[binwiederda]

Hi there,

I'm a noob when it comes to hardware, but I've been looking around and reading endlessly about what mainboard/GPU/etc. to get for my first HTPC. I need something that's Linux compatible (without lots of fiddeling).

Whenever you say Linux, people immediately say "nVidia". So I've been looking for mainboards with nVidia chipsets. But all the "newer" configurations (> 2010) seem to not have nVidia GPUs. The newest nVidia mainboards suitable for HTPCs seem to be the ION2 boards, i.e. Atom D525/ NM10. For Windows, there are so many options (AMD A4s, A6s, A8s, APUs, Intel i3s, i5s, with Radeon HDs, etc.).

Is it correct, that 'without any fiddeling', the only usable options for Linux-users are the Atom N330/ION and the Atom D525/ION2 (both too old?!)? Or is there something else?

To the Linux users out ther: What build do you have? Fanless, low power, no fiddeling, Linux-is-a-must!

Cheers
Philipp

[thethirdnut]

Your research is correct.

There are a few exceptions, but most of the mobo's that contain nvidia GPU's are of the atom vintage. I'd personally NOT buy something already 2-3 years old and would instead opt for a i3-xxxx + low-profile GT 520 or something similar.

Intel HD4000 [GPU in newer Ivy Bridge CPU's] is also apparently working well with Linux HW acceleration, however, I don't yet have firsthand experience working with them in XBMC. Nvidia has rock-solid 24p playback, HD audio, etc so I tend to stick with that for now...

Hope this helps somewhat.

[PANiCnz]

The ZOTAC Z68-ITX WiFi Supreme + an entry level i3 could be an option?