Arch Linux

Crooksey

Member

From: UK ~

Registered: 2006-08-14

Posts: 415

Website

HTPC question

Im just looking to clarify my kit before I go and purchase it for my HTPC.

Im not looking to play games and it will be simply a Linux system.

The motherboard I have chosen is...

AMD 880G Motherboard

It uses "Intergrated ATI Radeon 4250 Graphics" chip and just wondered if anyone else has had hdmi sound/video working.

---

Arch Linux since 2006
Python Web Developer + Sys Admin (Gentoo/BSD)

graysky

Wiki Maintainer

From: :wq

Registered: 2008-12-01

Posts: 10,730

Website

Re: HTPC question

My experiences with ATI have been bad.  Go with nvidia.  For an HTPC why not consider an ION solution?  Ultra low power (30 W idle and 42 W loaded) with Intel Atom.  Zotac makes good stuff.  I have an IONITX-A-U that I'm very happy with... VDPAU on the 9300 does HD no problem.  The Atom 330 is actually EOL replaced by the 5xx seres (510 and 525).  You can consider the Gigabyte GA-D525TUD in that case.  If you want an -all-in-one with more power (slightly more) you can get the celron version of the Zotac board IONITX-P-E.

Last edited by graysky (2010-12-12 12:09:01)

---

AUR packages • Zsh and other configs

Crooksey

Member

From: UK ~

Registered: 2006-08-14

Posts: 415

Website

Re: HTPC question

What about this then?

http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/prod … h.html#sp2

uses an intel chipset

---

Arch Linux since 2006
Python Web Developer + Sys Admin (Gentoo/BSD)

graysky

Wiki Maintainer

From: :wq

Registered: 2008-12-01

Posts: 10,730

Website

Re: HTPC question

What about this then?

http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/prod … h.html#sp2

uses an intel chipset

I don't know how that video chipset handles HD content... is there a reason you want an LGA 1156 board for an HTPC?  That's overkill, no?  If you want more power than an Atom you might consider an i3 (530 maybe) chip (CPU+GPU on the same die).  I've had good experiences with Gigabyte boards and that one seems find to me.

Last edited by graysky (2010-12-12 12:47:20)

---

AUR packages • Zsh and other configs

Crooksey

Member

From: UK ~

Registered: 2006-08-14

Posts: 415

Website

Re: HTPC question

Im not limited to anything really. im fresh out of water with PC building if im honest.

Im looking for HDMI connection, don't need a graphics card.

Want a system thats able to handle TV recording and HD playback.

Thats about it really.

The cheaper it comes in the better!

EDIT: Although processor wise I am looking for core2duo +

Dont really want an atom or celeron.

Last edited by Crooksey (2010-12-12 12:47:22)

---

Arch Linux since 2006
Python Web Developer + Sys Admin (Gentoo/BSD)

graysky

Wiki Maintainer

From: :wq

Registered: 2008-12-01

Posts: 10,730

Website

Re: HTPC question

If you want recording should do your homework before you buy for sure; find out which capture card you want and if it'll fit in your MB, has native Linux support, etc.  I know VDPAU and a 9300 does HD playback.  I've read that an i3-530 can do it too.

...you planning to run mythtv?  Check out the linhes forums for more.  http://linhes.org/phpBB2/index.php

Last edited by graysky (2010-12-12 12:50:35)

---

AUR packages • Zsh and other configs

Echo

Member

From: Ohio, United States

Registered: 2006-05-16

Posts: 239

Re: HTPC question

Here's another link re: VDPAU

http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/VDPAU

There's a chart w/supported cards & feature set support. It's not complete but at leasts it's a decent guide.

I had an Asus mini ATX board w/a Geforce 8200 on it. This is about as low as you can go for onboard graphics that'll do VDPAU. The picture was very good but I had read about the newer cards having "feature set C" and I wanted to see if there was a difference. I put a Geforce GT240 in and there is a visible difference, IMO. You may want to make sure you you have a "spare PCIe slot for a graphics card later depending on what you end up with.

OT, I'm a fan of the nMediaPC boxes when price is taken into account.

Julius2

Member

From: Canada

Registered: 2009-05-13

Posts: 68

Website

Re: HTPC question

Just weighing in -- go for a newer GPU if possible. ATI and nVidia (but especially nVidia) have more advanced hardware rendering capabilities for h.264, XviD, and others, so a lower-end but newer GPU will be able to handle video much more efficiently than an older GPU.

---

Blog .:. AUR .:. Wiki Contributions
Registered Linux User #506070.

jowilkin

Member

Registered: 2009-05-07

Posts: 243

Re: HTPC question

Go Nvidia.  ATI support is just terrible in Linux right now for advanced graphics features.  I run a linux htpc with a motherboard with built in nvidia graphics (9300 I think) that outputs audio and video through hdmi with no problems.  VDPAU works great.  Drivers support scaling the screen to correct for overscanning which can be a big issue when outputting video to a tv instead of a computer monitor - basically you end up with the outside of your picture being cut off, i.e. the top/bottom/left/right of the picture is not shown, you only get the middle.

sultanoswing

Member

Registered: 2008-07-23

Posts: 317

Re: HTPC question

Worth a look:

http://mymediaexperience.com/guide-to-b … c-in-2010/

---

Arch on: ASUS Pro-PRIME x470, AMD 5800X3D, AMD 6800XT, 32GB, | ThinkPad X1 | ASUS ux303ua | Surface Laptop 2 | Minisforum UM780

.:B:.

Forum Fellow

Registered: 2006-11-26

Posts: 5,819

Website

Re: HTPC question

EDIT: Although processor wise I am looking for core2duo +

Dont really want an atom or celeron.

Don't underestimate recent Celerons, their name implies otherwise but recent models are based on the Core architecture, and a lot better than the crappy excueses for CPUs Intel used to sell before.

Keep in mind if you want HD playback most Intel Atom combos will not support Full HD unless coupled with a non-Intel GPU (Intel has locked their GPUs to 1280x720 on the Atom platform).

---

Got Leenucks? :: Arch: Power in simplicity :: Get Counted! Registered Linux User #392717 :: Blog thingy