[Comp1demon]

Reviews for Ryzen are looking good.

For PURE Gaming, it is still anywhere from 4-10FPS behind the 6800K
But for multitasking, Encoding, Video and more.. it smokes the $1000 Chip for 1/2 the price.

Can't wait to see what more it can do.

[ars92]

I guess my unRAID rebuild Q3 this year will not be skylake x based, but it'll be Ryzen!!
Really nice to see its performance being so good. But who knows, the skylake x 6800k replacement might end up being priced competitively to the 1800x. I'll then end up with intel simply because I've always been using intel my whole life.

Sent from my LG-H990

[BusyDad]

Reviews for Ryzen are looking good.

For PURE Gaming, it is still anywhere from 4-10FPS behind the 6800K
But for multitasking, Encoding, Video and more.. it smokes the $1000 Chip for 1/2 the price.

Can't wait to see what more it can do.

My old Pi cannot successfully run the 720p HECV 265 files that are sitting on my HDD, (currently). My old Ubuntu lappy's can't play them either. Frown.

As long as new formats keep making my media-players obsolete, there will be an argument for building a decent HTPC. My Newegg/MicroCenter e-mails keep trying to sell me Ryzen processors and huge-cuts on Mobo's ~ I absolutely see value in this forum-post. Like the author of this thread, I want to see if there is a cost-benefit-performance comparison of the Ryzen/AMD Intel i5/i7 builds.

I'm a noob trying to do my homework and these posts are the only semi-legitimate place to get informed-opinions. If you think the Ryzen/AMD is a waste of money, put out your specs of what you'd use in their place.

[noggin]

I'm a noob trying to do my homework and these posts are the only semi-legitimate place to get informed-opinions. If you think the Ryzen/AMD is a waste of money, put out your specs of what you'd use in their place.

At the moment, for pure media playback duties, an AMLogic S905 or S905X based device is hard to beat. There are plenty.

Apart from 3D MVC Decode with Full HD Frame Packed output they do pretty much everything else at an incredibly low price point.

Video Codec support : H265/HEVC (inc 10 bit), H264/AVC, MPEG2, VC-1
Audio passthrough : DTS HD MA/HRA, Dolby True HD, Dolby Digital+/E-AC3, Dolby Digital/AC3, DTS + Multichannel PCM (to allow lossless decode of PCM/FLAC 5.1/7.1 and decode of AAC 5.1 etc.) (There may also be Atmos and DTS:x support as that usually comes with HD Audio passthrough but don't have that gear)
Video output : up to 2160/60p (including H265 support at this resolution - I've played content at this rate on my C2, MiniMX and Wetek Hub)
Decent deinterlacing is also present.

If you want Netflix and other DRM-ed streaming sources then look at the Wetek Hub, Play 2 etc. If you just want to play back your own content, then the ODroid C2 or any of the S905/S905X boxes that run LibreElec.

(In theory the S905X adds HDR support to the S905, but removes GigE (not needed for any mainstream content) but I'd not buy anything with an expectation of smooth HDR support just yet)

The only reason I'd go for an x86 box these days would be for CPU decode of content that can't be hardware accelerated (H264 Hi10 or MPEG2/H264 4:2:2 stuff) - but there is very little of this around. Ironically the ARM-based solutions (S905/S905X and Raspberry Pi) both play VC-1 interlaced, which Intel GPUs can't cope with in hardware under Linux. (They have to do it in software, though it's fine in Windows, unless they've fixed the very long standing Linux driver issue)

If you don't need UHD, HD Audio bitstreaming (you'll get PCM decode to 5.1/7.1 up to 96KHz and 4.0 up to 192kHz) or guaranteed H265 support (720p24 and some 1080p24 should play - but it is CPU/GPU accelerated not full hardware decode), then a Pi 3 is also worth a look. The support is incredible. The Pi 3 also does 3D MVC decode and Full HD Frame Packed 24p output (one advantage over the AMLogic S905/S905X platform)

[wrxtasy]

(In theory the S905X adds HDR support to the S905, but removes GigE (not needed for any mainstream content) but I'd not buy anything with an expectation of smooth HDR support just yet)

Got to agree - unless you are providing your own HDR content or getting half decent HDR, HEVC encoded 4K paid for content from HDR Android Apps like Netflix and Amazon on a nVIDIA Shield - then HDR with a Kodi Box is just a technical Hardware Wankfest !

