New Business idea: Pre-building mini HTPC clients

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by Rob

What OS.....What hardware works best... What codec... What settings....

Extenders were the strength of SageTV. I gladly did the ebay routine to get two backups for the 6 I have in use. To me it was money well spent. Clients are no cheaper and not as easy.

That said, I still have to build a client. I need to prove I can make one work again and also need one to overcome the timeline issue my R5000's sometimes present on the extenders. I know now that Sage will never fix this bug.

I use default settings for most everything. For ffdshow i use the lbavcodec for all video. For mpeg2 you can use the default ms decoders that work fine.

I'd use windows 7 only. Xp is too old and outdated. It'll work, but take more effort.

EDIT: Hardware shouldn't matter, but some video cards play nice with certain decoders. FFdshow eliminates that as it is software only. I'm about to build another client to see how this will pan out. I'm using this as a base and will see what decoders work and what doesn't. I'll post my results once I actually build the client.

[Rob]

I am glad to hear that it should be easier than it was several years ago. It may be more fun too since I can use extenders while I get any kinks worked out.

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by Rob

I am glad to hear that it should be easier than it was several years ago. It may be more fun too since I can use extenders while I get any kinks worked out.

Yeah, it was pretty terrible with v6. Windows 7 and sage v7 made it much easier. Some system configurations make it more difficult, but those issues generally seem to be driver related. My i3 clarkdale system has been rock stable with the exception of the ancient video card I'm using. I'm about to upgrade so I'll get to start the driver game over.

[jaminben]

Originally Posted by panteragstk

I'm about to build another client to see how this will pan out. I'm using this as a base and will see what decoders work and what doesn't. I'll post my results once I actually build the client.

If you get the Asus deluxe version it comes without a cpu fan..... silent goodness Its the one I went for and the heat sink is massive..... my ram never turned up tho so gotta wait till I can try it out

[PLUCKYHD]

Originally Posted by jaminben

If you get the Asus deluxe version it comes without a cpu fan..... silent goodness Its the one I went for and the heat sink is massive..... my ram never turned up tho so gotta wait till I can try it out

Why are not just using the integrated sandy bridge video?

And codecs are still a pia with blu rays

[sandor]

for the money, i'd have to go back to a previous poster's comments on the mac mini.

on ebay, the 1.83 and 2.0 ghz core2duo ones with GMA 950 graphics go for around $300. core2 with nvidia 9400 graphics go for $400 or so.

the GMA 950 works okay, the 9400 much much better. i ran a macbook with the GMA 950 as my sage server for a couple years, no issues and playback was decent.

or for $700, you can get a brand new one with a 2.4 ghz core2 and nvidia 320m + HDMI out.

all the minis support optical out as well. you can throw windows, macintosh or linux on them, and you have an nice easy client with wifi/bluetooth/DVD

[jaminben]

Originally Posted by PLUCKYHD

Why are not just using the integrated sandy bridge video?

Dunno, I just wanted a plaything

I didn't want to spend too much (£350 max) and I also wanted it to be small, silent and low power.

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by PLUCKYHD

Why are not just using the integrated sandy bridge video?

And codecs are still a pia with blu rays

You had issues? Ffdshow does everything for me. No problem.

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by PLUCKYHD

Why are not just using the integrated sandy bridge video?

And codecs are still a pia with blu rays

not with TMT5....

[PLUCKYHD]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

not with TMT5....

Actually that is what I am using the latest public beta at that. 60hz playback is good but 24fps playback is proving to be a big pain in my backside. The audio won't stay in synch.

[Fuzzy]

Ahhh.. yeah, I don't use 24Hz playback, simply because my display won't work in 3D mode at 24Hz (for no good reason, just crappy and non-updated firmware). I don't recall any issues with 24Hz though when i was using it. I was switching to 24Hz mode using 12noon display changer in the batch file used to launch TMT5 (since I wasn't going to be using TMT for any non-24Hz material anyways). What problems were you having with 24Hz?

[PLUCKYHD]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

Ahhh.. yeah, I don't use 24Hz playback, simply because my display won't work in 3D mode at 24Hz (for no good reason, just crappy and non-updated firmware). I don't recall any issues with 24Hz though when i was using it. I was switching to 24Hz mode using 12noon display changer in the batch file used to launch TMT5 (since I wasn't going to be using TMT for any non-24Hz material anyways). What problems were you having with 24Hz?

