Computers & Electronics

Upgrading AGP HTPC for h.264 playback

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  • Oct 21st, 2010 10:13 pm
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Oct 18, 2003
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Upgrading AGP HTPC for h.264 playback

Hi guys,

My poor old HTPC is really starting to show it's age, but the darn thing just keeps running. It's main purpose is to play divx and h.264. It's a lowly old Abit NF7-S with I think a 2500+...likely OC'd a bit...I think 2GB of RAM (it's been so long since I even worked on it). It has an older AIW video card (I think a 9600) and I'm wondering if I can squeeze some more life out of it by upgrading to one of the latest AGP cards. I'm assuming the later ones did hardware acceleration?

Currently it plays 720P stuff pretty good and can't handle 1080P at all.

So, will a newer card help, and which one is recommended? This system is NOT used for any gaming...just dl'ing and watching movies.

Thanks!
Scotty is a cheap mofo and loves to get a deal!

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Nov 7, 2006
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You should consider adding a network capable media player like WDTV Live or Patriot Box Office. The latter has excellent price point after rebate.

Upgrading on a single core PC (with the exception of adding 2TB storage) is an absolute waste of money.

I have 3 working HTPCs with my 3 HDTVs. Only one HTPC is being used and that's because it is the server and I also have to use Vista MC to watch OTA on the TV without ATSC tuner. The other 2 have been hibernating for at least 60 days. The media boxes get all the actions.
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I guess the main reason it has remained is because it is by the router and the only PC wired (rest are wireless and therefore not great for dl'ing large files). Maybe I need to get a wired connection to another PC...or just leave that one there and use it to dl and get a media box like you said.

My Samsung LCD upstairs plays 1080P from a HDD beautifully, so if those media boxes could do the same that would be great and probably what I should be looking at.
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scottrempel wrote: I guess the main reason it has remained is because it is by the router and the only PC wired (rest are wireless and therefore not great for dl'ing large files). Maybe I need to get a wired connection to another PC...or just leave that one there and use it to dl and get a media box like you said.

My Samsung LCD upstairs plays 1080P from a HDD beautifully, so if those media boxes could do the same that would be great and probably what I should be looking at.

Exactly Scotty!

You may well ditch the slow POS PC as soon as you can and everything inside except for HDD is either useless or rip and sell.

For roughly the same $ spent, if you get something like a PBO, it'll be useful for at least a few years. You can take it anywhere but you can't do that with the built-in media player of the TV.
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Now now...it may be getting slow, but that has been the best PC I've owned :)

What is the best media box to go with? I've heard a lot of people are liking the Asus over the WD. They are on sale at NCIX right now as well: http://ncix.com/products/index.php?sku= ... omoid=1033

I don't need wireless as it will be located near the router, and will likely have most of the movies on a 1TB external w/ USB.
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Patriot sounds good as well. More expensive at NCIX (then the Asus) before rebate, but cheaper after.
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In a nutshell, money talks and Patriot Box Office wins.

If you must do DVR-MS, then it's WDTV-Live...which is more expensive and a little finnicky at times when networked. The hardware is top notch however...both graphic engine and network adapter speed.

If you must do RMVB, it's either PBO or O!Play. No one is getting the O!Play these days. The guts are the same in both O!Play and Box Office. However, the PBO is not only cheaper but can also swallow a standard internal 2.5" HDD which makes it great and useful on the go. There is a megathread on the PBO courtesy of Aasoror.
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One other obvious feature : component output is only present in WDTV Live via a dongle. Composite output (for SD tube TVs) is via dongle as well. Component output has it's place in older HDTVs and projectors.

PBO and O!Play has only composite (yellow/red/white) but the jacks are on the machine itself.
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Ordered the Patriot from Memory Express and have a 25 ft HDMI cable coming from Monoprice :)
Scotty is a cheap mofo and loves to get a deal!

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scottrempel wrote: Ordered the Patriot from Memory Express and have a 25 ft HDMI cable coming from Monoprice :)

Good luck! These versatile media boxes are really fun to use. Everything via remote. if you like the built-in TV media player, you'll like media boxes as well. The media boxes are more retro friendly like connecting SPDIF, connecting SD tube TV if you need to, etc.

If you need good sound from the TV's built-in player, I think you need a newer HDMI1.4 receiver with audio returning.
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Amourek wrote: Yes, it will help. I suggest a Radeon HD 3000 series card paired with a media player that supports DVXA (like MPC-HC).

How much do these media player costs and are the Windows 7 compatible? Sorry, trying to set up an HTPC with an Acer AX3910 and ATI 5450 Radeon card I just bought. Thanks.

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