P4 3.2 good to overclock for HTPC?

[tch65721]

Building a HTPC. No games on this box but ffdshow if fairly demanding. Basically, it will suck up all the processor I can afford and then some. Imminent price drops should put the price about $220 for 3.2 Mhz which is about all I'm willing to pay (around $200). I thought I might OC and get 3.5 or even 3.6 ... Possible? Please share your expertise.

 

[ardenJ]

Well, you may be able to get to 3.5 or 3.6 if you have a decent heatsink/fan and good airflow in your case. However, usually HTPC cases don't have very good airflow. Also, a better heatsink may not fit, since they are usually bigger and more bulky.

To get to 3600, you'll have to set the FSB to 225. So it's not that much of a jump if you have good ram, or if you use ratios. The main problem is the heat, since HTPC cases generally run a lot hotter than normal desktop cases due to their compact design.

 

[Thor86]

Yep, I agree with the last previous poster. Depending on how well your SFF/HTPC is ventilated and how decent the power supply is will really determine how far you can oc your cpu. I use a shuttle XPC with my 3.2 and run it at default speeds, which is plenty fast for ffdshow. This 3.2 can do 3.8 on air no problems, but in the shuttle can only do 3.4 due to the weak 250watt power supply.

Good luck.

 

[Liver]

I just rebuilt my HTPC for ffdshow and I am using a AMD64 2800. It does the job and then some. Video is smooth and heat out put is around 37 degrees for the chip alone (no overclock).

If you dead set on Intel, good luck. If you are willing to try AMD, I can give you specs of what I used and my total cost was quite cheap, about 500-600 bucks.

The 50 inch LCD projection HDTV was not cheap . ..

Liver

 

[Stormgiant]

I believe that is way overkill.

Why not just get one 2.4C. It runs pretty cool and is fast enough for that...

you can also do a small amount of OC if the board allows it without getting hot.

 

[tch65721]

Originally posted by: Liver
If you dead set on Intel, good luck. If you are willing to try AMD, I can give you specs of what I used and my total cost was quite cheap, about 500-600 bucks.

Go ahead, I'm willing to listen. My primary system is a 3200+ on a K8N Neo Platinum.
As for it being overkill, most people in HTPC dedicated formus would disagree.

 

[Stormgiant]

Originally posted by: tch65721

Originally posted by: Liver
If you dead set on Intel, good luck. If you are willing to try AMD, I can give you specs of what I used and my total cost was quite cheap, about 500-600 bucks.

Go ahead, I'm willing to listen. My primary system is a 3200+ on a K8N Neo Platinum.
As for it being overkill, most people in HTPC dedicated formus would disagree.

Now i'm curious. Why do you need a top notch cpu for a HTPC box ?!?
I'm I missing something ?

I Would really like to know, cause i'm going to build one to me in a short period.

 

[3chordcharlie]

Why would you need to OC an HTPC?

Even if you're doing encoding or something and want to watch at the same time, HT will look after you well enough, even on a 2.4C.

I don't understand why people OC things on principle, especially systems that are there to do a job; if it does the job, just leave it alone

 

[jhhoffma3]

I would agree about not needing all that. I'm making a HTPC right now out of my old PC. I'm not going to be doing any DVR capablilties though, just making a movie server really. FOR NOW!!!!

P3 Coppermine 650 @ 729Mhz
256MB PC133 SDRAM
8.4GB Maxtor 5400rpm HDD
10.1GB Fujitsu 4200rpm 2.5" HDD
Soundblaster PCI16
WinTek Geforce 256 DDR
Toshiba 32x CDROM

I will upgrade eventually to something like a Radeon 9600Pro and probably a 7.1 capable soundcard, to output to my HDTV and my Yamaha RX-V1400 7.1 receiver. But I really don't want to run all those cables for analog so I may just get a cheap 5.1 card and let my receiver do the bump to 7 channels.

Anyone else running 7.1 sound in a HTPC? If so, what did you use? Also, what video card would any of you recommend for light gaming and decent DVI output (ATI or NVIDIA). And if anyone's done any comparison of DVI vs. Component video output to HDTV, I would appreciate comments on that too. DVI makes sense just because it's easier to setup (from what I hear) but if I use component, I can switch it with my receiver and save the DVI for HDTV signal.

