Via SP8000E motherboard for new HTPC

ojo · 2004-09-26, 19:17

Hi,

I'm starting building my first "real" HTPC. I've been looking at the newly or soon to be released Via SP8000E motherboard with a 800 Mhz Eden and the new CN400 Mpeg 2 and Mpeg 4 Hardware accelleration.

Anyone alredy using this board ?

Anyone using other versions of VIA C3 motherboards and managed to get them Passively (Headsink) cooled?

If using a Via motherboard, what kind of case are you using?

And last, If the PC is supplied with a TerraTec Cinergy 600 TV (with MPeg 1 and Mpeg 2 hardware accelleration) would the SP8000E - CN400 even matter at all ?

Ojo

MrMario64 · 2004-09-26, 19:34

I really hate everything VIA makes.
Their products are Never compatible, and when there is a problem they never release a new update.

I will never EVER buy a VIA product.

I like the nforce chipset, great product!

ojo · 2004-09-26, 20:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrMario64

I really hate everything VIA makes.
Their products are Never compatible, and when there is a problem they never release a new update.

Normally I couldn't agree more, but since I tried one of their Low power Motherboards build around the former Cyrix processor i'm not so sure.

Having an office PC at 16x5x20 cm with absolutely NO NOISE. Not even a case fan. The only thing that you can hear is your HDs silent clicks.

This I would like to transfer to the HTPC. NO NOISE low form-factor, and still enough horsepower.

Maybee it's an illusion, but I'll have to try.

Ojo

caratje · 2006-04-05, 10:37

And, any luck?

Or somebody else tried...

I have an Via M1000 and am planning to make HTPC from it, but given the heavy hardware requirements I am having my doubts it is worth trying. Oh, I am not really planning to use it for recording (other PC), only for playing all type of multimedia, maybe not even from DVD/CD but only HD.

Best regards,

Caratje

egonspengleruk · 2006-04-05, 11:10

Ive had an idea in the back of my mind for ages to make a second HTPC based on a VIA board. I know they dont have enough horsepower for normal TV capture but how about DVB-T capture? Seeing that the data is coming down the aerial already encoded as MPEG, would a MiniITX board have enough grunt to capture it?

The good news about this, is that in the next couple of months, work are buying in a MiniITX board (which I spec) so I will take it home and test out with my WinTV DVB-T card....and report on what I find.

FlipGer · 2006-04-05, 17:36

Hi,

I am not using my Epia-M for HTPC anymore because it died some times ago.

The problem is not the CPU power of the board. DVB and H/W encoding cards work ok. Video playback is more or less ok (see the BUT).

BUT: The onBoard graphics (UniChrome S3) simply spoken is crap! It has no DX9 support nor good VMR9 support. The "hardware MPEG decoding" is simply a lie*. This is because of bad driver and firmware support by VIA. Since MP uses now only VMR9 you will get problems with it. If you are willing to stick an additional DX9 graphics card in it you might get a good system.

But why? With AMD Cool'n'Quiet you get a much faster and almost quiet system for the same amount of bucks.

Everything IMHO, I could not test the latest MP versions with Epia.

Flip.

* its only accelleration with decoders supporting the Epia-M board.

jerrem · 2006-04-09, 04:04

I agree no point in trying sp800 boards for htpc. I tried using sp1300 board and even with the extra grunt gave me a head ache.
The claimed high def on board graphics is not supported under windows!!! If you know how to use linux then great there is support for the on board mp4 encoder (apparently).

The only solution i can think of that might work under windows is to get either a pci graphic card that can do the mpg decoding. however via boards have only one pci slot. might want to give a two slot pci raiser card a go.

This however got to hard for me. Im using my tiny sp1300 to surf the net at the moment as i think of another purpose for it. ( maybe a solar powered computer)

Iam now working on setting up a old amd 1.7ghz machine for htpc seems to be working well so far. BUt man its loud compared to the via, and i bet it uses a bucket load more power. But hey it works!!!

Tech Geek · 2006-04-09, 06:57

I've owned several VIA motherboards over the last 10 years and never had a problem with any of them. Blame the motherboard manufacturer, not the chipset. I always bought DFI in the past but now they are $$$..

FlipGer · 2006-04-09, 08:51

Hi Tech Geek,

VIA is the manufactor of the EPIA board series.

These are integrated boards with own chipset, CPU and graphics.

But mostly I am blaming S3, who are responsible for the UniChrome graphics. And the cooperation between VIA and S3. They were simply not capable to deliver a good firmware / driver combination for their boards.

I also owned some boards with VIA chipset and was quite satisfied. But lately nVidia is IMHO on a much better track.

My two cents,
Flip.

