitrate 3D 1080p movie.

However, if you want to cut costs then the best way is really to go for an AMD LLano system. One of these systems gives you a decent CPU, with a 6670-level graphics card actually built into the CPU (AMD call it an APU because of this), therefore cost and power usage are kept low.

I would be agree go with AMD system with no problem but then i need to start my build from ground again I need microATX MOBO due to case limitations and i did not find any cheap AMD MOBO with HDMI 1.4 support. usb 3.0 and sata 6Mbs like Intel MOBO.

Well you can get AMD boards like the Asrock A75M-HVS for ~£50 - this has a HDMI 1.4 port, six SATA 3 ports, four USB3 ports and is microATX. Here is another board from Gigabyte with similar specs which is available on OCUK.

Couple that with one of these CPUs then you will have a very nice, low power, low costs, 3D capable HTPC.

 

[sopran2]

Well you can get AMD boards like the Asrock A75M-HVS for ~£50 - this has a HDMI 1.4 port, six SATA 3 ports, four USB3 ports and is microATX. Here is another board from Gigabyte with similar specs which is available on OCUK.

Couple that with one of these CPUs then you will have a very nice, low power, low costs, 3D capable HTPC.

Thank You even more

I already looked on Llano Processors and found information about their great graphic specs. As i understand it will be enough even with AMD Llano A4-3300 CPU?

Looking now where to get Asrock MOBO and then after small calculation will make final decision. I know what i need but it didn't helped me 100% so spending 2 evenings to read tons of info.

Good thing is that we can buy Graphic Card later if we need more graphic power.

OcUK as always one of best

P.s Sorry about my bad English

 

[cmndr_andi]

Yes, even the low-end Llano parts can support 1080p 3D playback - since they pack in 160 stream processors and UVD3 support - so on the same level as the HD 6450 discrete card.

Personally I would spend the extra on the A6-3500 if you can - as that gives you an APU with twice as many stream processors on the graphics core (320) and three CPU cores to work with. If you don't want to spend this much, then the A4-3400 is a good bet (as its GPU core clock is much higher than the slightly cheaper A4-3300).

 

[sopran2]

Yes, even the low-end Llano parts can support 1080p 3D playback - since they pack in 160 stream processors and UVD3 support - so on the same level as the HD 6450 discrete card.

Personally I would spend the extra on the A6-3500 if you can - as that gives you an APU with twice as many stream processors on the graphics core (320) and three CPU cores to work with. If you don't want to spend this much, then the A4-3400 is a good bet (as its GPU core clock is much higher than the slightly cheaper A4-3300).

I can afford a6-3500 and i think i will choose that, but about MOBO's i'm not sure Asrock is cheapest and good enough, but i would like choose Gygabite GA-A75M-UD2H or Gigabyte A75N-USB3 cause they have Optical audio exit as well but i cant find info about their HDMI exits, are they 1.4a like in Asrock A75M-HVS

 

[cmndr_andi]

All these Llano boards are HDMI 1.4, so I wouldn't worry about that.

If you need an optical audio output then the Gigabyte boards you mention look good, though bear in mind that the GA-A75N-USB3 is a smaller Mini-ITX size board.

 

[sopran2]

All these Llano boards are HDMI 1.4, so I wouldn't worry about that.

If you need an optical audio output then the Gigabyte boards you mention look good, though bear in mind that the GA-A75N-USB3 is a smaller Mini-ITX size board.

And big thanks again! Feels like You are Hardware guru

That would be great when i open gigabyte.com and could read info about HDMI exit and it specs like it is is Asrock specs page. No confusing moments because everything is clearly stated.
I already noticed that A75N-USB3 is Mini-ITX. My case supports both of them.

 

[The Deuce]

I'd go Llano system also, saying that because I've just bought a Gigabyte A75M-UD2H and a 3870K cpu. Just waiting for them to arrive now, upgrading my ageing C2D HTPC setup so I can play the odd game better.