I just started prepping my case. I'm painting it to match my Yamaha speakers which have a very glossy piano black finish. I think it's going to be a lot of fun!!

 

[3chordcharlie]

Originally posted by: jhhoffma3
I would agree about not needing all that. I'm making a HTPC right now out of my old PC. I'm not going to be doing any DVR capablilties though, just making a movie server really. FOR NOW!!!!

P3 Coppermine 650 @ 729Mhz
256MB PC133 SDRAM
8.4GB Maxtor 5400rpm HDD
10.1GB Fujitsu 4200rpm 2.5" HDD
Soundblaster PCI16
WinTek Geforce 256 DDR
Toshiba 32x CDROM

See now I can understand OCing this one My favorite thing about P3s is how quiet the systems can be compared to Athlons and P4s.

There's no need to upgrade the video card except if you're getting a better media-oriented card; if the system is output-only, what you have should be fine. The only thing I would upgrade is the second hard drive for more storage (and then I would give the laptop drive to me to replace my dying 4gig one)

I would guess you don't have any 7.1 encoded videos anyway, and the digital-out from a cheap soundcard is certainly the easiest thing to do, and would probably be my choice. Of course my receiver is too low-end to have multi-channel analog inputs anyway, and only does 5.1, so the choice is easy for me.

I have some questions to add, too:

I'm actually planning to setup an HTPC with an old AXP machine I have laying around, folding. It only has 128mb of ram though; does anyone know if I'll need to upgrade this for playing back MP3 and DVD/Divx?

Also, I only have a win98se license for this machine, and since I'd like to avoid rebooting it every few hours, is there a good media-PC linux distro? I'm concerned about tv-out support and stuff from linux drivers.

 

[oldfart]

If I were to build a HTPC, I'd look real hard at a mobile 35W XP or A64

 

[Stormgiant]

Originally posted by: 3chordcharlie

See now I can understand OCing this one My favorite thing about P3s is how quiet the systems can be compared to Athlons and P4s.

Now youre beeing inconsistance... and i desagree... i have 3 P4 at home running 24/7 and the only thing i can hear is power fans and disks working.

I'm actually planning to setup an HTPC with an old AXP machine I have laying around, folding. It only has 128mb of ram though; does anyone know if I'll need to upgrade this for playing back MP3 and DVD/Divx?

128MB should be plenty enough if there is anything else running in parallel. Althought i would recommend 256MB...

Also, I only have a win98se license for this machine, and since I'd like to avoid rebooting it every few hours, is there a good media-PC linux distro? I'm concerned about tv-out support and stuff from linux drivers.

Why ? Win98se isn't stable for more than a couple hours ?!?

 

[3chordcharlie]

Originally posted by: Stormgiant
Why ? Win98se isn't stable for more than a couple hours ?!?

I'm overstating things a little, but I do find it needs to be rebooted every few days, and I'd like to have it just work.

As far as inconsistencygoes, I guess there's no need to OC the P3 either, unless it's doing DVR duties as well; I was mainly just surprised that someone would want to OC a fast P4 for a media PC, I would have though keeping heat and noise to a minimum would be a higher priority.

I'm really sensitive to fan noise, and I haven't really been happy with the noise-level of my computer since I got rid of my P3, even though I've bought a couple of new CPU fans trying improve things.

 

[Stormgiant]

Originally posted by: 3chordcharlie

Originally posted by: Stormgiant
Why ? Win98se isn't stable for more than a couple hours ?!?

I'm overstating things a little, but I do find it needs to be rebooted every few days, and I'd like to have it just work.

As far as inconsistencygoes, I guess there's no need to OC the P3 either, unless it's doing DVR duties as well; I was mainly just surprised that someone would want to OC a fast P4 for a media PC, I would have though keeping heat and noise to a minimum would be a higher priority.

I'm really sensitive to fan noise, and I haven't really been happy with the noise-level of my computer since I got rid of my P3, even though I've bought a couple of new CPU fans trying improve things.

True. I know what you mean, that's why i have a nice WC setup. No noise at all

I was just suggesting that instead of buying a 3.2C, i would prefer to get a 2.4C and overclock a little bit to 2.7/2.8 if needed at all, which i doubt.

