[onizuka]

I like many purchased the Broadwell based Intel NUC NUC5i5RYH.

The quote the great Fritsch:

Will this also work on the NUC Broadwell 5th generation? I'd be more than happy to help with testing when the time comes.

No - Broadwell does not have a HEVC decoder ... it was only released to make money without any value compared to a HSW.

That leave us (at lease some of us who care about this sort of thing) to decide what to do next if they're looking to be future proof as one can be as of today. Yes, of course, many folks would argue that waiting for (what are we waiting for now? Kaby Lake?) an integrated solution with HDMI 2.0a HDCP 2.2 and full hardware decode to get that elusive 4kp60 HEVC 10bit. However, if someone was wanting to tide them over till that new solution is commonplace, what are the best options? Here's what I believe is the breakdown using PROS & CONS. Please correct me anywhere I'm wrong. Your opinion matters!

1. Get a NVIDIA Shield

PROS:
* HDMI 2.0
* Full HEVC 10bit decoding 4kp60
* Reputable company

CONS:
*No 23.976fps playback support
*Lack of HD Audio Bitstreaming
(NOTE:We hope Nvidia intends to fix the framerate and audio issues)
*Missing Lanczos3, and Spine36 etc.
* ARM vs x86 (Mature vs immature architecture)
*Android....BLAH!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


2. Get Braswell

PROS:

*HEVC 8bit hardware decoding 4kp60
* Inexpensive compared to Broadwell/Skylake

CONS:

*Intel's Braswell NUC lacks Dual Memory (users report Dual Memory required for proper playback) - AsRock Beebox required for Dual Memory
* Current Beebox lacks Pentium n3700 (For those looking the get the maximum performance out of the generally weak Braswell)
*HDMI 1.4a
*Lack of HEVC 10bit
*No DisplayPort for any hope of conversion to HDMI 2.0 (i.e. No way to get a 4K signal from the current implementations)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. Wait for Skylake

PROS:

*HEVC 8bit hardware decoding 4kp60 (Software powerful enough for 10bit?)

CONS:

*HDMI 1.4a
*Must use future (mythical?) active Displayport to HDMI 2.0 converter to get true 4kp60 picture
*Lack of full hardware 10bit HEVC 4kp60
*Wait till at least October
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


4. Wait for Kaby Lake

PROS:

*All outstanding issue solved

CONS:

*Unless they're not
*Wait till at least sometime 2016?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5. Keep i5 Broadwell

PROS:

*Hybrid decoding of 8bit and 10bit HEVC 4kp24/30 (better than nothing)
(NOTE: For at least the KODI GUI, videos as far as I understand will NEVER achieve 4kp60 smooth video playback with Intel's Windows drivers nor Fritsch & fernetmenta amazing work with LINUX VAAPI with EGL interoperation

CONS:
*Hybrid Decoding for HEVC 8bit and 10bit HEVC 4k (Apparently Hybird decoding is weak at best?)
*Again, HEVC 4kp60 playback will NEVER be possible (Never? Not sure if the answer to this is definitive for the life cycle of Broadwell. My understanding is Windows is the only platform that will receive the Hybrid support. Linux is apparently off the table....Not sure if this a technical or business issue. Can anyone comment to this?
*Must use future (mythical?) active Displayport to HDMI 2.0 converter to get true 4kp60 picture (GUI Only)


6. Your Solution Here

[fritsch]

Don't buy anything. Keep what you have. For the future: use the 200 rule, which means buy often, but only spend arround 200 euros :-)

[kyungrak]

That is a very wise rule!

[Roby77]

Do you need hevc now ?

[onizuka]

Do you need hevc now ?

Today no, tomorrow maybe....to enjoy me some BIg Buck Bunny. The HEVC, 4Kp60, 10bit, Transflux capacitor 1.21 gigawats version

[nsnhd]

As far as tested with my i-5 Haswell, Hybrid decoding is worse than Software decoding.
And from software decoding apps among Kodi, MPC-HC, PowerDVD15 then PowerDVD15 gives the smoothest picture with lowest CPU load.

[fritsch]

There are still a lot CPU optims possible, but that needs some real, real, I repeat real experts with free time at hands.

So while that might somehow work, it is no longterm, future proof solution.

Concerning hybrid: Intel sells the media SDK for linux, ( price 3000 dollars), this include such a shader/CPU driven driver. My braswell Tests on Windows werden a joke... 1080p worked okay, but anything more sucked ... My BSW dev board nearly eats 4k@60p source material.

Btw. All that went with bdw were explicitely warned before ...

Edit: Experts like those programming rasp2 firmware or those that did arm 720p hevc optimizations.

[onizuka]

In your opinion, would you even bother using Windows for Broadwell if all one wants to do is use it for Kodi? (i.e. The EGL implementation will most likely always perform better for HEVC material.)

[fischgourmet]

6. Your Solution Here

Waiting for AMD ZEN APU

PROS: All outstanding issue solved

CONS: No Intel NUC and waiting for 2017 ;-)

[Roby77]

6. Your Solution Here

Waiting for AMD ZEN APU

PROS: All outstanding issue solved

CONS: No Intel NUC and waiting for 2017 ;-)

and what about hd audio ?

[onizuka]

Rumor has it.....Intel may support hybrid decoding in Linux after all.....it'll be interesting to see if this NUC can run 4Kp60 if someone were to implemented it.

[fritsch]

About what 4k@60p are talking? h264, hevc? there is not nuc that can actually output 60 hz @ 4k

[onizuka]

What would be the situation with either......assuming the work was done? HEVC possible with i5 or i7? This all with the additional assumption that the Paradetech DP to HDMI 2.0 adapter arrives as well.

[fritsch]

Try it on windows with latest lav filters and mpc-hc ... then we know for sure.