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What would make a good UHD HTPC

Show off your HTPC builds, NAS Servers, and any other hardware. Great place to ask for hardware help too.
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Pauven
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Re: What would make a good UHD HTPC

Post by Pauven » Wed Jan 13, 2021 12:35 pm

I've been searching for recommendations on Intel CPU's for use with madVR. I'm thinking if I do build a replacement HTPC, I will take my own advice and go Intel making it officially compliant, but that would preclude the use of any dedicated GPU's as that breaks compliance. Since I really like MPC and madVR, it seems ideal to get an Intel CPU with integrated graphics that are powerful enough to do some madVR processing.

I really don't know if any Intel CPU's graphics have enough horsepower, hopefully I can find an answer. But I did find this helpful guide, that gives some good advices for Nvidia and AMD GPU's:

https://www.avsforum.com/threads/guide- ... r.2364113/
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Re: What would make a good UHD HTPC

Post by Pauven » Wed Jan 13, 2021 12:59 pm

Argh... My Google search results are now returning this very thread in the top 10 results.
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Re: What would make a good UHD HTPC

Post by Jamie » Wed Jan 13, 2021 11:49 pm

I have been researching Intel CPU with UHD graphics. Sounds like you need Generation 11 CPU. Won't do sounds like a soldered part.

Intel Iris Xe Max 11th Gen Intel Core U Processors.

While it’s certainly a laptop-first technology, expect to see Iris Xe Max make its way to desktops. Intel told us that it is targeting early 2021 for a desktop version. It won’t be a standalone product you can buy to install, build a PC around, or upgrade your existing PC with. It will be sold directly to OEMs and packed into lower-cost consumer PCs.

Here are the specs and some other info https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ALe ... 20&bih=937

https://www.extremetech.com/computing/3 ... ed-version

I guess that leaves the UHD graphics part

They do have 10th generation CPUs with a UHD Graphics chip, What do you think Paul? At least these support building a PC for yourself.

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Re: What would make a good UHD HTPC

Post by Pauven » Thu Jan 14, 2021 8:18 am

Yeah, you're finding the same info I've found. Additionally, faster graphics like Iris Plus or UHD 645 seem to be mobile only options. It might be possible to find a non-socketed motherboard with a mobile chip soldered on that has faster graphics. But for socketed, it looks like 10th gen UHD 630 is as good as it gets. Even then, the UHD 630 seems to come in different speed grades depending upon what chip model you get.

I've been searching for UHD 630 with madVR, to see if other users have had success with this combo, but so far I've found next to nothing. A couple posts suggests it works, but they didn't seem to be doing any advanced image processing, maybe just basic playback, and the chip was maxed out. But I'm inferring a lot from their posts. They don't talk about their actual chip either, so but sure if their experience is with a slower or faster UHD 630.

I might need to find a way to get one of my high-power nvidia cards running in the new HTPC, maybe I can use a second power supply running in test mode to power it, that way I can go ahead and discover if PowerDVD 20 HDR works with Nvidia.
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Re: What would make a good UHD HTPC

Post by Pauven » Tue Jan 19, 2021 5:23 pm

Jamie wrote: Fri Jan 01, 2021 6:55 pm I got one at Fry's for $45. Everyone lese wants $72, if they have them in stock at all. I had to check multiple times to make sure it was not a slim model which seems to be the only type in stock.

Vantec 5.25" DVD/CD/SATA USB 3.0 External Enclosure NST-536S3-BK

Thanks for bringing this to my attention!!!!!!!!

Jamie
I just received a Vantec NST-536S3-BK today, and used it with my brand-new non-friendly WH14NS40 to make it friendly again. While the process for doing this with the latest drive firmware was complicated, I'm very happy this is still possible, and all in an external USB enclosure no-less!

I also picked up a SilverStone GD04B. I've decided I will be making a proper HTPC. I still need to pick out motherboard/CPU/Memory, but have everything else. I've already come up with a creative solution for integrating an IR receiver, since this case doesn't come with one - my solution solves two problems at once! I'll be documenting this is a separate build thread. I really wish I had gone ahead and bought the GD04 in early December, it was available for around $80. I ended up paying double... :cry:

Still need to figure out which Intel CPU to waste spend my money on...
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Re: What would make a good UHD HTPC

Post by Pauven » Thu Jan 21, 2021 6:53 pm

Jackpot: https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index. ... 703.0.html

The original poster is using a NUC with JRiver + madVR. It's been a challenge for him to find settings that work, but it seems it is possible. One thing he mentions is that if he enables the passthrough of HDR, playback smoothness improves - this is good for me as the TV I'm using with this HTPC has HDR capabilities and I plan to just pass HDR through (not trying to do any advanced tone mapping). So based upon this, with the right CPU I can have Intel HDR support in PowerDVD 20 plus madVR support in MPC.

