Ongoing How fast CPU have your Media Portal HTPC? (2 Viewers)

[-.-PhanTom-.-]

I currently have a Pentium 805D...but think it generates too much heat in my HTPC case
So have been thinking about using my old Athlon MP mobile 2600+ instead....just wondering if it's good enough...
I don't game on my HTPC at all.

 

[Koschel]

Maybe the whole performance rating stuff gets mixed up with new cpu generations. I use the smallest Conroe (E6300; 1.86GHz), but it's much faster then my P4 D930

 

[NickName]

I run 4 Mediaportal boxes though the main one/s in use are:
* a P4 2.4GHZ Pentium with 512 meg RAM and 2 tuners. It can record two SD channels simultaneously without issue. I haven't tried recording HD content as my Widescreen TV is SD anyway &
* a 1.7M Pentium laptop with a single tuner for "TV/DVDs in bed". I don't record on this as I have no need to record what I am watching.

 

[gxtracker]

For the people who have +2Ghz and +1Gb RAM systems, I REALLY hope you use your HTPC for more than just MediaPortal, otherwise talk about a serious waste of resources!

My System is rather modest, but I dont use it for much more than light web server, HTPC and emulator box.

 

[knutinh]

For the people who have +2Ghz and +1Gb RAM systems, I REALLY hope you use your HTPC for more than just MediaPortal, otherwise talk about a serious waste of resources!

My System is rather modest, but I dont use it for much more than light web server, HTPC and emulator box.

Did you try playing back HD clips?

Did you ever wait 30 seconds for music views etc to build?

I do agree in general, for a simplemusic server/low-resolution tv/movie box, MP cn probably be run with modest hardware.

-k

 

[gxtracker]

720p content - doesnt break a sweat
1080i content - depends on the bitrate

30 seconds for music views to build? nope - considering I have about 10Gb of music on my drive. The only thing that takes time on my system is IMDB queries and grabbing coverart. But even those tasks are only requred once, so i don't mind letting MP do the tasks overnight or when not in use.

Seriously, im not trying to start an argument on how much computing power is needed - but if you plan the system less as a computer, and more as an embedded device, you'd be suprised how effecient you can make your HTPC. :wink:

 

[Nightmare77]

Athlong 3500+ which i think is 2ghz
and 2gig of ram, 6800GT, this is my game computer as well tho

 

[knutinh]

720p content - doesnt break a sweat
1080i content - depends on the bitrate

Microsoft is actually recommending a p4 3.2 for 1080p content in wmv-hd. I guess that is more or less the same codec called VC-1 in HD-DVD/BR systems.

De-interlacing of 1080i content requires good algorithms and good hardware. Video maniacs are actually buying hardware for thousands of dollars for this single purpose.

30 seconds for music views to build? nope - considering I have about 10Gb of music on my drive. The only thing that takes time on my system is IMDB queries and grabbing coverart. But even those tasks are only requred once, so i don't mind letting MP do the tasks overnight or when not in use.

Well... I have more than 10GB And some operations are really slow. Now, I havent tested to see if operations are slower with a slower CPU, but I am guessing so.

Seriously, im not trying to start an argument on how much computing power is needed - but if you plan the system less as a computer, and more as an embedded device, you'd be suprised how effecient you can make your HTPC. :wink:

Yes, I am in the emdedded business at work.

However, I am "allergic" to wait times. Just building the music database takes 10s of minutes on my computer. If the price for fast menu navigation is more expensive hardware, Ill take it. I am shure that if MP was developed with a 100 full-time developers, then they could use a lot of time optimising and such. However, chances are that MP would not be that great a product after the PR departement, management and who knows had their word. Look at Windows XP =)

No arguement, just different opinions (and that is a good thing). Today I think that Intel Core Duo is the CPU that makes the most sense for MP. Second is Athlon x2 at a low speed/power point. The use of MP range from light-weight music juke-box to hardcore HD-video player with ffdshow processing and audio room correction. It is only natural that those two applications will need very different hardware.


regards
knut

 

[Tech Geek]

I noticed that over half the CPUs are 2GHz or faster and a third are over 2.5GHz.

 

[gxtracker]

Microsoft is actually recommending a p4 3.2 for 1080p content in wmv-hd. I guess that is more or less the same codec called VC-1 in HD-DVD/BR systems.

I remember testing the VC-1 content from the WMV-HD site quite a while ago. some 1080p content was playable, but most were not - which is understandable considering my system. I only have 1 or 2 IPTV streams for my HTPC, so the majority of my television/movie content is still SD

I can relate to your statement of being "alergic to wait times" - I bought a MediaPortal supported TV card because I was tired of the wait for My TV upon first starting it.

I've been keeping my eye on Core Duo as well as those low-power 35W AMD chips. Pair one of those 35W chips to a 65nm fab process and I start to drool.