Future-proof (?) HD playback PC?

[puntloos]

Gents (m/f),

Could someone point me to some resources (or answer here) regarding the choices to make when buying a sensible new PC, intended specifically for HD video playback of max 1080p. I will want to buy hardware that has some power to spare for 'future improvements, extrarad filter implementations', but I prefer not to break the bank by buying a 69-core 7000Mhz prototype when a 2Ghz single core will do.. etc

Some questions that I need answering:

A> CPU
- Which one? the Intel Q6600, E6700 and Xeon X3220, E5320, and the AMD Ath64-X2-4400 and Opteron 280 are all about the same price here, which would be the best?
- Is quad-core preferrable or do video decoders now and in the forseeable future depend on a single-core bottleneck?
B> Video hardware
- Purevideo and Avivo?
* Which is more efficient/better?
* Which card? Ati 2600 HD or Ati 2900? Nvidia 8800? 8600?
* Does avivo/purevideo support X264 acceleration or is that software only
* Do you need a custom player/driver for it to work, or will it work under linux or custom players too? (say videolan player). (mind: if it will work in the foreseeable future then I take this as a 'yes' - I realise this is sortof cutting edge stuff.
C> HDMI/HDCP
- I expect bluray to 'just work' (right?)
- Will normal (x264 mkv,avi, avc, whatever other custom non-protected format work over HDMI out too?
D> Audio
- Is it possible to send stereo audio to SPDIF?
- Is it possible to send surround audio (assume non-protected sources for now!) partially- front channels + subwoofer) to SPDIF and partially to analog out (say a separate receiver?). I imagine this is mostly a feature of the audio decoder..

[dragongodz]

the Intel Q6600, E6700 and Xeon X3220, E5320, and the AMD Ath64-X2-4400 and Opteron 280 are all about the same price here

i have to ask, where do you live ??????

Aus prices
amd x2 4400 = $110
intel q6600 = $340
intel e6700 = $435

USA prices(from newegg)
amd x2 4400 = $85
intel q6600 = $278
intel e6700 = $320

[puntloos]

i have to ask, where do you live ??????

Aus prices
amd x2 4400 = $110
intel q6600 = $340
intel e6700 = $435

USA prices(from newegg)
amd x2 4400 = $85
intel q6600 = $278
intel e6700 = $320

I'm in holland.

You're right about the AMD, I got my list from a pricewatch comparison site, it seems like that athlon was just a single expensive fluke. A fairer CPU to include in my list is the AMD Athlon 64 FX-74 (which is E15 more expensive than the Q6600)

http://tweakers.net/pricewatch/cat/46/?currFilters=eNpLtDKyqi62MjSwUsovSkktcstMzUlRsi62MrVSKijKzCoGsS2hksH5RSUgvrGVUmJxspJ1LQBqzBO9&page=4

btw I'm currently edging toward:
ATI 2600XT HD (cause it has in-HDMI audio, 2900XT HD doesn't, plus I don't plan to game on it..)
Intel Q6600 (overclockable, at least in theory, relatively cheap, and pretty future proof while not underpowered)
Gigabyte GA-X38-DQ6 (sata raid5 for 6 ports, X38 pci-e-v2 support)

open for better suggestions!

[legoman666]

If you get a powerful enough CPU, you won't even need to buy a video card with onboard h264/mpeg2/vc-1 decoding. And by "powerful enough" I mean anything above or equal to a C2D T7300.

I have a C2D T7300 (2ghz) in my laptop with onboard video. It plays 1080p content just fine. That being said, you'll want to be careful when choosing your video player/decoder. VLC's h264 implementation seems to choke on high bitrate 1080p content. CoreAVC plays the same file perfectly fine in MPC.

The problem with PureVideo and AVIVIO is that their acceleration only works in certain players that has their specific acceleration implemented. CoreAVC + Haali media splitter will work in any direct show player.

In my HTPC, I have a 7300GS (passively cooled) with HDMI out that has a pass through for SPDIF. The CPU was the cheapest AMD x2 I could buy from newegg a few months ago. It has no problems playing anything I throw at it.

So in conclusion, just buy a decent CPU, lots of hard drive space and save some money by buying the cheapest video card you can find that will serve your purposes.

[puntloos]

If you get a powerful enough CPU, you won't even need to buy a video card with onboard h264/mpeg2/vc-1 decoding. And by "powerful enough" I mean anything above or equal to a C2D T7300.

