LinuxMCE configuration needed / eg. ASUS P2-M2A690G

[chris33f]

Hi,
I'm new here and I just downloaded the LinuxMCE 0704 version... not installed it yet, but tonight I guess.

I have a few questions about the configuration needed :
- What is a typical setup to decode 1080p correctly ?
- What is a typical setup to encode 1080p correctly ?
- Is h264 compressed/decompressed by CPU or by GPU via the latest drivers ?
- Which GPU to choose, featuring HDCP support and HDMI output ?
- I have seen a barebone by ASUS P2-M2A690G : http://www.asus.com/products4.aspx?modelmenu=2&model=1797&l1=1&l2=3&l3=483&l4=0
  It uses an ATI RadeonTM 1250 graphic chipset... but I can find this chipset on the ATI site... only one called : ATI Radeon™ Xpress 1250 (for Intel)
http://ati.amd.com/products/radeonxpress1250dsk/index.html
The name isn't fully identical and it's for intel, whereas this box is for AMD....
Something else, it says it supports HD and 1080p, but again on the ATI site, on the ATI Radeon™ Xpress 1250 (for Intel) page, it's written 1080i maximum.
Do you think this hardware is worth for a full HD 1080p purpose with LMCE ?

Does LMCE work well in France too (french tv broadcast, epg, localisation....) ?

Thank you. 

[Zaerc]

I'm sorry to have to say it, but you don't want the ATI Radeon Xpress 1250, it doesn't work properly with MythTV (one of the main components of LMCE) in my experience.  Not even with the latest drivers from ATI.

That motherboard you mention also likely has a SB690 chipset, of which the SATA controller doesn't work properly with the kernel version currently used by LMCE.  So unless you're planning to use it as a dedicated Core machine with an IDE drive, you're better off avoiding this board.

I don't know much about 1080p, but so far I haven't heard anyone from France complain... then again you could be the first french user to try LMCE.

[chris33f]

Thnak you Zaerc.
Do you think the Asus P3-PH5X is a better choice : http://asus.com/products.aspx?
l1=1&l2=3&l3=409&l4=0&model=1656&modelmenu=2
It has :
North Bridge : Intel G965
South Bridge : Intel ICH8
Are they supported correctly ?
I could then add an nvidia graphic board to it.

I'll let you know if I get it work properly here in France. 

[Zaerc]

I have no idea really, the only mainboards I know about can be found in the wiki:
http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Category:Mainboards so you might want to look there.

[Megalewis]

- Which GPU to choose, featuring HDCP support and HDMI output ?

I have the same question, Here in Quebec, Can. The only way I found that I could hook my HDTV receiver is with the Firewire cable, and it works only for non encrypted Channels OR for content that my integrated PVR has recorded.

If anyone knows of a way around HDCP, I d like to know... it s driving me nuts!

[totallymaxed]

- Which GPU to choose, featuring HDCP support and HDMI output ?

I have the same question, Here in Quebec, Can. The only way I found that I could hook my HDTV receiver is with the Firewire cable, and it works only for non encrypted Channels OR for content that my integrated PVR has recorded.

If anyone knows of a way around HDCP, I d like to know... it s driving me nuts!

If you are not worried about UI2 and are happy to run UI1 and just have good SD video performance then pretty much any i945 or i965 based motherboard will have more than adequate graphics (just choose a board with the on-board out options that best suit you). We have tended to focus on this type of MB. But others here who are looking more to UI2 are focussed more on MB's that have on-board nVidia graphics chipsets.

For MD then we favour Via C7/CX700M based motherboards as these have great performance graphically and have very low energy usage and also can run fanless.

Hope this help

Andrew

[chris33f]

It looks like the Abit AN-M2HD is a nice hardware :
http://www.abit.com.tw/page/en/motherboard/motherboard_detail.php?pMODEL_NAME=AN-M2HD&fMTYPE=Socket+AM2

HDMI output, nvidia 7050 intregrated, should be enough for playing 1080i. 1080p seems too much for this video board (256M shared memory)