Are Sandy Bridge integrated graphics good enough for HTPC?

[evilspoons]

As the title says: are the graphics cores integrated on Sandy Bridge processors good enough for HTPC work? I'm talking scaling video to a 1080p screen through a nice interface like XBMC.

How is Linux support for these new cards? I'm willing to make a Windows box (or possibly even a Hackintosh) but I'd rather pay $0 for my operating system and install Ubuntu.

Can they send audio out on HDMI on Windows and Linux? Bitstream or just PCM? I'm probably going to only have stereo audio for the life of this HTPC (small apartment) but I would like to be able to get 24-bit/192 kHz stereo when available - my speakers and amp are high-end. I'm not going to say "audiophile" because that's a dirty word, but my audio equipment is/will be better than what you'd find at, say, Best Buy.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Sandy Bridge can't display 23.973Hz video formats, because of a hardware limitation. It's limited to 24FPS, and it then skips a frame or so every once in a while, resulting in minor judder.

If you are a video purist, AMD's IGPs are still ahead of Intel when it comes to watching video formats.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Sandy Bridge can't display 23.973Hz video formats, because of a hardware limitation. It's limited to 24FPS, and it then skips a frame or so every once in a while, resulting in minor judder.

This is the affirmation I am telling myself to hold off on buying one of these chips. I need to say this daily! Cause after the term of the platform, I would turn it into an HTPC

This has been re-assuring, thanks for posting this VL :thumbsup:

 

[DesiPower]

So sandy bridge or not, is there any CPU (AMD or INTEL) with a good enough IGP that can handle hull HD and Blu-Ray and the whole nine yards?

 

[Phynaz]

So sandy bridge or not, is there any CPU (AMD or INTEL) with a good enough IGP that can handle hull HD and Blu-Ray and the whole nine yards?

Llano should be able to.

I don't know about Brazos.

 

[DesiPower]

Llano should be able to.

I don't know about Brazos.

Is it out yet? Search led me to a processor called A8-3550, never heard of it before... talks about APU and not CPU..

 

[Zap]

never heard of it before... talks about APU and not CPU..

APU = Accelerated Processing Unit

It is what AMD calls their Fusion processors which have the IGP built into the CPU instead of the chipset. They are just leveraging Radeon technology into upcoming CPUs.

 

[Phynaz]

Brazos is out, llano is imminent.

 

[busydude]

So sandy bridge or not, is there any CPU (AMD or INTEL) with a good enough IGP that can handle hull HD and Blu-Ray and the whole nine yards?

I don't know about Brazos.

There were intermittent flash issues with Brazos platform which I think has been fixed, and it can play Blu-ray with ease.

http://hothardware.com/Reviews/AMD-Fusion-Hits-Retail-Zotac-and-Gigabyte-E350s-Tested/?page=7

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4134/the-brazos-review-amds-e350-supplants-ion-for-miniitx/4

Llano is rumoured to be launched next month, but it will be 2 more months before we see wide market availability.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Might want to read this thread. I'm reading it now. Looks like there is a software "fix" ...still reading though.

 

[Arkadrel]

So sandy bridge or not, is there any CPU (AMD or INTEL) with a good enough IGP that can handle hull HD and Blu-Ray and the whole nine yards?

The Llano will come with the UVD 3.0 (Universal Video Decoder).
Just like any of the 6xxx series discrete cards.

So you would be able to play 3D blu-ray and the whole nine yards with one.

 

[exar333]

Sandy Bridge can't display 23.973Hz video formats, because of a hardware limitation. It's limited to 24FPS, and it then skips a frame or so every once in a while, resulting in minor judder.

If you are a video purist, AMD's IGPs are still ahead of Intel when it comes to watching video formats.

This is a limitation, but many TVs do not even support this feature. As a general HTPC, SB does a great job.