Well I am down to just one issue with it and it is audio synch. The audio is a good 1 second ahead of the video very annoying to watch when people's lips move after they talk I have tried about everything I have heard tmt 3 works pretty good with it so going to give that a try but I think I lose 3d playback with it.

[Fuzzy]

TMT3 supported 3D playback, but was a separate purchase to add it. That said, have you tried using ReClock to keep your video and audio in sync? I have never had a sync issue in TMT5, but I used PCM output, so maybe the extra step it does to decode the audio keeps it in line.

[sandyj]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

TMT3 supported 3D playback, but was a separate purchase to add it. That said, have you tried using ReClock to keep your video and audio in sync? I have never had a sync issue in TMT5, but I used PCM output, so maybe the extra step it does to decode the audio keeps it in line.

I have been doing some testing with reclock and TMT5 video is really smooth no stuttering and audio is perfect. I saw a post where someone was using ReClock with the sage player as well I have not tried this yet. One of the problems with reclock is you can't use it with bitstreaming audio.

You can use Autofrequency to change the refresh rates when using TMT5 and other media-players seems to work fine link here http://www.homecinema-hd.com/downloads_en.html It works by detecting the video resolution and refresh rate and then changing the video card to the preset settings you have specified in the config. It works fine with ReClock as well.

How are people switching the refresh rates in sage clients I have not seen a way to do it this is my main issue with sage clients at the moment mediaportal can do this but would prefer to stick with sagetv right through ?

[Fuzzy]

You are correct that you can't use it with bitstreaming audio, but if your receiver supports multichannel PCM, you can just use that. Lossless codecs (DTSMA, TrueHD) are just that - lossless - it makes absolutely no difference whether it is decoded to PC in the receiver, or in the client. Decode it in the client (I use ffdshow for sage, and TMT5 set to PCM), and then reclock can handle it perfectly.

[sandyj]

Thanks Fuzzy I think that I will go with PCM audio as ReClock looks like a vital part of obtaining the best quality output. I really am looking for a better picture quality than what the extender can do which is pretty good for a relatively cheap product, I run this on a 120" projector screen and are looking for the very best image possible.

I live in Pal land so will set the default refresh rate to 50hz 1080p resolution for TV but my media files are all over the place some needing 60hz.
I think the main ones are 24, 50, 60 hz , ReClock can fix the 23.976 and convert to 24Hz

Are you doing anything else to fix the refresh issue/frame rate problem ?

[Fuzzy]

When using ReClock, I don't HAVE a refresh issue/frame rate problem. I'm guessing your worst issue you have there (in PAL territory) is the 24fps material that is played at 25Hz. ReClock can slow it down to 24Hz, if you like - or speed it up to 25Hz (for video smoothness on your 50Hz display), while pitch-shifting the audio to keep it the right pitch.

[stevech]

I have an Intel ATOM mini-ITX; windows 7 and have run Linux on it.
Way too slow for 1080i HD.
In all these HTPCs, one needs a fast/hot GPU with HD specific acceleration/drivers, for HD TV. Maybe the 2nd or 3rd generation Zotac boxes are an example of one that could.

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by stevech

I have an Intel ATOM mini-ITX; windows 7 and have run Linux on it.
Way too slow for 1080i HD.
In all these HTPCs, one needs a fast/hot GPU with HD specific acceleration/drivers, for HD TV. Maybe the 2nd or 3rd generation Zotac boxes are an example of one that could.

The atom itself is way too slow for the decoding, but coupled with a capable gpu (as in the NVidia ION platform) it is passable. Personally, I don't see the need for using something like an atom when the low end amd and intel desktop chips aren't THAT much more expensive. I do run an atom in my carpc, and it's plenty for that - nice because it runs on a super tiny DC-DC power supply. Certainyl not watching any HD on my 800x480 7" touchscreen though.

[stevech]

The Atom mini-ITX form factor was appealing. But no way to fit a PCIe video card/fast GPU into an ITX box.
A somewhat larger enclosure for a microATX motherboard enables use of an AMD CPU and a good GPU. But then come fans and heat and so on, for 1080i HD.