Comments on: Atom-based Media Center: Part 1 http://bashelton.com/2009/10/atom-based-media-center-part-1/ Technology enthusiast gone rambling lunatic! Thu, 18 Aug 2011 20:44:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Benjamin http://bashelton.com/2009/10/atom-based-media-center-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-529 Benjamin Sat, 24 Oct 2009 21:27:37 +0000 http://bashelton.com/?p=1498#comment-529 One thing I think I didn't stress much in the article is that the Intel 945-based boards are a little under powered (or feel that way). The NVIDIA Ion systems might be a bit more appropriate, but I haven't found one that has a decent expansion option! I'm hoping this will change. All things considered, though, the Atom 330 + i945 is a pretty decent mix for a basic HTPC. It probably won't do HD well and flash movies are a <i>little</i> jerky (maybe it's just the Youtube videos--some of them are pretty awful quality-wise). If you want something a little more powerful, there's a lot of mini-ATX boards out there that support Core 2 systems--I even found one by SuperMicro that's based on the Atom. Though, one thing about the Core boxes--they can't beat the Atom when it comes to power consumption. I think the processor idles at about 8 watts. One thing I think I didn’t stress much in the article is that the Intel 945-based boards are a little under powered (or feel that way). The NVIDIA Ion systems might be a bit more appropriate, but I haven’t found one that has a decent expansion option! I’m hoping this will change. All things considered, though, the Atom 330 + i945 is a pretty decent mix for a basic HTPC. It probably won’t do HD well and flash movies are a little jerky (maybe it’s just the Youtube videos–some of them are pretty awful quality-wise).

If you want something a little more powerful, there’s a lot of mini-ATX boards out there that support Core 2 systems–I even found one by SuperMicro that’s based on the Atom. Though, one thing about the Core boxes–they can’t beat the Atom when it comes to power consumption. I think the processor idles at about 8 watts.

]]> By: Grimblast http://bashelton.com/2009/10/atom-based-media-center-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-528 Grimblast Sat, 24 Oct 2009 20:46:48 +0000 http://bashelton.com/?p=1498#comment-528 Took me awhile to get around to reading this but very informative! Your shopping list of hardware and the picture examples were a lot better than some of the sites I read on the topic of mythtv type boxes and hardware. It helps to have visual examples and it's too bad a lot of pages dont seem to be very creative in that sense. I look forward to seeing the next part about the software. I've started saving up to get some of the hardware so this way I can start building sooner rather than later. Took me awhile to get around to reading this but very informative! Your shopping list of hardware and the picture examples were a lot better than some of the sites I read on the topic of mythtv type boxes and hardware. It helps to have visual examples and it’s too bad a lot of pages dont seem to be very creative in that sense. I look forward to seeing the next part about the software.

I’ve started saving up to get some of the hardware so this way I can start building sooner rather than later.

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