new HTPC build -- bear with me please

[my-pc-is-too-loud]

I know there are a bunch of threads on system building here (it is after all the system building area...) but please bear with me.

Intro
Also note I will post this request at SPCR, Phoronix and MythTVTalk, all to get input on the various aspects of the build. Some of these questions will have been asked before but in order to get clearest set of repsonses from the 3 sources I will post the same post in each forum. I will use Euro as price meter with prices from http://geizhals.at/eu/.

Intent:
to build a cheap and low energy and thereby low noise HTPC running Linux in an Antec Micro Fusion case (micro-atx) using onboard graphics. HD content will be (if any mostly downloaded or from Freesat (which I believe is 720p)

Base question: AMD v Intel and ATI v NVIDIA v Intel
The base question is of course a mixed one, if I go for ATI graphics I will have to use an AMD processor, Intel graphics will need an Intel CPU - nVIDIA will the choice of either

CPU:
Intel A) Pentium Dual Core 5200, 45nm, (72Euro, boxed) - plenty of power for what I intend to do
Intel B) Pentium Dual Core 2180, 65nm M0 stepping (55Euro, boxed), should still be enough power

Tom's E2220 M0 Stepping

both offer great wattage and power (despite intel calling them 65w tdp), 2180 is about

AMD A) Athlon 64 x2 4850e (55 Euro, boxed)
processing power similar to above, thermally not so good (just cpu)

Motherboard -- rather chipset:
this is more about a chipset in the first instance than about a specific board
Nvidia for Intel: Nvidia does decode on mGPU and have just published VDPAU for Linux, Thermals have been tested as good and so is video (on Windows tests) (100 Euro, for Asus board)
Nvidia for AMD: geforce mGPU 8200 (official TDP14.3W) as above for video capabilities, but much more availability (50-55 Euro plus)

ATI for AMD: 780g chipset (or 780m if avail) supposedly uses less than 1W, but I doubt that is same basis as TDP for nvidia or intel -- happy to hear it is -- works fine, I believe there is an hdmi sound restriction which is irrelevant for me as my amp will need a co-axial/optical lead, AMD has announced UVD for Linux but its not out yet UVD for AMD, (50-55 Euro plus, an 790gx board for 125Euro appears overkill)

Intel for Intel: G45 chipset can do full hd, tdp 23w, will have open source drivers at some point, Intel though not the best at even getting windows drivers to work (100 Euro)
G43 instead of G45, same tdp, cuts out a bit video processing might strain cpu more ie higher heat rate (80 Euro, not a big saving v G45)

Hard disk
Is it worthwhile to go 2.5" for sound and heat?

DVD:
Will follow recommendation from spcr

The chipset might be the clincher so I am more than happy to hear opions and so, also if people have specific recommendations please fire away.


THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME and HELP!

[QuietOC]

Nvidia for AMD: geforce mGPU 8200 (official TDP14.3W) as above for video capabilities, but much more availability (50-55 Euro plus)

ATI for AMD: 780g chipset (or 780m if avail) supposedly uses less than 1W, but I doubt that is same basis as TDP for nvidia or intel -- happy to hear it is -- works fine

The <1W number for 780G is idle power, not TDP. I haven't seen a TDP for it, but my 780G motherboard had a small heatsink, which suggests a low TDP. I haven't seen your TDP for the Geforce 8200 either.

I don't like the current choice for Intel integrated graphics chipsets. A cheap Radeon HD video card and a P35/G33/G31/P31 chipset motherboard is a better option.

[my-pc-is-too-loud]

thanks for your reply.

i like the idea but I fear that will greatly increase the load and thermals of the system (??) would it then not be easier to go down the

Intel E5200 + Geforce Chipset route ?

[QuietOC]

Intel E5200 + Geforce Chipset route ?

The G45 and Geforce 9300 integrated video aren't as efficient as an old Radeon HD 2400 XT, and they cost more too. Unless you want something too small for a video card, forget about them.

[my-pc-is-too-loud]

are you sure?

from the intel docs:

P31: 15.5 W, 7.6 W idle, with 266 MHz FSB
G31: 15.5 W, 7.4 W idle, with 266 MHz FSB

with even a highly efficent card 25w ? 20w ?

this adds up to

35W or more ...

now the same Intel docs state

G45: 24 W, 9 W idle, with 333 MHz FSB

(also reproduced somewhere on spcr) which appears lower than the sum of two components

I cannot find any reliable info on geforce 9200 consumption but in reports is was said the AMD version (wihtout mem controller) was nearly as efficient as the 780g

[my-pc-is-too-loud]

just browsing on phoronix, I am now under the impression that AMD will provide UVD2 but not necessarily UVD/UVD+ drivers, as the 780g would fall under the UVD+ bracket it looks like nVidia might have moved up a notch, any helpful hints?

[Strid]

Hey! Which linux are you going to run on this box?

[QuietOC]

with even a highly efficent card 25w ? 20w ?

Radeon 2400 XT idles around 7W including its memory.

The G45 idle number is only the northbridge chip power. You need to add its memory use power and display circuit. The G33 idles around 5.5W, so it is not certain if a G45 uses less than a P35/G33 + HD 2400 XT. Yet the latter performs better and costs less.

[my-pc-is-too-loud]

Hey! Which linux are you going to run on this box?

I am rather vanilla, I so far use Ubuntu --> ie would be Mythbuntu for this probably but happy to hear other suggestions...

[simeli]

mythbuntu is definitely worth a try. I've been running Gentoo on my box, but I started well before mythbuntu was available and ubuntu just getting mature.

What I can tell you though, Nvidia traditionally has the best video drivers for linux that support even awkward resolutions. Don't know about current ATI drivers, but intel used to be a pain with anything different than traditional PC resolutions.

[my-pc-is-too-loud]

can anyone confirm or deny the difference in VDPAU capabilities between the 8200/8300 amd and the 9300/9400 intel chipsets?

http://www.nvidia.com/object/product_ge ... pu_us.html

http://www.nvidia.com/object/product_ge ... pu_us.html

I think they both do both, are am I wrong, I am asking because at Phoronix I got the recommendation to wait for MCP85
http://en.expreview.com/2008/10/23/nvid ... 3-cpu.html

now I am happy to wait a bit but at the moment I am not sure what the advantage of the mcp85 is? especially when compared to the intel chipset

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UPDATE:
looking at anand http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=3432 it appears the intel set has twice as many processors (slightly contradictory to the expreview above) and is built in 65nm, so a shrink could help the chipset save a bit of juice on AMD

__________________________________________

Post scriptum:

What uses more power (talking both idle and load)?
Intel E5200 + nVidia 9300
AMD 4850e + nVidia 8200