Completed Shinto's HTPC (1 Viewer)

[Shinto61]

Finished my HTPC about 3 months ago, after a lot of reading, tweaking, cursing and realizing Mediaportal was the way to go my system looks like this.

HARDWARE
Case : Antec FUSION V2 silver
Power Supply : Antec 450 Watt
Motherboard : Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-S2H Rev.1.0
Graphic Card : ATI Radeon HD3200 - HDMI out
Memory: 2048 MB 2x Kingston KVR667D2N5K2/2G, DDR2
CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2, 4800+ @ 2.5Ghz
CPU Cooler: Scythe Mini Ninja CPU Cooler with Noctua NF-R8 ,80 x 80 Fan
Casefans : 2x Noctua NF-S12-800, 120 x 120
Audio : Onboard ALC889A HD Audio 5.1 Channel with DTS Connect and Optical out
HDD: Samsung Spinpoint T166, 320 GB, 7200 RPM
Optical Drive: DVD/RW Lite-On LH-20A1S
TV-Card : Hauppauge WinTV-PVR150 PCI
Remote Control: Logitech Harmony Remote 555
Mouse : Logitech LX6 Cordless Optical Mouse
Keyboard : Sweex Cheapo €5,00

SOFTWARE
Windows XP SP2
Mediaportal 1.0 RC2
Skin : PurevisionHD 1.7


Software wise my system works fine.
1st major problem is the CPU Temp ; Idle 52c when stressed it goes up to +70c.
Cannot run 100% stressed as the CPU will easily hit the 90’s
CPU cooler is mounted correctly with Artic MX2 thermal paste.

2nd problem is DXVA which I cannot get to work, will be sorting this out when I switch to RC3

Pics coming soon ......

 

[huckster2]

If you do get DVXA going, I would be most intrigued to know how. I have just managed to install the 8.9 Catalyst drivers under XP but that didn't seem to make a difference. Good luck!

 

[Paranoid Delusion]

1st major problem is the CPU Temp ; Idle 52c when stressed it goes up to +70c.
Cannot run 100% stressed as the CPU will easily hit the 90’s

Might be worthwhile reseating this and see if still the same, if so chances are the motherboard sensors are foobar and giving totally wrong readings.

Regards

 

[Shinto61]

1st major problem is the CPU Temp ; Idle 52c when stressed it goes up to +70c.
Cannot run 100% stressed as the CPU will easily hit the 90’s

Might be worthwhile reseating this and see if still the same, if so chances are the motherboard sensors are foobar and giving totally wrong readings.

Regards

All been done and I do think it is the MB sensor too, seems more people have the same problem.

 

[jo16v]

If you do get DVXA going, I would be most intrigued to know how. I have just managed to install the 8.9 Catalyst drivers under XP but that didn't seem to make a difference. Good luck!

Quite a lot of people have trouble with this- see here, here and here where I am trying to determine what makes it work with some users and some not (on the same motherboard, OS, and MP version).

 

[Mr.Wifi]

Hi

The best method do get the CPU Temps down is undervolting, my x2 4800 runs @ 0,96 v with 2,5 ghz. My temps went down 15 degrees. You should enter the Bios and press ctrl + F1 in main menu if you didn´t do it yet to see your mobos hidden features

 

[Shinto61]

If you do get DVXA going, I would be most intrigued to know how. I have just managed to install the 8.9 Catalyst drivers under XP but that didn't seem to make a difference. Good luck!

Quite a lot of people have trouble with this- see here, here and here where I am trying to determine what makes it work with some users and some not (on the same motherboard, OS, and MP version).

Indeed, and I'm also one of them. Problem is I've installed so many codecs and tweaks that I've broken Windows.
It all works fine but I have to use MPV and MPA codecs in MP to play DVD's otherwise it freezes and have to reboot to get back into MP. I have to re-install Windows someday and that's when I will retry to get DXVA up and running.
The catch is that at the moment everything does run fine and I've spent so much time tweaking MP and XP to get Online videos working + other plug-ins and making it "wife friendly" I'll have to wait untill I find the time as I now know MP isn't Plug&Play
Please let me know if you get a working solution for the big DXVA secret

 

[Shinto61]

Hi

The best method do get the CPU Temps down is undervolting, my x2 4800 runs @ 0,96 v with 2,5 ghz. My temps went down 15 degrees. You should enter the Bios and press ctrl + F1 in main menu if you didn´t do it yet to see your mobos hidden features

Tnx for the tip Mr.Wifi, I have already undervolted the CPU and it did help but I see you are running @0.96v which is indeed very low. If I recall well I could not go that low, I'll give it another go.
I read in another forum thread about this problem that this CPU just isn't suitable for a HTPC.
An AthlonX2 4850E would be best, 20W difference is less heat. Seems people running this CPU mostly run it fanless too. I will try undervolting more, if it doesn't help I am really considering changing CPU

 

[h0mebrew]

I got a hot tip. I havent been able to get DXVA working with anything else than 8.5 Catalyst.
Try it, might help you out. Works fine for me now.

 

[Shinto61]

Tried it, NoGo, in fact I'm still running on 8.5

Tnx for reply