Dual vs quad core + GPU (1 Viewer)

MediaCentered

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Does MediaPortal benefit from a quad core CPU (when just watching videos), or is a higher clock dual core CPU a better option?
Assuming the rest of the CPU's architecture is the same.


From the recommended HD specs
Are the GPUs in Intel's i3, i5 and i7 series a 4th alternative? http://www.intel.com/support/processors/sb/cs-031174.htm

I'm intending to play full HD 1080i movies and use all sorts of file formats like: avi, mp4, H264, mkv, etc
 

JSchuricht

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    It depends on what dual core you are talking about. If it's a Pentium D prescott or Atom pineview then yes, it's too slow. If it's a somewhat modern Celeron, Pentium, i3, laptop i3/i5/i7 then you should be fine. I built a system for my sister using a 2013 Celeron G1610 I had laying around which is dual 2.6GHz ivy bridge and it works great for 1080P X264. If you plan on doing other stuff than playing movies, then a faster CPU with more cores could be useful.
     

    resa

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    To get things to the ground again: Even an singlecore Pentium D 3,2 Ghz in combination with an smaller FullHD cappable nVidia GPU will do the trick, as long as you can accept few seconds of delays at several points in MePo and moderate amounts of mikro-stuckings when navigate through the gui, which can occour repeatedly when fast scrolling through lists, what is not truly optimal at all - but far from calling it unuseable or terrifying :D

    Of course an quadcore will always be nicer, at least, your system will be open for additional tasks you may wish to do in the future, i.e. encoding your recordings into handy x264 videos in background etc. But as jshuricht says already, for an mostly hassle free experience, you can take dual-core beginning at later socket 775 CPUs (Core 2 Duo/Pentium Dual Core) and upwards... Since there is the ability to use LAV with it's GPU hardware accleration support within MePo, you can move the main part of the work from CPU to GPU while watching videos and live-tv. If GPU is good enough, you will directly feel more benefits from other optimizations, especially from using SSD for system partition.

    Yes, OnChip GPUs like Intels HD4x00 or AMDs APUs will be good for playback if they are strong enough, but will never be THAT uncomplicated, convienient and reliable like an nVidia-Carcd in your PCI-E 16x will be, i think. If you would ask me, i giving following recommendations:

    Not to cheap Mainboard like Asus or Gigabyte with Intel Chipset. Intel CPU, depending on your needs, from i3 to i5 (but maybe an Pentium Gxxxx fit's for you already), at least 4GB RAM better more with look at actual prices ;), SSD from 128GB upwards for system partition, nVidia GFX-Card with DVI+HDMI starting form 1GB and at least GT640 and upwards. For storage you can use standard SATA or USB HDDs, depending on your needs. If you have enough space and no problem with it's look, you should prefer standard mATX or ATX boards in mini or midi tower to have better control about the systems temperature and makes you able to design the system silent much more easily and cheaper. You don't need to take the very latest generation of hardware, save your bucks by using the cheaper hardware one or two generations back. Save on PSU by avoiding massive over-dimensioning the wattage and not by choosing the cheapest one. Since Intel, nVidia and Microsoft are operating very closely together and have turned out to be the most hassle free combination, i recommend to don't try going with AMD plattform and/or Radeon GFX only for saving some few bucks. It never pays off in long term, when you have to take all your extra work into account, you have to spend on those endless little driver/settings/incompatibility/other problems comes along with AMD/VIA/Radeon.

    For live-tv best cards are Digital Devices Cine series, which are somewhat expensive, good alternative is Hauppauge. Consider to add another SSD dedicated for timeshift too.

    Nothing more to say, these are the boundarys you are moving in. From here, you should know best by yourself, what you want and what you need in detail ;)

    Happy system building and best regards.
     

    spachti

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    resa

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    Hello and thanks for your comment that i am gladly answering with my extra wide painting roll:

    Please let me recall my post above, where i have promised to give an recommendation only and not to paint any abstract work of modern art ;)

    Kindly be informed, that i base any of my recommendations mainly on real experiences that i have collected in person over an longer period of time, like surely the most other people doing too, and not only on the latest issue that was reported by others on forums. Also, if there was any misunderstanding with that, i am happy to clarify that recommendations are not meant to be equal with military orders. Even if you was frightened by my brush: If you think different and like to publicly arguing with nVidia, please continue to feel free for doing so at your own behalf. But never make comments about my brush again please :D

    By avoiding the philosophic questioning for any hardware ever, that has been absolutely issue-free, i can confirm that also nVidia isn't always perfect! I need to add here that i never have intended to say so, but to say that i experienced nVidia to be much more stressless in summary. To catch your point here: Due to my experinces over the past years, i feel safe to predict that the driver-issue, which is currently affecting some cards used along with the recently launched Windows 10 operating system, will become fixed soon, if not already. Such simple issues would even AMD be able to fix in a matter of time, almostly maybe or at least eventually and if driver roll-back has not damaged the registry in front of installing the fixed driver :p

    SCNR :D

    best regards anyway!
     
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    spachti

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    Understood,
    I was just trying to clarify that RIGHT NOW your opinion is shared. That's why I said I agree with you.
    Second, nobody knows how it will look tomorrow. I still remember the screw ups NVidia had with their drivers, their inability to fix even minor problems and their unwillingness to even admit to it. On the other hand, as long as ATI was a single company, their stuff was way ahead of anybody else for a long time. This changed when AMD took over.
    Now let's wait how the Intel-NVidia conglomeration will work out.
    I fear the worst:cool:

    Edit:
    Btw, what I'm sharing here is not the 11th commandment, it's just my opinion.
     
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    resa

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    Eh oh no... no offense, fun only... the brush thing has make me laugh ;)

    I agree that ati was way better before AMD, especially those times back where the R-thing wasen't Radeon, but Rage/-Pro :D
    But VIA was always a mess with, since back around 1998 already, nothing changed so far. And AMD... aehm, there was some good things, but also many things that should better be sold as toaster instead as cpu ;)

    Sure there was more unsteady times for nvidia back some years ago too, but if you relaize that nvidia has literally developed the design for onchip gpu's we find on i3/5/7 today, then this reveals how close intel and nvidia really are today and microsoft stands behind them both.... and finally, there never wasen't that much trouble with nvidia like with later ati and amd today at all... i have seen too many unbelivebale issues with ati/amd which wasted really big bucks in some cases... meaning... not talking about the price for one workstation only... you don't need to believe, but i think number of experiences where ati/via/amd have failed are not far away from counting 3 digits with 2 in the beginning o_O sure, everybody can have different experiences, but i can't do recommendations against mine, i hope you understand this ;)

    regards.
     

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