Audio passthrough : DTS HD MA/HRA, Dolby True HD, Dolby Digital+/E-AC3, Dolby Digital/AC3, DTS + Multichannel PCM (to allow lossless decode of PCM/FLAC 5.1/7.1 and decode of AAC 5.1 etc.) (There may also be Atmos and DTS:x support as that usually comes with HD Audio passthrough but don't have that gear)

Atmos and DTS:X has been confirmed working on various S905(x) LibreELEC boxes.

[skybird1980]

i own a ryzen 3 2200g on asus prime b350m-a. as long there are no new drivers on windows i would not use it for kodi. you'll get only green video output on mp4 as long you're not use software decoding.
libreelec isn't possible, too because they are using kernel <4.15.
you can use ubuntu or another linux if you update manual to a newer kernel.

[davilla]

HAAHHAH " technical Hardware Wankfest ", I'll have to remember that one.

[Brian.Harkness]

There are two issues raised here: running Kodi, and running a 4K display.
So far as the 4K part is concerned.  A Recent PC-Pro article stated the obvious:  4K requires 60Hz to be remotely presentable and ideally should be nearer 80 or 90Hz.  Opinions are divied whether anything over 90Hz is of benefit.

Some people here seemed to have confused fps with Hz.  Fps denotes the frequency with which an application changes the media you are displaying.  Hz on the other hand denotes how fast your HTPC refreshes the image on the screen.  These are two very different things.  E.g. viewing word on my old CRT monitor needed 50Hz or more even though the display was essentially static.  Video demands more.

So far as the Ryzen is concerned no it won't be needed in the short term, but a cheaper Ryzen is a good investment since the memory motherboard etc will remain available for a good long time.  By contrast a low capability Intel CPU will create problems getting new motherboards and as time goes along memory too - not a good idea.  Continuity of supply for motherboard in particular is rubbish on the Intel platform due to all the imho unethical changes to the pinouts of their CPU sockets.

There has also been mention of using Display Port.  This produces great displays, but will not work with most TVs and will not work with any surround sounds system.  For a media centere it must be HDMI 2.0 to protect your investment for years to come and do everything you might ask of it.

Most low end video cards will not support 4K above 25 or 30Hz so it seems very unlikley the on CPU graphics will do so.  You really need a mid range graphics card with onnboard memory to handle 4K.

[noggin]

There are two issues raised here: running Kodi, and running a 4K display.
So far as the 4K part is concerned.  A Recent PC-Pro article stated the obvious:  4K requires 60Hz to be remotely presentable and ideally should be nearer 80 or 90Hz.  Opinions are divied whether anything over 90Hz is of benefit.

Some people here seemed to have confused fps with Hz.  Fps denotes the frequency with which an application changes the media you are displaying.  Hz on the other hand denotes how fast your HTPC refreshes the image on the screen.  These are two very different things.  E.g. viewing word on my old CRT monitor needed 50Hz or more even though the display was essentially static.  Video demands more.

They are - but they need to be related.

I play media that is originated at 23.976, 24.000, 25, 29.97, 50 and 59.94Hz (Using the word fps for interlaced is confusing - as 25fps interlaced content has 50Hz motion due to the two interlaced fields in each 25fps frame being captured 1/50th second apart on native interlaced content, or content shot 50p and downconverted to 50i/i25. 720p50 and 1080i25 have different frame rates but both have 50Hz motion)

I watch it on screens that run at 47.952, 48 (i.e. 2:2 display of 23.976/24.00), 50 (1:1 of 50Hz and 2:2 of 25Hz), 59.94 (1:1 of 59.94 or 2:2 of 29.97) Hz refresh in some cases, and on others that work in multiple of these refresh rates (i.e. 50Hz content displayed at 100Hz, 59.94Hz at 119.88Hz etc.)

