Completed HTPC: Acer Aspire One (1 Viewer)

[Ruud]

Hi,

just to let you know that I finally did it. Reinstalled my Acer Aspire One netbook with Ubuntu Intrepid (8.10).... The best occasion to also install a XP partition with.... Mediaportal!

This way I have a second HTPC (here is the first) that I can watch TV with. This has a very high 'wow' factor as this thing is so damn small that nobody believes that it works as a netbook let alone as a 'portable TV'!

Further tests and performance indicators will follow, just wanted to give everybody a heads up.

regards,
Ruud.

 

[trillex]

I'm intereted by this. Have you tried plugging it to a LCD to compare quality? Can it play HD? If it can, it will be the ultimate mediacenter for me.

 

[Ruud]

I'm intereted by this. Have you tried plugging it to a LCD to compare quality? Can it play HD? If it can, it will be the ultimate mediacenter for me.

Hi Trillex,
yesterday reinstalled it with MP 1.0 also cleaned up all codecs and other stuff and went the SAF route.
Currently I only have SD (analog) TV, CPU load is 30% (this is without DXVA) -> note that tis is only the client as I have a multi seat solution in place!
I can test some more with HD content and see what the performance will do. can you point me to a reference HD file for this so you get a feel of what the performance actually is?

regards,
Ruud.

 

[trillex]

Could only find a few files with a quick google. It's wmv, though, so I'm unsure how exactly performance will scale with proper codecs.

Try them out: WMV HD Content Showcase

I expect it got a dvi/analog plug, so it would easily connect to my telly. Thanks for returning back.

 

[Ruud]

Could only find a few files with a quick google. It's wmv, though, so I'm unsure how exactly performance will scale with proper codecs.

Try them out: WMV HD Content Showcase

I expect it got a dvi/analog plug, so it would easily connect to my telly. Thanks for returning back.

Hi Trillex,

just tried these: Coral_Reef_Adventure_720.wmv and Coral_Reef_Adventure_1080.wmv

[720] CPU up to avg 58%, 24fps, dropped frames 0
[1080] CPU up to avg 65%, 0fps, dropped frames (to many), stuttering, skipping and nearly unresponsive system.

This with MPC decoder (SAF).

Aspire only has a VGA out (d-sub) to connect to TV.

hope this helps!

regards,
Ruud.

 

[trillex]

I was perhaps a bit too optimistic. Thanks for the help and the replies.

 

[pilehave]

The Atom with the Intel 950 chipset will not do 1080p, some files will play if you overclock, but not many.

 

[trillex]

The Atom with the Intel 950 chipset will not do 1080p, some files will play if you overclock, but not many.

Point was, that I needed to find the cheapest CPU/alternative that can play 1080p. It's a bit hard, since it's not set in stone.

 

[deebo]

the atom can play 720p h264 without inloop deblocking, but 1080p will never happen in software decoding.

as for the cheapest 1080p cpu, basically any current dualcore does this, dont get cheap when selecting a cpu, theyre dirt cheap anyhow