[feerlessleadr]

So I built an HTPC quite a while ago, and while it has served me VERY well over the last 8 years or so, I just upgraded my main living room TV to a new LG OLED 4k TV (E6P), and I've come to the realization that my motherboard's HDMI output isn't rated for 4k (not sure if it is 1.4 or not, but I've had the board since 2008, so I know it isn't 2.0).

What I'd like to do is add a low profile video card that does support HDMI 2.0 & 4k playback, but a challenge that I am seeing is that my motherboard (GIGABYTE GA-E7AUM-DS2H) is quite old only supports PCIE 2.0 in the x16 slot, where the new card I'm looking to get (GTX 1050 2GT LP) is PCIE 3.0 in the x16 slot. I shouldn't have a problem running the 3.0 card in the 2.0 slot.

However, my question comes in as is this worth it? I'd like to be able to play as much content as possible on this box (currently, I can play everything I throw at it with either hardware decoding via the embedded geforce 9400 gpu, or the C2D E8400), so I'm not sure whether I should stick with LibreElec (which I've read can't do 10bit HEVC), or move back to Windows 10 (which can do everything).

I have a new Yamaha receiver that is capable of decoding Dolby TrueHD & DTS-HD, so I'd like to take advantage of that as well. I currently have an Nvidia Sheild as a temporary stop gap, but want to know if it is worth it to upgrade the video card on my HTPC, just keep using the Shield, or get different hardware entirely?

I have read through the stickied thread, and based on that, it looks like I'm down to either the Shield or a LibreELEC box, but I'd like to know if I can just add the GTX 1050 to my current HTCP and use that, rather than building a new box (on either Windows or LibreELEC).

Thanks!

[Dr.Feelgood]

I had the same considerations and choose to go with one of the new Apollo Lake integrated motherboards for less cost than the GTX 1050 LP.
If you only use it for TV than the Asrock j3455-itx is well capable to output all 4K formats and will run cooler without fans and much less power consumption.
Both LE and Win 10 works fine, read more in http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=270298

[jakejm79]

I'd imagine it would be a requirement to switch to W10, not a lot of 4K content on LE.

[feerlessleadr]

I had the same considerations and choose to go with one of the new Apollo Lake integrated motherboards for less cost than the GTX 1050 LP.
If you only use it for TV than the Asrock j3455-itx is well capable to output all 4K formats and will run cooler without fans and much less power consumption.
Both LE and Win 10 works fine, read more in http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=270298

I mean, I agree the board & CPU are less than the 1050, but when factoring in the RAM, the case and any SD Card/SSD, that would surely put me over the $120 mark.

[honcho]

I had the same considerations and choose to go with one of the new Apollo Lake integrated motherboards for less cost than the GTX 1050 LP.
If you only use it for TV than the Asrock j3455-itx is well capable to output all 4K formats and will run cooler without fans and much less power consumption.
Both LE and Win 10 works fine, read more in http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=270298

Work fine? Have you read the apollo lake thread.


This is terrible advice until they fix the hardware.

[feerlessleadr]

yea, just took a read through that thread, and it seems like there is problems left and right, and people are required to use a special build of LE and/or a DVI-HDMI adapter, which loses HDMI 2.0.

Looks like I'll be sticking with the GTX 1050 and will use Windows 10.

[Dr.Feelgood]

I have the J4205-ITX and frankly i have no idea what problems you are talking about. Audio passthru works fine via DVI out in parallel to 4K output from the HDMI. Picture quality is far better than any other STB, i've had couple of Android boxes that are used as paperweights now.
The J3455-itx have a single memory slot and 4GB is enough. Case and PSU can be reused and you might even get some second hand value for the old motherboard, CPU and memory.
At least we know that Apollo Lake works well, i have not seen any reports on Kodi and 1050 with all video and audio formats, it might be as good also ....

[honcho]

I have the J4205-ITX and frankly i have no idea what problems you are talking about. Audio passthru works fine via DVI out in parallel to 4K output from the HDMI. Picture quality is far better than any other STB, i've had couple of Android boxes that are used as paperweights now.
The J3455-itx have a single memory slot and 4GB is enough. Case and PSU can be reused and you might even get some second hand value for the old motherboard, CPU and memory.
At least we know that Apollo Lake works well, i have not seen any reports on Kodi and 1050 with all video and audio formats, it might be as good also ....

Outside of kodi in windows i have stuttering at 4k. In kodi there is no HD audio passthrough at 4k.

[wascwabbit]

If you do decide to crack open the case and replace the mobo/cpu, I'd highly suggest getting a chipset and board that supports the m.2 NVme spec. I boot to desktop in 8 secs with Win 10, and everything loads fast into Kodi. It'd be a tough call for me to go back to a self contained unit like a shield, since hdmi and hdcp conitnue to evolve. HDMI 2.1 is expected to release Q2 2017, and with the constant evolution of this industry, you could add a new card easily.

At the same time, the card you cite looks like you'd be fine, I can't imagine the 2.0 would bottleneck it enough to prevent it doing 4K.