Cheapest netbook for 1080p playback?

Loser777 · 2011-05-19 05:40:45

I've read the old thread https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=107103 which says that 1080p is impossible on pinetrail based netbooks--but I'm wondering about it's feasibility on slightly higher-end models such as the dual-core ASUS 1201N and 1215N? Is there anyway to go cheaper and still be able to play 1080p video?

einhard · 2011-05-19 08:14:02

Everything on AMD Brazos platform where integral GPU can handle everything (through VA API or XvBA). The cheapest? Maybe Acer Aspire One 722/522, Toshiba NB550D. The AMD C-30(1 core)/C-50(2 cores) processors are slightly faster than most Intel Atoms and have really good graphic chip (Radeon 6250M) in them. The question is what about support of AMD Fusion (mostly GPU) on Linux.

Last edited by einhard (2011-05-19 08:20:35)

karol · 2011-05-19 16:15:43

You can get Toshiba ac100 with Tegra250 but it runs Android 2.1. I'm not sure you will get flawless 1080p playback with it, as some reviews mentioned a slight stutter. 720p worked fine.

I've read that neither Toshiba NB550D nor ac100 are sold in the US, so I'm not sure if it's an option for you.

Last edited by karol (2011-05-19 16:19:50)

Gusar · 2011-05-19 16:29:04

The 1215N has Optimus, so that's a no-go. Your best bet is finding something with ION1 or something that has the Broadcom CrystalHD card in it.

Loser777 · 2011-05-19 22:19:06

einhard wrote:

Everything on AMD Brazos platform where integral GPU can handle everything (through VA API or XvBA). The cheapest? Maybe Acer Aspire One 722/522, Toshiba NB550D. The AMD C-30(1 core)/C-50(2 cores) processors are slightly faster than most Intel Atoms and have really good graphic chip (Radeon 6250M) in them. The question is what about support of AMD Fusion (mostly GPU) on Linux.

The C-30 based 1015b certainly looks interesting but I'm wondering how well video decoding would work in linux as compared to Windows as I'm sure that 1080p decoding would be flawless in Windows--it's a question if mplayer supports GPU-accelerated video playback. The wiki https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Asus_EEE_PC_1015b only mentions that the open source drivers work "adequately".

It seems that the Catalyst drivers support this acceleration, but mplayer probably needs some further configuration.

Last edited by Loser777 (2011-05-19 23:45:49)

einhard · 2011-05-20 08:25:58

Loser777 wrote:

einhard wrote:
Everything on AMD Brazos platform where integral GPU can handle everything (through VA API or XvBA). The cheapest? Maybe Acer Aspire One 722/522, Toshiba NB550D. The AMD C-30(1 core)/C-50(2 cores) processors are slightly faster than most Intel Atoms and have really good graphic chip (Radeon 6250M) in them. The question is what about support of AMD Fusion (mostly GPU) on Linux.
The C-30 based 1015b certainly looks interesting but I'm wondering how well video decoding would work in linux as compared to Windows as I'm sure that 1080p decoding would be flawless in Windows--it's a question if mplayer supports GPU-accelerated video playback. The wiki https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Asus_EEE_PC_1015b only mentions that the open source drivers work "adequately".
It seems that the Catalyst drivers support this acceleration, but mplayer probably needs some further configuration.

Mplayer supports all sorts of video acceleration, for AMD Radeon it's VA API or directly XvBA. you should install xvba-video (http://aur.archlinux.org/packages.php?ID=31723) and mplayer-vaapi (or compile mplayer with vaapi support) add vo=vaapi:gl va=vaapi (vdpau will work in future releases for open source driver http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=n … &px=OTQ1MQ) to your mplayer config or just mplayer -vo vaapi:gl -va vaapi. See https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/AT … celeration. VLC also supports VA API. The main problem is probably stability of Catalyst drivers on Linux.

Last edited by einhard (2011-05-20 08:29:44)

RazrFalcon · 2011-05-20 08:36:26

Why need 1080p on 720p( 1366x768 or something ) display?
With 720p netbook + mplayer&vaapi works fine.
You can even use Mplayer2, which use multithreading.

Last edited by RazrFalcon (2011-05-20 08:37:25)

einhard · 2011-05-20 09:00:06

RazrFalcon wrote:

Why need 1080p on 720p( 1366x768 or something ) display?

I am guessing for FullHD TV. Cheap media center solution.

