Cheap HTPC

[tipnmo]

So here is my cheap htpc from newegg:

 

Micro ATX Media Center

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16811121027

 

GIGABYTE GA-945GCM-S2C LGA 775 Intel 945GC Micro ATX Intel Motherboard

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16813128076

 

Intel Celeron E1400 Allendale 2.0GHz 512KB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16819116069

 

CHAINTECH GSV84GS-G1 GeForce 8400 GS 256MB 64-bit GDDR2 PCI Express x16 Low Profile Video Card

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16814145148

 

Western Digital Caviar SE WD1600AAJS 160GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16822136075

 

WINTEC AMPO 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16820161677

 

grand total of $286.94

 

So from the hcl list and forums it looks like everything should be fairly well supported in os x. This computer will be for music and videos, thats it, doesn't need a lot of power. Mostly will be playing SD video (something the g4 it will be replacing does fine,) but what i am concerned about is hd playback. I dont have a lot, but i do have some hd content, in a variety of formats. From what i have read, the 8400gs does pretty well with all kinds of hd playback when using the purevideo (minimal cpu usage) software supplied by nvidia. Now my question is, when using the 8 series gfx cards from nvidia in os x, is the hd acceleration utilized? Since i am skimping on cpu power, i want to make sure that the video card will pick up the slack during hd playback. Would be grateful for any info or suggestions relating to the gfx card or any part of the system. Thanks

 

edit: Just noticed that the video card i linked is not hdcp ready, not that its even usable at this point, but maybe someday, so i will probably find a different card, maybe something like this

 

PALiT NE+8400S+TD26 GeForce 8400 GS 256MB 64-bit GDDR2 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready Low Profile Video Card

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16814260050

 

but probably not that one

[Synaesthesia]

Purevideo isn't working in OSx86, but an E1400 should be able to decode 1080P HD Video on its own.

[dopeyo]

planning on running vanilla kernel?

[tipnmo]

yep thats the plan, little worried about the processor, ive been coming across mix results with the celeron line. But as i understand it, this processor is basically a core 2 duo minus some cache

 

edit: so the celeron allendale has ssse3, but the pentium allendale only has sse3? wierd.. wonder if its a newegg typo, that extra 512k of cache might be nice..

 

2nd edit: intel wiki shows the pentium dual core are ssse3, oh yea and $199 for an 8gig 3g iphone!!!!!!!!!!!

[Synaesthesia]

But as i understand it, this processor is basically a core 2 duo minus some cache

Yep, that's right. I think this processor will handle everything just fine. A Mac Mini Core Duo 1.6ghz can play 1080P HD "like butter", so your Core 2 Duo 2.0ghz will be up to the job.

oh yea and $199 for an 8gig 3g iphone!!!!!!!!!!!

I know, I'm so stoked. Probably gonna have to wait until September for it to come to South Africa though...I can't wait.

[tipnmo]

Yep, that's right. I think this processor will handle everything just fine. A Mac Mini Core Duo 1.6ghz can play 1080P HD "like butter", so your Core 2 Duo 2.0ghz will be up to the job.

 

With the cpu, i was a little concerned with how well it will work with a vanilla kernel, after looking into it a bit (and your reassurances) i think the allendale will be fine. Not that its relevant, but I had a buddy who had a core duo mac mini, and he said it struggled a little, played some videos really well, others there was some stutter. But i have a 1.83 core duo mbp and it plays all my hd content flawlessly, and with relatively low cpu usage. I had figured the mbp did it with such ease because it off loaded some work to the x1600 gfx card (hence the earlier question with the 8400gs.) I also had a media center based off an athlon xp 2400, with a ati 9800pro (dont think i ever had h.264) and it could handle hd just fine (under windows xp.) And you can correct me if i am wrong, but i pretty sure anything from the core duo line up should absolutely tromp that chip. But i am not sure i really understand the relationship between hardware video acceleration and OS X and OSx86. Do genuine Mac's utilize the hardware HD acceleration that comes with the new gfx chips? Or does os x in general just rely more heavily on the cpu for video?

 

oh and thanks for ur help Synaesthesia

[Synaesthesia]

And you can correct me if i am wrong, but i pretty sure anything from the core duo line up should absolutely tromp that chip.

Yeah absolutely.

But i am not sure i really understand the relationship between hardware video acceleration and OS X and OSx86. Do genuine Mac's utilize the hardware HD acceleration that comes with the new gfx chips? Or does os x in general just rely more heavily on the cpu for video?

I don't think they utilize Graphics cards for video playback. The new Snow Leopard looks like it will though. Otherwise OS X doesn't really use more CPU for video playback than windows.

 

If you wanna utilize the graphics card to help with HD you can always boot into Windows...But this 2.0ghz Core 2 Duo is fine, just fine..

[tipnmo]

Yeah absolutely.

I don't think they utilize Graphics cards for video playback. The new Snow Leopard looks like it will though. Otherwise OS X doesn't really use more CPU for video playback than windows.

 

If you wanna utilize the graphics card to help with HD you can always boot into Windows...But this 2.0ghz Core 2 Duo is fine, just fine..

 

Yea dont think i will be using windows... i was just curious what the deal was with os x and video acceleration... thanks for the help.. probably order my system tonight.