Improved ION IGP w/better VDPAU support?

[jalyst]

yeah i;ve found mITX is just a tad too small....
It's a shame AMD's form-factor DTX didnt take off, smaller than mATX but just a little more real estate for one extra full size PCI/e etc.

But maybe now that pretty much the entire NB and GPU is in the CPU packaging for 1156 we'll see mITX boards this year with enough room for more than one PCI/e slot?
Havent got time for them to filter through thoufh, will prllly have to settle for mATX H57 or Q57.

Yikes, 430am, good night!

[gtrawoger]

I know you are looking for Kano's reply, but here is what I have looked at in the past. ITX cases usually don't have the strongest PSU. The only case I found that would work with what you'd want is here:

http://www.ncix.com/products/?sku=41116&promoid=1146 - Lian-Li Case ITX Case

The case can actually take a full ATX PSU.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813136073 - DFI mITX Mobo - 1156 Socket

Mobo got one PCI-E for a video card. It does however have Digital Audio Out (which may or may not satisfy the audiophile in you).

If you need more expansion slots you are going into mATX size.

-----

This is just something I found in my own searches for the perfect MythBox.

[jalyst]

Kano?

Well I've absorbed several of the reviews floating around & the Core i3-530 looks like a winner!

I'm a little concerned about this though:

http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=3704&p=15

I might have to get the Intel board....

I'd prefer to get the fancy gigabyte, or maybe a Q57-based one.

http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=3307

Tis a shame idle power wasn't also dramatically improved.

It would prolly be running all the time as a front-end.
(although often in suspend mode)

Which makes me wonder....
Could I power a clarkdale-based system on a sub-ATX PSU?

[jalyst]

Yeah seen that review, definitely not getting the 240, just a 210 if needed/wanted eventually.
I do need space for a PCI sound-card (the essence ST), & I want the ability to add/remove a much stronger GPU down-the-track.

Thanks.

[gtrawoger]

If you read through this thread you'll have seen why ION is ruled-out for me.
Decoding prowess is great, but not the best available.

ION2 fixes that, but why wait when clarkdale can do everything it does using CPU+GPU & then some!?
And even if it does pull-up short in some VA areas, a discrete GT210 will fix that.

I want primarily a media player, but also a web terminal & a host of other things at times...

The only thing ION can't do is Advanced 2X Deinterlacing. The rest it can handle fine. http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/VDPAU#Supported_Cards

And the only times you need to worry about that is on 480i/1080i media, which will still look fine on Advanced 1X Deinterlacing or even Bob 2X (which is what I use on an 8600GT and it looks awesome).

As for websurfing, the Revo (3610 model) has a dual core Atom which is plenty to do things with. Gaming is decent, as long as you don't try playing a recent game on 1080P (this is according to reviewers on newegg and other places). But if you are a more serious gamer, it won't hold up.

I think the only thing you wouldn't like about the Revo is the fact that it doesn't have digital audio out. It only has a 3.5mm headphone jack.

But as far as a dedicated media frontend, with it's small power footprint, it's a winner in my opinion.

But again, as you mentioned you may have a different need/want for your system and that clarkdale system may be what you'd want.

[jalyst]

If you read through this thread you'll have seen why ION is ruled-out for me.
Decoding prowess is great, but not the best available.

ION2 fixes that, but why wait when clarkdale can do everything it does using CPU+GPU & then some!?
And even if it does pull-up short in some VA areas, a discrete GT210 will fix that.

I want primarily a media player, but also a web terminal & a host of other things at times...

[gtrawoger]

Sorry to just jump in here. I just read (most of) this thread. I am big fan of mythtv and have about 5 frontends running of our backend. We get over the air HD and it's working like a charm.

jalyst, I am just wondering what the purpose of the system is you are trying to build.

Are you trying to get a frontend that gets used for nothing else, meaning it's attached to the TV and stays there? Or are you going to use it for Gaming/Desktop purposes? Are you worried about the resell value/re-usability should you take it down?

I have been struggling with this question for a while and done a bit of research to find what would be the most bank for buck.

For now, for a dedicated front-end it look very much like I am getting the Acer Revo (ION, 9400M) to replace our old clunky P4's.

[Kano]

The max power usage should not really matter when it does not run 24/7. Without extra gfx cards it is really low. Maybe ION with mobile technology is less, but not with a standard ATX PSU.

[jalyst]

That's true, initial costs will be similar because of the premium one pays for a sub-mATX board.
And if the usage pattern is similar, then a clarkdale-based system shouldn't use dramatically more power.

Except a clarkdale system without a GT2xx will rely on CPU decode via VAAPI, so avg. CPU usage should be higher.
But Nehalem is a more efficient architecture than Atom, so I guess it equalises out.

[Kano]

ion is interesting in the very small variants which could be directly mounted on the backside of a new tv. from the price however you pay the same - you just need more space - and get lots more performance.