Which CPU for media server?

[Jammor]

Wanting to upgrade my Q8400 CPU in my SageTV media server. The server is headless and records analog TV with tuner cards and HD tv with an HDHR. It also runs commercial skipping utility and transcodes MPEG2 videos to a handful of Hauppauge MVP front ends.

I will also be upgrading from XP Home to Win7 64.

I haven't looked at CPUs lately. Can anyone recommend a value CPU for this media server? I don't think I need a real beefy processor; the 8400 has never broken a sweat. I just need to update my media server hardware and re-purpose the 8400 for another project.

 

[SMOGZINN]

Well, if you are wanting to keep the motherboard then I think the only thing you are going to be able to find for the LGA 775 socket is a i3-3220.

 

[joutlaw]

Well, if you are wanting to keep the motherboard then I think the only thing you are going to be able to find for the LGA 775 socket is a i3-3220.

i3-3220 is LGA1155.

I have a i3-2100 and G530 Celeron. The i3 is in my HTPC with a Ceton PCI-E tuner. The G530 is my WHS2011 where I archive recordings and have other media. The G530 is pretty impressive considering its price and clock speed.

While I am not doing analog recordings, my i3 is using DVRMSToolbox with ComSkip. I have 4 worker threads enabled (even though my i3 is only 2 cores with 2 HT). It keeps up easily indexing content for commercials.... usually in under 3 minutes or so with an hour show.

 

[SMOGZINN]

i3-3220 is LGA1155.

It sure is. I don't know what I was thinking.

 

[Jammor]

Thx for the replies. I want to run my SageTV servers in parallel until I get the new one updated and ready to take over and then take the Q8400 down completely and re-purpose the Q8400. So I'll need a new MB.

Just trying to find the right blend of performance/energy use/heat. I could easily get another Yorkfield and be happy with it but they're harder to find; they use more energy and give off more heat than newer CPUs; and frankly, on ebay, they're not that much cheaper than newer i3's and i5's.

There are some inexpensive 1st gen i5's but I think socket 1156 is EOL'd and they're less efficient than the 3rd gen i3 like mentioned in this thread.

I have a G620 (2.6ghz dual core SB) in a media client and works fine but not sure it would be up to the server tasks - at least I wouldn't want to roll the dice w/ one in a server.

 

[thestrangebrew1]

I'd go with at least an i3 if you're doing any sort of transcoding. 1156 is pretty much dead, I'd stay away from those if you think you might be using the pc for anything else later down the road. I've got a g630 in my server and it does a fantastic job for server duties. I run Plex on it and haven't had any problems with the chip.

 

[billyb0b]

i concur with others here... an i3 will fit the bill nicely and is very cost effective

 

[flocko]

I'd go with at least an i3 if you're doing any sort of transcoding. 1156 is pretty much dead, I'd stay away from those if you think you might be using the pc for anything else later down the road. I've got a g630 in my server and it does a fantastic job for server duties. I run Plex on it and haven't had any problems with the chip.

+1

I use a G620 in my media server and don't have any issues either. I don't do a lot of trans coding but when I do I have no problems . A tad slower ... but really doesn't bother me

 

[Jammor]

just wondering...

In the HTPC world, does dual core / 4 threads = quad core / 4 threads?

I like the i3 3220 (2core/4thread) but just wandering if these configurations are equal in terms of HTPC performance.

looks like Newegg has i3 3220 for $119.

 

[Charlie98]

I bought a G620 for my HTPC... now I'm wishing I would have gone with an i3 just for transcoding purposes. Oh, well...

 

[Jammor]

I bought a G620 for my HTPC... now I'm wishing I would have gone with an i3 just for transcoding purposes. Oh, well...

Charlie - can you elaborate? Why the regret with the G620 in your HTPC? Can you explain about the transcoding? Thx