[Keso]

Hello!

My current HTPC is built around the 785g chipset and has an old Athlon x2 4200+ (2.2GHz). 1080p playback using MPC-HC and GPU acceleration works. The problem is that somehow when i launch MPC as an external player in XBMC the picture is laggy. That and that I don't want to use an external player in XBMC makes me want to upgrade my CPU to be able to handle 1080p on it's own.

Will the Ahlon x2 245 (2.9GHz) be able to handle it? I guess I could overclock it a bit, but would prefer to run it at stock speed. I have 2x1GB ddr2 ram installed aswell if that helps.

If it wont be able to, what AMD CPU do you think i need? AM2/AM3.

[AzzX]

I have an Athlon X2 4400 with 2gig of Ram and it plays 1080p stuff fine with no dropped frames with the internal player.

If the Picture is laggy it could suggest other issues.

[Keso]

Well when i try and use the internal player it drops alot of frames. But from what i could gather on other forums that CPU shold be able to handle it.

That MPC gives laggy playback when starting it as an external player can probably be resolved somehow, but i don't like the solution one bit so I'm going with the internal player

AMD officially recommends a x2 4400+ as minimum so i should be pretty safe i think.

[uncertainty]

I have an Athlon X2 4400 with 2gig of Ram and it plays 1080p stuff fine with no dropped frames with the internal player.

If the Picture is laggy it could suggest other issues.

Are you running this under linux? Reason I ask is I and afew other AMD users (we have X2 4800+'s and X2 5000+) get dropped frames (ie lag) when watching 1080p material. 720p works fine under windows but without hardware acceleration Im not sure how you are able to view full screen, 1920x1080p material with no frames dropped. You would be the first one we know of using XBMC with AMD X2 4400+.

thanks

[Keso]

A little update.

Bought and installed the Athlon II X2 245 now, and the picture is supersmooth on all the 1080p media I've tried so far.

[uncertainty]

A little update.

Bought and installed the Athlon II X2 245 now, and the picture is supersmooth on all the 1080p media I've tried so far.

Thats probably the dividing line on AMD X2's that can process 1080p smoothly. Thanks for the info, I might pick one up myself, as my AMD 2.4ghz 4800+ just doesnt have enough juice for 1080p full screen content.

[joshuass]

My Athlon X2 7750BE (2.5GHz Dual-Core) does 1080p no-sweat.

[mpw222]

Being "able to play 1080p" doesn't really mean anything in the absence of more information. A high bitrate 1080p H.264 clip takes 4 or 5 times the horsepower of a low bitrate MPEG2 1080p clip. VC1 clips don't take as much horsepower as H.264, but the decoding is only single threaded, so they often take more. People should really get away "able to play 1080p" as some kind of performance milestone. It would be like asking if a video card was fast enough for 60fps gameplay without mentioning which game you were talking about (OK, not really that bad, but close).

[AzzX]

Are you running this under linux? Reason I ask is I and afew other AMD users (we have X2 4800+'s and X2 5000+) get dropped frames (ie lag) when watching 1080p material. 720p works fine under windows but without hardware acceleration Im not sure how you are able to view full screen, 1920x1080p material with no frames dropped. You would be the first one we know of using XBMC with AMD X2 4400+.

thanks

No dropped frames for 1080p stuff at all besides the 10 it does at the start.
Get a maximum of 80% CPU with a high bitrate Batman begins rip. Most of the time the CPU is about 55 to 70 for 1080p stuff. 720p it averages about 30% CPU.

My hardware:

Using the latest Windows GL build of xbmc.
XP service Pack 3.
ATI HD4350 with Latest ATI drivers via HDMI
Samsung Series 6 46" at 1080p
Silverstone LC17 HTPC ATX case with remote.
Denon AVR with HDMI sync (believe it or not, this receiver fixed the judder I used to get at 60hz.)
Auzentech DTS Xplosion Soundcard
Vsync on in ATI settings. (Vertical Blank sync)
Triple buffering disabled

I initially tried Ubuntu with xbmc though CPU usage was significantly higher than XP and I don't have the luxury of a nVidia solution at this time.

I will try Windows 7 on the same machine - for my own interest. I made a quick guide available here: http://www.ozsource.com.au/source/softwa...tup-guide/ which is exactly how I setup my own HTPC.