Building a DivX Box

[ChAoS Overlord]

Hi, I'm into building a divx box...

currently I'm thinking of buying a PCChips mainboard with a via 1 Gigapro C3 CPU, because it's cheap & it only requires a passive heatsink.

- My first question: is this good enough a cpu for divx playback?

- Apart from that, I want to make the box divx only, so I would like to have an extremely stripped OS/shell/whatever for usage with only divx playback, what do you guys advise?

- One last note: I don't want to use a keyboard on this box, I want to make it very streamlined with just a remote control/conteroll panel on the box, it should resemble a dvd player as close as possible. How do I make the box boot without a keyboard & give it full support for alternative means of control?

Thx for you insight!

[murattttt]

That box needs an embedded OS, like the ones they use in ATMs, Linux, NT has (even XP) those kind of OSes, but I don't know how you obtain them. And even you obtain I don't know how you modify them.

Among these a 1Bhz Via is much than needed if only planned for DVD resolitions (i.e. 720x480). It can even go higher if you don't think to playback divx5 streams.

Good Luck.;)

[ChAoS Overlord]

I was thinking of modifying a windows install & leaving all the unnecessary shit out...

A 1 Gigapro cpu of via is not as performant as an AMD or intel, that's why I ask.

[murattttt]

Hey, I used a computer with that CPU, it did not perform miracles but turned out well in such routine jobs. Not creating divx perhaps, (11 f/ps compared to similar 650 Duron 13 f/ps) but playback was fine.
Actually the display card is also important here. Why don't you go for an AMD at very lower clock speed (i.e.: 600 mhz Duron), a reasonable 16 MB graphics card, and finish the box with a Sigma H+ divx card? Ta daaa you have a remote control now with its finest.
Sigma also produces chip solutions but I'm not sure if any home developer can work with smoldering iron so intricately.

[ChAoS Overlord]

It's this (http://www.pcchips.com.tw/M787CLR.html) mobo, it has built in graphics & sound, I was planning on using them, would that suffice?

Sigma is ok, but most of my movies are in DivX 3.11 SBC, so it doesn't really work on it, now does it?

[sarahjh69]

why watse your money
h+ is no good at all for DiVX
graphics card does not matter as long as it has a good tv out.

forget passive cooling
get a proper cpu (duron 900)
put the pc in another room
lay a cable to your tv

[Selur]

maybe something like this would do the job:
http://www.thinkgeek.com/stuff/computing/59ef-2.shtml
(at least it looks cool ;) )

Cu Selur

[Deptmaster]

Thats alittle expensive for my tastes. I'd rather just get a MicroAtx case and motherboard and build my own slightly larger computer for alot less money. It does look very nice though, :).