RazrFalcon · 2011-05-20 09:06:42

einhard
Oh... Then better to buy netbook with nVidia ION.

Awebb · 2011-05-20 09:13:07

Sometimes you don't have the file as 720p and want to run a bigger file.

By the way: I have an EeePC 1016PEM with an Atom N550 (dual core) and an Intel GMA 3150 video chip. It plays 1080p video very well. I just wouldn't recommend doing anything else simultaneously.

Loser777 · 2011-05-20 22:54:17

Awebb wrote:

Sometimes you don't have the file as 720p and want to run a bigger file.
By the way: I have an EeePC 1016PEM with an Atom N550 (dual core) and an Intel GMA 3150 video chip. It plays 1080p video very well. I just wouldn't recommend doing anything else simultaneously.

That's exactly the reason... I don't want to have to transcode 1080p video into 720p--also I'm guessing the extra 512KB cache that the N550 has over the other models makes a big difference? Or are you using a multithreaded version of mplayer?

RazrFalcon wrote:

einhard
Oh... Then better to buy netbook with nVidia ION.

Aren't ION 2 netbooks harder to use arch with since there's no good support for the nvidia portion of their graphics, just the intel side?
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Asus_EEE_PC_1215n

From the look of the page on the 1015b, it seems that the Catalyst drivers work fine.

RazrFalcon · 2011-05-21 04:00:34

It's old version. Last edit "17 February 2011". So maybe something changed.
It work, I think. Look here.
I know man, who watch a 1080p/i movies on Asus 1201N. And it work fine.

Last edited by RazrFalcon (2011-05-21 04:03:43)

Gusar · 2011-05-21 11:22:09

RazrFalcon wrote:

It's old version. Last edit "17 February 2011". So maybe something changed.
It work, I think. Look here.
I know man, who watch a 1080p/i movies on Asus 1201N. And it work fine.

Bumblebee is indeed a way to get the nvidia card working, but only OpenGL, VDPAU doesn't work.

@Loser777: RazrFalcon said ION, not ION2.

sophistihip · 2011-05-27 20:15:13

I'm on a Thinkpad x120e E-350 (with 4Gb of ram and BT, $510 shipped, you can get it for much less if you're willing to wait) and I've gotten it to play 1080p well in Windows. I've heard that it works well in linux too if you're able to setup vaapi and specific builds of mplayer/vlc. Flash support is ... well who knows. The AMD Fusion platform is still pretty new and quite promising so I expect things to improve. If you're looking for something with a little more style and prefer/don't mind a glossy screen, check out the HP Dm1z.

Awebb · 2011-05-28 11:18:06

Loser777 wrote:

also I'm guessing the extra 512KB cache that the N550 has over the other models makes a big difference? Or are you using a multithreaded version of mplayer?

Dude, I'm not entirely sure WHY it runs well, I've never used a different Atom longer than 10 minutes, so I can't tell the difference. I sometimes use VLC and sometimes the default mplayer in the repos. By the way, it isn't a 1016PEM, it's a 1015PEM...

Arch Linux

#1 2011-05-19 05:40:45

Cheapest netbook for 1080p playback?

#2 2011-05-19 08:14:02

Re: Cheapest netbook for 1080p playback?

#3 2011-05-19 16:15:43

Re: Cheapest netbook for 1080p playback?

#4 2011-05-19 16:29:04

Re: Cheapest netbook for 1080p playback?

#5 2011-05-19 22:19:06

Re: Cheapest netbook for 1080p playback?

#6 2011-05-20 08:25:58

Re: Cheapest netbook for 1080p playback?

#7 2011-05-20 08:36:26

Re: Cheapest netbook for 1080p playback?

#8 2011-05-20 09:00:06

Re: Cheapest netbook for 1080p playback?

#9 2011-05-20 09:06:42

Re: Cheapest netbook for 1080p playback?

#10 2011-05-20 09:13:07

Re: Cheapest netbook for 1080p playback?

#11 2011-05-20 22:54:17

Re: Cheapest netbook for 1080p playback?

#12 2011-05-21 04:00:34

Re: Cheapest netbook for 1080p playback?

#13 2011-05-21 11:22:09

Re: Cheapest netbook for 1080p playback?

#14 2011-05-27 20:15:13

Re: Cheapest netbook for 1080p playback?

#15 2011-05-28 11:18:06

Re: Cheapest netbook for 1080p playback?

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