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bluray · 2012-06-23, 18:43

(2012-06-23, 17:56)Beer40oz Wrote: And I love my 90W pico's its all I need ..... I am staying green and my M350 desktop has been doing all my hard work with it...

Yes, your A6-3500+HD6530D should be fine with 90W Pico.....but markus625 HTPC is a more powerful quad-core A8-3820+HD6550D+HD6570.......I have a feeling that markus625 is a DIY person, and I have a feeling that he'll add more options to his powerful HTPC in the near future.....as you can see, he is adding HD6570 now........

markus625 · (This post was last modified: 2012-06-23, 20:39 by markus625.)

I wanted a silent quad core pc for not just booting into xbmc but also to do some hi-dev encodes, do some compiling ie xbmc/openelec and occasionally play some fps games like battlefield 3. So i think i need the extra headroom.

I should have everything i need by the end of next week so ill report back on my findings, p.s dont mind modifying my case to fit the JR connector.

On the Radeon HD 6570 http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation...id=1&leg=0 im wondering if the pci slot on the streacom fc8 would be ok for it i.e wheres the heat gonna go would have been beneficial to have some air vents on the left hand side, another alternative is to mount it via a pci express flexi ribbon cable/riser http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/270873769047?s...1423.l2649 on the top tray with the air vents on top. and then theres the choice of going for the low profile with the fan or the heatsink variety.

**Dougie Fresh** · 2012-06-23, 20:30

(2012-06-23, 20:26)markus625 Wrote: I wanted a silent quad core pc for not just booting into xbmc but also to do some hi-dev encodes, do some compiling ie xbmc/openelec and occasionally play some fps games like battlefield 3. So i think i need the extra headroom.

I should have everything i need by the end of next week so ill report back on my findings, p.s dont mind modifying my case to fit the JR connector.

Sounds good. I hope all the information helped. Let us know your power draw to help future builders with the same.

bluray · (This post was last modified: 2012-06-23, 21:57 by bluray.)

(2012-06-23, 20:26)markus625 Wrote: I wanted a silent quad core pc for not just booting into xbmc but also to do some hi-dev encodes, do some compiling ie xbmc/openelec and occasionally play some fps games like battlefield 3. So i think i need the extra headroom.

On the Radeon HD 6570 http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation...id=1&leg=0

If you can find this "MSI R6570-MD2GD3/LP Radeon HD 6570 2GB", it might be worth it. It is slightly thiner than Sapphire HD6570, and users seems to rate it very high too........you'll enjoy your new A8-3820 HTPC!

Icerat · 2012-06-23, 22:22

Wow Threads grown a bit lol,

Anyway i went and brought New Power Meter Energy Monitor Esocket Plug-in KWH Watt Electricity Meter UK so that i could see what sort of power consumption i was getting so i could have an idea what PicoPSU to get.

From looking at the below results you you say that, PicoPSU 90w Power Supply & 90w external PSU would do the job as its peaked near 90w a few times.

Ive had the monitor plugged in for 22hr now at the highest peak was 91.6w

Prim95 - 20min:
Peak: 86.2w

Idling - 10min:
Peak: 68.6w
Average: 54.4w

720p mkv - 24min:
Peak: 75.1w
Average: 61.4w

Blu-ray - Avatar:
Peak: 84.8w
Average:76.4w

bluray · 2012-06-23, 23:19

@Icerat....

Thank you for sharing your finding with us. These test results are from your A6-3500, right?

Have you try to watch Avatar blu-ray M2TS or MKV or ISO using XBMC while transcoding Avatar blu-ray disc directly off BD-ROM using HandBrake in the background?

I suspected A8-3820+HD6570 to be much higher for the same test.......

Icerat · 2012-06-23, 23:43

Yeah there from my A6-3500, Watched Avatar from the blu-ray disc on Power DVD 12.

If i try to watch avatar in xbmc it just hangs xbmc and sends the blu-ray drive nuts, no idea how to play blu-ray disc in xbmc.

Ideally i don't want to have to rip all my blu-rays just to play em in xbmc, pretty sure i not got the space at the moment Sad

assassin · 2012-06-24, 00:35

(2012-06-23, 22:22)Icerat Wrote: Wow Threads grown a bit lol,

Anyway i went and brought New Power Meter Energy Monitor Esocket Plug-in KWH Watt Electricity Meter UK so that i could see what sort of power consumption i was getting so i could have an idea what PicoPSU to get.

From looking at the below results you you say that, PicoPSU 90w Power Supply & 90w external PSU would do the job as its peaked near 90w a few times.

