Which cheap Intel CPU for testing then TV capture?

[taisingera]

I know which mobo I am going to get for a new build when the prices fall, but I have a new video card, and RAM sitting here. I'd like to get a cheap CPU to put in to test the mobo and RAM, SATA DVD drive, and other things before getting a E6750 when it comes out. But I want to then convert my current system into a mATX reusing the DDR and AGP AIW just to capture TV and S-video, and as a spare system just in case using this place-holding CPU. Now, I am looking at either a Celeron 4xx or an E21xx. Both should be able to handle these tasks ,right?

What would you get Celeron 440 (2.0 GHz, 512K, 800fsb, single core, $70) OR
Pentium Dual-Core E2160 (1.8 GHz, 1MB, 800fsb, dual core, $96)?

 

[Blain]

Spend just a tad more and get an E4300. :laugh: No Celeron for sure. :thumbsdown:

 

[mindless1]

Your requirement is a bit ambiguous.

If you're asking, can you get the cheapest CPU your board supports, and have it be acceptibly performing in encoding a video capture using 720x480 resolution or lower MPEG2, yes that would work (so long as the system doesn't have some kind of non-CPU related config problem, as video capture can sometimes require all your ducksk be aligned in a row, particularly when it's not a hardware MPEG(n) card, but so it is with any CPU you'd install, it's not a factor for moderate resolution (not HD) MPEG2 (or MPEG1, and the other less desirable low-compression codecs that AIW had traditionally supported). SOme are more demanding such as MPEG4/2 and incarnations under the Windows Media umbrella, but you can still determine proper function of system either way and see for yourself where your upper limit is if you hit it at all.

The codec and resolution you use mean everything. I haven't tried to use AIW for video capturing recently so I haven't kept up with all possible hacks, but for example suppose there were a hack to capture to H.264 codec @ 640x480, in which case you might find the cheapest CPUs can't keep up.

 

[taisingera]

This is what I want to do: buy a E2xxx or Celeron 4xx to put into the Gigabyte G33 board so I can test RAM and video card and other things. After I determine that the hardware is okay and once the E6750 is introduced, put that into the new board. Then I will take my DDR and AIW and get a mATX board like the Asrock 775i65G and use the E2xxx in that with the AIW to do capture. I just don't want to spend too much on a new CPU that is going into a machine that will be used for very few purposes.

 

[mindless1]

I don't understand your goal, if the most demanding thing it will do is (software) compress moderate res. video, there is no reason to hold out for some new (and multi-hundred-$$$) CPU.

I'm saying that if this is your primary use system, capturing the (typical)AIW vidcap is not so demanding, any semi-modern CPU can do that, but "if" you want to get best performance out of this 'temp' CPU' it would be dual-core, so the software endcoding doesn't as significantly detract from other uses.

 

[heyheybooboo]

The Asrock 775i65G does not have PCIe - only AGP.

The decision is up to you as it depends on what tuner you use and what you capture. Hardware encoding, Dolby and DXa acceleration are a must.

If you are capturing ATSC video I would be less concerned with the processor and more concerned with HD storage, a nice lcd or plasma, surround sound receiver, etc. . . .