So far as the Ryzen is concerned no it won't be needed in the short term, but a cheaper Ryzen is a good investment since the memory motherboard etc will remain available for a good long time.  By contrast a low capability Intel CPU will create problems getting new motherboards and as time goes along memory too - not a good idea.  Continuity of supply for motherboard in particular is rubbish on the Intel platform due to all the imho unethical changes to the pinouts of their CPU sockets.

There has also been mention of using Display Port.  This produces great displays, but will not work with most TVs and will not work with any surround sounds system.  For a media centere it must be HDMI 2.0 to protect your investment for years to come and do everything you might ask of it.

Most low end video cards will not support 4K above 25 or 30Hz so it seems very unlikley the on CPU graphics will do so.  You really need a mid range graphics card with onnboard memory to handle 4K.

My N3350 Apollo Lake Dual-Core Celeron on-board Intel graphics happily runs at 2160/50p and 59.94p via it's Displayport 1.2 output and a DP->HDMI 2.0 adaptor. That's a pretty low-end Intel integrated graphics solution.

The main limitation for 2160p output at a max 30Hz is HDMI 1.4 output systems - not the GPU (or integrated graphics on the CPU).  Displayport 1.2->HDMI 2.0 isn't perfect - but I've had good experiences with mine (HD Audio bitstreams OK, and 2160p output at 50Hz and 59.94Hz)

[toker]

https://www.amd.com/en/products/embedded...000-series
I will be interested when AMD Embedded Ryzen V1000 (12W-25W) are available - I can build a new NAS / HTPC (AIO) running very low power.

[ZERO &lt;ibis&gt;]

Those of us running PCs for Kodi are generally using DS player or another non integrated kodi player so that we can support madVR. Support for madVR limits us to windows and mid to high end hardware on the gpu side to make it worth the trouble. Obviously direct gaming is another benefit.

The crap with Netflix is very upsetting for users like us because here we are sitting on insane high speced hardware but unable to playback Netflix at 4k.

What I personally do is just send "old" hardware to my tvpc so there is not really a direct cost associated with it.

[Juppstein]

I am really interested in the Ryzen platform, especially if there is going to be a NUC like version of it. I am planning to replace my 4 yrs old NUC in the upcoming future to get something that is capable to properly run Steam games directly from it instead of using the in-home streaming feature. Also VR is slowly becoming a topic for me so the hardware will have to be much more powerful than what a NUC can provide at the moment, especially in the video card department. And since my LED TV is turning 6 years old now, a new one is on the budget as well. And 4K/HDR/whatnot is going to eat resources out of an HTPC for sure.

I understand that Pi box is enough for just watching movies and TV. But for those that wanna do more than just that in their living room, a grown up mini PC is properly the better way to go. Less compromises, more options.

[Dr.Feelgood]

Still waiting for the V1807B integrated board solutions, there are no products launched yet. It should be the most optimal base for future proof media PC.

[Klojum]

I am really interested in the Ryzen platform,

There will be a new attempt made for Ryzen boxes here: https://forum.libreelec.tv/thread/12540-...ryzen-apu/
Full details will follow.

[gemini88]

@Livin That's your opinion people have a bad habit of telling people what's far better in terms of what they would and wouldn't do if there's pc parts being made I don't see a problem with customizing to your own liking that's why it's an available option, just for Kodi is great Kodi is a beast especially with the skin Aeon mq8 with all the bells and whistles, and your own customizations if your like me, from experience you would need alot of juice so building from the ground up or spending some money is actually necessary let's not even talk about dsplayer, madvr and HDR a simple 300$ to 400$ pc will simply not cut it but maybe your just more simplistic (judging by your opinion)