Cheap MP2 client spec - Dell Optiplex (1 Viewer)

Digsy

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eBay seems to be flooded with these things at the moment. They come with WP7 installed but are a bit old-skool for hardware. I know they don't meet the recommended requirements in all areas (especially graphics), but do you think this would be able to support a client?

CPU
Intel Core 2 Duo E4600 Processor (2.4GHz, 2MB L2 cache, 800MHz FSB)

RAM 2Gb (expandable to 8)

Graphics
Integrated Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 3100*
Bus Type Integrated
GPU Core Clock 350 MHz Integrated 24 bit RAMDAC
Frame Buffer Memory Size Up to 256MB of shared system memory*
Maximum Power Consumption 9.63 W
Overlay Planes Yes
Maximum Color Depth 32 bit
Maximum Vertical Refresh Rate 85 Hz
Multiple Display Support Yes, with optional DVI Add-2 card
Operating Systems Graphics/ Video API Support OpenGL® 1.4/DirectX 9.0c
Supported Resolutions and Max Refresh Rates
(Hz) (Note: analog and/or digital)
Up to 2048x1566 @ 75 Hz
Supports flat panels up to 1920x1200 @ 60 Hz or
digital CRT/HDTV at 1400x1050 @ 85 Hz
 

Lehmden

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  • December 17, 2010
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    Hi.
    Don't think so. It's very outdated hardware (around 13 years old). I have an old laptop with similar specs and it is not capable of playback Full HD content smoothly. You can use the FullHD resolution for screen, but the encoding of HD video material is too much for the system... Aside this the C2D CPU are very energy consuming. Those days no one has thought about energy saving in Computer area. So you need to pay much more than needed for electric power over the years.

    I definitely would not waste any money on such outdated hardware, not a single penny...
    Get yourself a more or less recent NUC or Mini-ITX SOC system as client. This is the much better choice...
     

    ge2301

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    The hardware could be capable, but not with windows installed on it :)
    I also do not think you can smoothl play HD content. Looking a bit forward, you might also want to use 4K in next years, latest here you will completely stuck and need to invest once again in new hardware. I'm for example not interested in 4K, but at least I want to keep thios door open for me ;)
     

    Digsy

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    Can you tel me what is the bottleneck in the system? I could get it with a quad core processor and max out the RAM. Would that make it HD capable?

    4K isn't really an option as this is a client working over CAT5 cable. I don't think my entire home network is going to be capable of streaming 4K (it might even struggle with HD)

    Bear in mind this whole setup including OS is only costing about £50 - £60GBP, so the investment cost is really low.
     

    Lehmden

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    Hi.
    Can you tel me what is the bottleneck in the system?
    Both, CPU and GPU. Especially the latter is not good enough.

    4K isn't really an option as this is a client working over CAT5 cable.
    CAT5 always is enough for 4k, no problem. You easily can transfer Gigabit LAN over it. GBit LAN is much, much, much faster as all Wlan or Dlan systems available today, no matter what speed they are suggest to have...

    Bear in mind this whole setup including OS is only costing about £50 - £60GBP, so the investment cost is really low.
    And you'll waste about 10 GBP a month on electric power... So "low" cost is relative here... (too) Old hardware never is "cheap" in the long(er) term.
    I had a Core2Quad E6600 system and replaced it in meantime with a Pentium J5005 system that is faster a lot (the GPU is about 40- 50 times that fast and the CPU even is faster than the old one but not that much) and only needs around 1/30 of the electric energy. The old system eats about 300 watts when idling and the new one needs 10 watts..

    Win 10 Pro licenses are available for around 5 €. The last 3 I've bought are 3,99€ each. Even if you want to use Win 7 the licenses are available for nearly the same costs. Recent hardware will definitely cost a bit more, I think around 150-200 GBP or so. But the difference you save in less than one year on the electric bill.. Aside this you will get a massive better experience with the 10 - 20 times faster hardware. At least the GPU will be that much faster for sure...
     

    Lehmden

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    azzuro

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    I had a Core2Quad E6600 system and replaced it in meantime with a Pentium J5005 system that is faster a lot (the GPU is about 40- 50 times that fast and the CPU even is faster than the old one but not that much) and only needs around 1/30 of the electric energy. The old system eats about 300 watts when idling and the new one needs 10 watts..
    really ? good to know.

    i have this one for my HTPC
    Code:
    System Type:     Client connected to an TV-Server
    Windows Version:     Windows 10 64bit
    CPU:     Intel E6400
    Mainboard:     Asus P5K
    RAM:     4 x 1 GO DDR2
    HDD:     SSD Crucial MX100
    GFX-Card:     HIS 4650 isilence4
    HTPC Case:     Jonsbo G3
    Remote:     RC6
    Display:     65" - 4K
    Display Connection:     HDMI
    for it's the minimal way, but can't decode x265 files,
    the next one will be low TDP, who mean low power consumption, the J4105 from asrock seems good as server ( only limited on number of SATA connector - x2) , the J5005 is only ITX for now ... and i need to have 2 PCIE for now GPU and Hifi soundcard
     

    Lehmden

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    Why GPU? For gaming? If not, the UHD 605 can playback 4k with HDR without issues. The in-build GPU of the J5005 is nearly as fast as your HD 4650, even for 3D Gaming. but has a much better h265 (HW decoding via QuickSync for h265) and 4k support (even with HDR) than the several years older HD 4650.

    The advantages of a Hifi card I also can't see as long as you connect the PC via HDMI to the AVR. If you use the analog outputs, then a HiFi card has (huge) advantages over the in-build sound for sure. So if you use an analog PC- AVR connection you will need your card. But if you use HDMI then you don't. Nevertheless one PCIe slot is available on the Mini-ITX system...

    Low TDP and extra graphics board is something that don't match that good as the graphics card are the most power consuming things nowadays. The HD 4650 needs more energy that the whole rest of the J5005 system will consume...
     

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