I have a C2D T7300 (2ghz) in my laptop with onboard video. It plays 1080p content just fine. That being said, you'll want to be careful when choosing your video player/decoder. VLC's h264 implementation seems to choke on high bitrate 1080p content. CoreAVC plays the same file perfectly fine in MPC.

The problem with PureVideo and AVIVIO is that their acceleration only works in certain players that has their specific acceleration implemented. CoreAVC + Haali media splitter will work in any direct show player.

Understood. Well I'm sure it'll work either way, and with some luck the non-proprietary players will start to support it too.. or is the avivo/purevideo stuff very closed off?

In my HTPC, I have a 7300GS (passively cooled) with HDMI out that has a pass through for SPDIF. The CPU was the cheapest AMD x2 I could buy from newegg a few months ago. It has no problems playing anything I throw at it.

That does bring me to one question - is it possible that the HDMI-audio-out setup will effectively prevent me from playing back spdif audio the 'normal way'?


So in conclusion, just buy a decent CPU, lots of hard drive space and save some money by buying the cheapest video card you can find that will serve your purposes.

Thanks for your insights!

[dragongodz]

A fairer CPU to include in my list is the AMD Athlon 64 FX-74

considering i have read that people have been able to play back hd content with a cpu like an athlon x2 4600+ you could just go for something like an athlon x2 6000+ and have plenty of overhead and be even cheaper. :)

So in conclusion, just buy a decent CPU, lots of hard drive space and save some money by buying the cheapest video card you can find that will serve your purposes.

i have to agree. you need to work out what exactly is your budget and then balance the system within that.

[Inventive Software]

I've been looking at components for building an HTPC, and was wondering on how it would work with Blu-Ray and HD-DVD playback. CPUs I'll figure out later, but what about graphics cards? Ideally, I'd need something that has HDMI output, that carries audio too. AFAIK, only ATI has something even remotely workable in that department... Quick Q: Can DVI carry audio?

[CWR03]

considering i have read that people have been able to play back hd content with a cpu like an athlon x2 4600+ you could just go for something like an athlon x2 6000+ and have plenty of overhead and be even cheaper.
My media PC is an AMD Sempron 3000 with a GeForce FX 6600 LE, which plays HD content just fine with Media Player Classic (Standard WMP won't do it). I'm sure any of your choices can handle it.

[dragongodz]

what about graphics cards? Ideally, I'd need something that has HDMI output, that carries audio too. AFAIK, only ATI has something even remotely workable in that department

with a quick search i found this
http://insanetek.com/content/view/259/2/
i am sure there have been updates and other cards since then.

AMD Sempron 3000 with a GeForce FX 6600 LE, which plays HD content just fine

well with the quick search i did i found a post where a guy had some hitches playing some 1080 footage with a sempron. he upgraded to a 4600+ and everything ran perfectly. so thats why i mentioned that.

[Dr.Khron]

o in conclusion, just buy a decent CPU, lots of hard drive space and save some money by buying the cheapest video card you can find that will serve your purposes.

Agreed! Buy as much CPU as you can afford, it will last a few years longer. Granted, 264 is a hungry beast, but hopefully future codecs will be worse. :devil:


Also, when buying parts specifically for a NEW HTPC, be very careful with your HD selection. SATA HDs vary wildly in noise output. The new Seagate Barracuda Perpendicular models are supposedly nice and quiet.

[puntloos]

Agreed! Buy as much CPU as you can afford, it will last a few years longer. Granted, 264 is a hungry beast, but hopefully future codecs will be worse. :devil:

Hopefully worse AND multithreaded. I just ordered a Q6600 CPU.


Also, when buying parts specifically for a NEW HTPC, be very careful with your HD selection. SATA HDs vary wildly in noise output. The new Seagate Barracuda Perpendicular models are supposedly nice and quiet.

3x 1TB Western Digital (for my raid5).
Noise isn't -really- my concern currently, especially since while this box is intended to be a HTPC, it is -not- intended to stand in my livingroom. Instead I plan to use something like

IR windows remote controller (http://www.soundgraph.com/Eng_/Products/imon25.aspx?topMenu=2&subMenu=1&leftMenu=25)
And
Signal PocketPC remotecontrol (http://www.smashcasi.com/screenshots.html)