-
Competitor rules
Please remember that any mention of competitors, hinting at competitors or offering to provide details of competitors will result in an account suspension. The full rules can be found under the 'Terms and Rules' link in the bottom right corner of your screen. Just don't mention competitors in any way, shape or form and you'll be OK.
HTPC Question
- Thread starter easyrider
- Start date
TBH if it's just for DVDs and stuff then anything will do, my HTPC uses onboard 6100 (it did have a 7300 in it, but I wanted it 100% passively cooled) and it even does 720p and 1080p content just fine.
CPU power is much more important in a HTPC, I put a cheapy Athlon X2 3800+ in mine and a pitiful 512MB RAM and it does the job admirably. Go as cheap and stingy as you possibly can.
CPU power is much more important in a HTPC, I put a cheapy Athlon X2 3800+ in mine and a pitiful 512MB RAM and it does the job admirably. Go as cheap and stingy as you possibly can.
Last edited:
First HTPC build coming
8600 the card to get?
Or can I get away with a 8400 GS?
It will not be playing games.
Just DVD's and running power cinema...
IIRC the Nvidia cards will not decode all HD content, leaving it to the CPU. Which is fine if your CPU is up to the job. I've heard of AMD 3800's running at 60-80% and dropping the odd frame.
I'm looking at a ATI 2400 or 2600 for my HTPC, since this does decoding in hardware, The money you spend on the video card can be saved by having the cheapest CPU you can buy.
If all you want is SD content, then anything will do.
Associate
- Joined
- 26 Sep 2006
- Posts
- 1,945
- Location
- West Bridgford
Custom PC 
D) think the 2400 Pro is the way to go, let us know how you get on easy
Yes, it decodes h.264, wmv, vc-1 and mpeg2 on the card.
cpu only, blu ray playback 40-47% cpu
2400, blu ray playback 18-36% cpu
D) think the 2400 Pro is the way to go, let us know how you get on easy Yes, it decodes h.264, wmv, vc-1 and mpeg2 on the card.
cpu only, blu ray playback 40-47% cpu
2400, blu ray playback 18-36% cpu
Last edited:
Custom PC
Yes, it decodes h.264, wmv, vc-1 and mpeg2 on the card.
cpu only, blu ray playback 40-47% cpu
2400, blu ray playback 18-36% cpu
some nice info there thanks
Not seen that on my HTPC. Unless my router is acting up, streaming HD content to my HTPC for display on my Samsung 32" Bordeaux is completely flawless.
Think the 2400 has exactly the same features in terms of UDV/decoding etc. so just go for that.
Cool
All I need to do now is decide on the case!
Anyone got anything against the Antec Fusion?
Associate
- Joined
- 26 Sep 2006
- Posts
- 1,945
- Location
- West Bridgford
Looks good, in silver or black?
Permabanned
- Joined
- 19 Jun 2007
- Posts
- 10,717
- Location
- InURmama
The lower end 8000's will DO all aspects of HD / H.264, the 8800's missed out on some additional aspects as they are simply older so do not have PureVideo2 and PV2 can nearly half CPU use from original PV1 in some instances.
http://www.nvidia.com/docs/CP/11036/PureVideo_Product_Comparison.pdf
http://www.nvidia.com/docs/CP/11036/PureVideo_Product_Comparison.pdf
Permabanned
- Joined
- 19 Jun 2007
- Posts
- 10,717
- Location
- InURmama
I would read some reviews on Purevideo (ideally Pv2) v ATI's tech (cant remember name) but as you say its all you need.