need CPU advice for MCE2005 build

[imported_Doughboy]

should I get a Pentium D 820 (and OC it to 3.2GHz) or a single core such as 560J or 650?
will I really see benefits from dual core in MCE2005?

 

[openwheelformula1]

HTPC users should stay away from Intel's current offerings. Not even the Preslers. If you must build with Intel then try the Dothan or even Yonah if you have the extra cash. However you do lose 64bit extension which may or may not be a good deal to you.

Athlon64 Venice core processors are by far the best solution for HTPCs.

No, dual core processors do not benefit in MCE2005, however almost everyone will recommend dual core processors to future proofing and multitasking purposes. Some people might recommend you Intel's 805 processor. However it is quite slow for single threaded tasks, and if you try to overclock you lose its efficiency and raise the heat/wattage. So you might as well go with Presler which pals in comparison to AMD's X2. If you can wait, Conroe should be an excellent solution from Intel.

edit: sorry but I couldn't help but smile regarding your sig: "BF2 stable"

 

[imported_Doughboy]

sorry, AMD not an option for me. I'm getting a choice of these free chips.
What if I'm running 2 HDTV tuners and 2 Analog tuners, does dual core help then, or is single core with higher clocks still better... let's say single core 4.0GHz?

 

[openwheelformula1]

If you do alot of simultaneous recording then you might want to dig into better harddrives. Generally RAID should be avoided so you don't overspend for stutters, this depends heavily on the SATA chip though.

If you are getting these chips for free I'd just go with the most expensive LOL. It doesn't really matter at all since they all produce a lot of heat and inefficinet. Unless you plan to use ffdshow which requires as much single core power as possible. Ever heard of "Ebay"..wink wink..lol

 

[imported_Doughboy]

a little off topic, but since you mentioned hard drives... I ordered the WD4000YR. would this drive be ok as the only drive in the case or is there a good reason to go with multiple drives, 1 for OS and 1 for storage? does a single drive set-up create problems, like stutters?

 

[openwheelformula1]

definitely better to go with a dedicated OS drive and a separate recording drive (format to 64k recommended). Only problem is extra heat/noise. Let's keep the forum on topic: CPU. You are welcome to PM me regarding HTPC setups and info.

 

[Wik]

Been running MCE on a CeleronD 320 (2.4) for over a year. Only one tuner, and just recently moved to a SATA drive. You really do not need a dual core, or any expensive CPU. I suggest 1gig of ram, but 512 worked for the first year for me. The best advise I can give you about using an Intel chip, is use an Intel Chipset motherboard. DO NOT USE VIA!. A CeleronD 320 is about $60 bucks and my Asus P4P800S-X was only $47. On the side, I use it as a game server.

No fanboy here, I just like to do things cheaply