2004-09-26, 19:17	#1 (permalink)
ojo Portal Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Ulstrup, Denmark Posts: 47 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Via SP8000E motherboard for new HTPC Hi, I'm starting building my first "real" HTPC. I've been looking at the newly or soon to be released Via SP8000E motherboard with a 800 Mhz Eden and the new CN400 Mpeg 2 and Mpeg 4 Hardware accelleration. Anyone alredy using this board ? Anyone using other versions of VIA C3 motherboards and managed to get them Passively (Headsink) cooled? If using a Via motherboard, what kind of case are you using? And last, If the PC is supplied with a TerraTec Cinergy 600 TV (with MPeg 1 and Mpeg 2 hardware accelleration) would the SP8000E - CN400 even matter at all ? Ojo

2004-09-26, 19:34	#2 (permalink)
MrMario64 Retired Team Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Age: 34 Posts: 822 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country: My System	I really hate everything VIA makes. Their products are Never compatible, and when there is a problem they never release a new update. I will never EVER buy a VIA product. I like the nforce chipset, great product! __________________

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
A perfect HTPC with MP & PVR Scheduler & faster XP	STSC	Tips and Tricks	16	2007-01-30 23:40
HTPC doesn't resume w. remote, but does with keyboard.	Flerbizky	General Support	0	2006-11-20 15:16
Almost ready to build HTPC - Input anyone?	natrlhy	Hardware Selection Help	38	2006-08-28 17:09
The Top Reasons why Media Portal is the Greatest HTPC App	Steve Warner	MediaPortal 1 Talk	37	2006-08-02 03:00
Want to finish my HTPC project - but how?	BugsBunny	MediaPortal 1 Talk	0	2006-06-02 00:12

2006-04-05, 10:37	#4 (permalink)
caratje Portal User Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	And, any luck? Or somebody else tried... I have an Via M1000 and am planning to make HTPC from it, but given the heavy hardware requirements I am having my doubts it is worth trying. Oh, I am not really planning to use it for recording (other PC), only for playing all type of multimedia, maybe not even from DVD/CD but only HD. Best regards, Caratje

2006-04-05, 11:10	#5 (permalink)
egonspengleruk Retired Team Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 250 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Ive had an idea in the back of my mind for ages to make a second HTPC based on a VIA board. I know they dont have enough horsepower for normal TV capture but how about DVB-T capture? Seeing that the data is coming down the aerial already encoded as MPEG, would a MiniITX board have enough grunt to capture it? The good news about this, is that in the next couple of months, work are buying in a MiniITX board (which I spec) so I will take it home and test out with my WinTV DVB-T card....and report on what I find.

2006-04-05, 17:36	#6 (permalink)
FlipGer Super Moderator Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Leipzig, Germany Age: 33 Posts: 2,241 Thanks: 31 Thanked 53 Times in 39 Posts Country: My System	Hi, I am not using my Epia-M for HTPC anymore because it died some times ago. The problem is not the CPU power of the board. DVB and H/W encoding cards work ok. Video playback is more or less ok (see the BUT). BUT: The onBoard graphics (UniChrome S3) simply spoken is crap! It has no DX9 support nor good VMR9 support. The "hardware MPEG decoding" is simply a lie. This is because of bad driver and firmware support by VIA. Since MP uses now only VMR9 you will get problems with it. If you are willing to stick an additional DX9 graphics card in it you might get a good system. But why? With AMD Cool'n'Quiet you get a much faster and almost quiet system for the same amount of bucks. Everything IMHO, I could not test the latest MP versions with Epia. Flip. its only accelleration with decoders supporting the Epia-M board.

2006-04-09, 04:04	#7 (permalink)
jerrem Portal User Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 1 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I agree no point in trying sp800 boards for htpc. I tried using sp1300 board and even with the extra grunt gave me a head ache. The claimed high def on board graphics is not supported under windows!!! If you know how to use linux then great there is support for the on board mp4 encoder (apparently). The only solution i can think of that might work under windows is to get either a pci graphic card that can do the mpg decoding. however via boards have only one pci slot. might want to give a two slot pci raiser card a go. This however got to hard for me. Im using my tiny sp1300 to surf the net at the moment as i think of another purpose for it. ( maybe a solar powered computer) Iam now working on setting up a old amd 1.7ghz machine for htpc seems to be working well so far. BUt man its loud compared to the via, and i bet it uses a bucket load more power. But hey it works!!!

2006-04-09, 06:57	#8 (permalink)
Tech Geek Portal Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Denver, CO USA Posts: 354 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I've owned several VIA motherboards over the last 10 years and never had a problem with any of them. Blame the motherboard manufacturer, not the chipset. I always bought DFI in the past but now they are $$$..

2006-04-09, 08:51	#9 (permalink)
FlipGer Super Moderator Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Leipzig, Germany Age: 33 Posts: 2,241 Thanks: 31 Thanked 53 Times in 39 Posts Country: My System	Hi Tech Geek, VIA is the manufactor of the EPIA board series. These are integrated boards with own chipset, CPU and graphics. But mostly I am blaming S3, who are responsible for the UniChrome graphics. And the cooperation between VIA and S3. They were simply not capable to deliver a good firmware / driver combination for their boards. I also owned some boards with VIA chipset and was quite satisfied. But lately nVidia is IMHO on a much better track. My two cents, Flip.