What software would you run on this HTPC?

[Regk]

Hi, I curently run xp sp3 on this rig, but I am looking to do a format and want to optimize it for HTPC duties. here are the specs

P4 @ 2.4GHZ
1GB ram
AGP radeon 3450
Auzentech X-Plosion
wireless G network card
40GB HDD Networked to my 1TB in office
Wireless mouse/keyboard

I have this hooked up to a pioneer elite reciever via optical cable, and for a display I am connected to a HP Md 5820 58" DLP tv.

My main areas of use or need would be flawless playback of 720P content, streaming video, and music.

What software/codecs would enable me to get the mot out of this setup? I have heard that XBMC is pretty nifty. I am looking for something with a classy looking GUI

thanks!

What software/codecs

 

[The Boston Dangler]

xbmc is pretty slick, esp. with the new default skin. however, it's optimized for remote controls, not kb+m. they work but it's clunky. iirc, no codecs are required for xbmc, as it uses its own player.

having said all that, i use...nothing. win 7, windows explorer, foobar and mpc for me.

 

[vshah]

i'm not sure a 2.4ghz p4 will be able to play back 720p video. my 3.0 could do it, barely.
you could try the coreavc decoder...that's what i had to use to get it to work on my 3.0.

in terms of software, i like xbmc the best.

 

[Regk]

will XBMC offload anything to the radeon 3450? I know mpc hc does

 

[vshah]

will XBMC offload anything to the radeon 3450? I know mpc hc does

no, i don't think so. the only gpu acceleration xbmc supports currently is in the linux version, which can offload to certain nvidia cards.

 

[jdjbuffalo]

I agree with what others have said. I doubt that system will be able to handle what you want. It's too slow of a processor and doesn't have enough RAM.

 

[Regk]

man it sucks to be poor I guess I will stick with MPC HC as I can still watch 720P content that offloads to the video card.

 

[LOUISSSSS]

i'd run as little software on that PC as possible, the less u have the faster it'll be

 

[Auric]

The development builds of XBMC are capable of DXVA. External players can also be launched from XBMC such as DSPlayer or MPC-HC, which in turn include DXVA and/or can use whatever filters are installed. The 3450 provides DXVA. Full bitrate MPEG-2 may still overwhelm the system (due to hardware decoder design) but AVC and VC-1 should be fine. Certainly, the typical low-bitrate AVC re-encodes will be no problemo.

 

[CubanlB]

I just switched to boxee which I believe will offload to the GPU.

If you are just going for 720p I think you might be fine.

Otherwise Media Player classic has always worked really well for me with the low end ATI cards. I have used it with both a 3450 and a 4350.