The NUC he is using has an Intel i5-7260U processor with the Iris Plus 640 GPU. This is a pretty low-end CPU, but Iris Plus 640 is no slouch. Now the challenge for me is to find a non-NUC CPU that has equal or better graphics.

I still don't have an answer on the Nvidia GPU support HDR in PowerDVD 20. My GPU shipment got delayed yet again...
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Re: What would make a good UHD HTPC

Post by Pauven » Fri Jan 22, 2021 11:38 am

Pauven wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 6:53 pm The NUC he is using has an Intel i5-7260U processor with the Iris Plus 640 GPU. This is a pretty low-end CPU, but Iris Plus 640 is no slouch. Now the challenge for me is to find a non-NUC CPU that has equal or better graphics.
I'm honing in on the Intel i3-10100. Yes, that's right, near the bottom of Intel's 10th gen stack.

The i3-10100 has UHD 630 graphics running at 350 MHz base / 1100 MHz boost. Interestingly, the top-end i9-10980HK has UHD 630 graphics running at 350 MHz base / 1250 MHz, so at best a measly 13% faster. For only $120, the i3-10100 seems like a bargain, with CPU performance similar to a i7-7700 from a few years ago.

The literature also indicates that you can allocate up to an insane 64GB of RAM as video memory. I was hoping to be able to allocate at least 4GB, since I had noticed that 2GB seemed insufficient for madVR, so that is promising.

The only potential issue I've discovered so far is that HDMI output for all 10th Gen Intel chips is limited to 4K @ 30Hz. To get 4K @ 60Hz you have to use the Display Port. I'm not sure that this matters at all, since in general 99% of all 4K movies are 24FPS. From what I've read, 4K @ 60Hz requires HDMI 2.0 (though right now I'm typing this sentence on a monitor using HDMI 1.4 set to 4K @ 60Hz with a special "HDMI Ultra HD Deep Color" setting on my monitor, so there are workarounds if you have the right monitor).

If for some reason the UHD 630 is not up to the task of madVR, as least I'm only out $120, and I've got several nice NVidia in my collection that I can put into use.

The one thing holding me back is the temptation of Intel's 11th gen processors. The i3's have 11th gen UHD graphics that support HDMI 2.0b, and 4K @ 60Hz, and the i5's have even faster Iris Xe graphics also with HDMI 2.0b & 4K @ 60Hz. The i5's are really appealing to me. I don't believe Intel has released any socketable 11th gen CPU's yet, so my only hope would be to find an embedded solution at a non-crazy price.
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Re: What would make a good UHD HTPC

Post by Jamie » Fri Jan 22, 2021 11:18 pm

As I stated on the first page I am interested in a CPU that has hdmi 2.0b capabilities and the 11 gen I5 seems to be able to fulfill that desire. I have been reading that these parts will start coming out during the 1st quarter. Intel seems to want to limit them to low end PCs and OEMs though, so I probably will have to find the right vender who will sell the part. If I have to go with Nvidea I'll probably have to go with a 3060 TI.

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Re: What would make a good UHD HTPC

Post by Jamie » Mon Mar 01, 2021 6:07 pm

I got my case today. A SilverStone Technology SST-GD05B-3.0-USA USB3.0 Aluminum/Steel Micro ATX HTPC Computer Case with 2 USB 3.0 Front Ports. It came from China but only took a week to deliver. Amazon is the company I purchased it from. It cost me $145 and I waited a month to see whether the price would come down but none of the companies I queried reduced the price.
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Re: What would make a good UHD HTPC

Post by Teddyboy » Mon Mar 01, 2021 7:35 pm

Very nice Jamie. My very first case was a Arisetec Kanam case that I bought from digital connection back in early 2006. You can’t get them anymore.
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My second case was a silverstone case similar to yours that I bought from Newegg. I think you bought a nice case. I’ve had so my different htpc cases over the years I’ve lost count!
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