Ive had the monitor plugged in for 22hr now at the highest peak was 91.6w

Prim95 - 20min:
Peak: 86.2w

Idling - 10min:
Peak: 68.6w
Average: 54.4w

720p mkv - 24min:
Peak: 75.1w
Average: 61.4w

Blu-ray - Avatar:
Peak: 84.8w
Average:76.4w

A 90w PSU is cutting it way too close for my comfort with those numbers. Better hope there is absolutely zero flucuations in efficiency and quantity of power delivered now or over time.

bluray · 2012-06-24, 00:59

(2012-06-23, 23:43)Icerat Wrote: Yeah there from my A6-3500, Watched Avatar from the blu-ray disc on Power DVD 12.

You already have PDVD12, and it should be a great blu-ray player......

(2012-06-23, 23:43)Icerat Wrote: If i try to watch avatar in xbmc it just hangs xbmc and sends the blu-ray drive nuts, no idea how to play blu-ray disc in xbmc.

If you want to playback blu-ray disc using XBMC Play Disc option, you will need to install AnyDVD HD.....

(2012-06-23, 23:43)Icerat Wrote: Ideally i don't want to have to rip all my blu-rays just to play em in xbmc, pretty sure i not got the space at the moment

If you don't want to rip it, you don't have too.....

**Dougie Fresh** · 2012-06-24, 04:52

(2012-06-24, 00:35)assassin Wrote:
(2012-06-23, 22:22)Icerat Wrote: Wow Threads grown a bit lol,

Anyway i went and brought New Power Meter Energy Monitor Esocket Plug-in KWH Watt Electricity Meter UK so that i could see what sort of power consumption i was getting so i could have an idea what PicoPSU to get.

From looking at the below results you you say that, PicoPSU 90w Power Supply & 90w external PSU would do the job as its peaked near 90w a few times.

Ive had the monitor plugged in for 22hr now at the highest peak was 91.6w

Prim95 - 20min:
Peak: 86.2w

Idling - 10min:
Peak: 68.6w
Average: 54.4w

720p mkv - 24min:
Peak: 75.1w
Average: 61.4w

Blu-ray - Avatar:
Peak: 84.8w
Average:76.4w

A 90w PSU is cutting it way too close for my comfort with those numbers. Better hope there is absolutely zero flucuations in efficiency and quantity of power delivered now or over time.

Those numbers are also MUCH higher, with the exception of Prime95 (I saw 77W peak during 6 hours) than I measured. 1080p MKV I saw 31W max. What was your CPU utilization playing back the videos?

Icerat · 2012-06-24, 14:39

(2012-06-24, 04:52)Dougie Fresh Wrote: Those numbers are also MUCH higher, with the exception of Prime95 (I saw 77W peak during 6 hours) than I measured. 1080p MKV I saw 31W max. What was your CPU utilization playing back the videos?

Hi Dougie

Got them numbers you were after, CPU Usage on the graphs, Click to enlarge

Looking at them you can see there are regular spikes in usage, is this normal?

Original Logs:
720p
1080p
Blu-Ray

720p low: 60.2w Hi: 74.4w

1080p Low:66.2w Hi:81.6w

Blu-Ray Low:68.5w Hi:86.6w

**Dougie Fresh** · 2012-06-25, 16:48

The spikes in CPU usage are going to up your power usage. I wouldn't think those are from viewing. Is there some other background process that is running at a regular interval?

I think with a more efficient PSU those numbers would go down. I just don't understand the regular spikes. Something else must be running taking up resources.

Icerat · 2012-06-25, 21:25

Hi
I've had a look to see if i could spot anything that could be sending out on a regular basis and had no luck, maybe someone else knows of an app that could be doing it from the screenshots.

If you need anymore let me know, would be nice to see whats causing this.

System Idle

Processes

Active network connections

**Dougie Fresh** · (This post was last modified: 2012-06-25, 21:47 by Dougie Fresh.)

It's hard to say with that PSU in the mix and the CPU spikes if the 90W will work for you where it has for others. If you can get the picoPSU 120-WI-25 and a 18.5V or 19V adapter that's the next best choice. You could drill a 5/16" hole in the PCI slot cover to mount it. If that's not available the 12V 120W picoPSU and a 102W adapter will work too. If you want the full 120W then you need to get the mini-fit JR adapter and a 12V 10A AC adapter with the 4-pin mini-DIN plug though IMHO the 120-WI-25 and 18.5V or 19V AC adapter is a better choice.

Mallet21 · 2012-06-25, 22:20

(2012-06-23, 22:22)Icerat Wrote: Idling - 10min:
Peak: 68.6w
Average: 54.4w

54w @ idle? Methinks you either got a bad processor or bad meter.

Everything I have seen shows this processor at 25w during idle.