Also, in my days of windows 98SE, it would run for a day, or 6 mouths ( my record with an FTP server 24/7 at home ).

I would prefer XP over 98Se for a multimedia machine.

 

[3chordcharlie]

Originally posted by: Stormgiant
I would prefer XP over 98Se for a multimedia machine.

Me too, but there's the little matter of $100-150 for a license that I would rather not spend on an otherwise 'free' HTPC.

Does anyone know how good linux support is for TV-out and digital sound out for a media PC? Player software for videos and music isn't a problem, I know.

 

[tch65721]

Originally posted by: Stormgiant

Now i'm curious. Why do you need a top notch cpu for a HTPC box ?!?
I'm I missing something ?

I Would really like to know, cause i'm going to build one to me in a short period.

One reason: ffdshow.

FFDSHOW is a DirectShow decoding filter for decompressing DivX, XviD, WMV, MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 movies. Image postprocessing in ffdshow can enhance the playback quality of dvds to nearly HD levels. If you have a HD capable set it is wonderful. If you don't, forget it. You can build your HTPC with nearly anything you have laying around... especially if your capture card uses hardware encoding.
P4 does a bit better with ffdshow than AMD64. Common wisdom is that the more power you have the better. If you want to know more, here is an ffdshow guide:
http://htpcnews.com/main.php?id=ffdshowdvd_1
I also recommend you try here: http://www.htpcnews.com/ and check out their forums.
Another good source of info is the HTPC thread here: http://www.avsforum.com/

Good luck with your build.

 

[Stormgiant]

LOL...

That's way off my needs for now.
It will be for some time now, but that is way over my head. Don't need that much "professionalism".

Besides, couln't find one place that said that a 2.4C wasn't enough

 

[jhhoffma3]

Originally posted by: 3chordcharlie

See now I can understand OCing this one My favorite thing about P3s is how quiet the systems can be compared to Athlons and P4s.

There's no need to upgrade the video card except if you're getting a better media-oriented card; if the system is output-only, what you have should be fine. The only thing I would upgrade is the second hard drive for more storage (and then I would give the laptop drive to me to replace my dying 4gig one)

I would guess you don't have any 7.1 encoded videos anyway, and the digital-out from a cheap soundcard is certainly the easiest thing to do, and would probably be my choice. Of course my receiver is too low-end to have multi-channel analog inputs anyway, and only does 5.1, so the choice is easy for me.

I OC'd it when it was my main box and, since it was so stable, I didn't bother changing it. I have to get a better video card, because my Geforce 256 DDR doesn't have DVI, just VGA and S-video. I could get a transcoder but that's almost as much as a Radeon 9600Pro anyway, so why not just get the better card to begin with? Or would it matter if I got the component adapter and went that way?

I'm really beginning to think someone jumped the gun on the 7.1 thing. It's basically ProLogic I on steroids. You can buy amplifiers that support 7 channels of amplification but no discrete 7 channel signal source. DTS ES Discrete is the only 6 channel one I know of, but the rest is matrixed. While it may sound great (which it does) it's still crap, since you have to use 4 analog cables to get it anywhere.

I did look at that ffdshow, and it looks very promising. I wonder if my system will be enough.

 

[3chordcharlie]

Originally posted by: jhhoffma3
I OC'd it when it was my main box and, since it was so stable, I didn't bother changing it. I have to get a better video card, because my Geforce 256 DDR doesn't have DVI, just VGA and S-video. I could get a transcoder but that's almost as much as a Radeon 9600Pro anyway, so why not just get the better card to begin with? Or would it matter if I got the component adapter and went that way?

I don't know about the component adapter, but if you need something better than S-video you're using a much nicer system than I am!

The all-in-wonder ATI series seem to be pretty good media cards from reviews; if I had a budget for my HTPC I would probably get one. I just though since you weren't doing DVR that you wouldn't have need for anything more than S-video out, but I guess I was wrong

What I really want is a SFF barebone to fill with old parts, and then actually look good in my living room, but it's definitely not in the budget.

 

[Zap]

My movie machine is a Mobile Celeron 1.6 with an ATI AIW 7500. Runs FFDSHOW great. Of course I don't fiddle with any post processing, but for just basic playback on a 35" TV, works great.