Using a Via Epia Mini-ITX w/onboard MPEG2 decoder?

[Garrett]

I've got a Via M10000 1ghz C3 processor, which as we all know is woefully underpowered. My capture card is a PVR250.

It does have the benefit of having an onboard MPEG2 decoder. My question is : Does BeyondTV support that?

If so, how can I get BeyondTV to use it?

I just set this all up last night. Clean install of XP+SP1+all updates.

I loaded the Via 4in1, Hauppauge drivers, Video and Audio drivers, all downloaded from the web last night.

Right now, the Video is quite lousy, the problem of which I'm sure is the usage of the software MPEG2 decoder on the C3 processor.

Anyone running this combo? Get it working?

Help?

Garrett

[jkoon]

I don’t know this for sure but I’m thinking that BTV does not support that hardware decoder.

[Garrett]

That's a pity.

I was hoping that someone had a way of turning on, assuming that BTV would just use the 'system default' if there is one.

MythTV apparently works with it... crap.

G

[rkuo]

You need to install the powerdvd decoder...that's the only codec I'm aware of that hardware accelerates in a stable fashion on VIA mini-ITX motherboards.

[Garrett]

Oh!

Excellent.

I've got PowerDVD sitting right here, and I was thinking, I wonder if it would make any difference...

Sweet.

Thanks.
Garrett

[Garrett]

This worked Great!

Thanks

[Grasshopper]

Garrett,

I've been reading up on mini-ITX and have been seriously considering building a box to serve as a BTV client. (I really like the client package in the 3.5 Beta.)

What are your experiences with BTV and mini-ITX? Which board and case are you using? Are the built in graphics decent? Inquiring minds want to know.

Regards,

GH

[archie]

garrett,

i agree with grasshopper. would love to hear your experience after a couple of months with the epia.

i hope "this worked great" really means that!

archie

[Garrett]

Well, I gave up on the MiniITX box.

I swapped machines with my two year old daughter's PC (Athlon 2100), and the performance difference is amazing.

I could almost get good enough with the mini-itx box, but it occassionally skipped and stuttered. Probably brand new models would do.

When I went to the Athlon2100, I was able to crank the bitrate, and now it is as good as my Tivo.

Garrett

[Eric3a]

I swapped machines with my two year old daughter's PC

She had outgrown it already???
Eric

[ticklemeozmo]

Originally Posted by archie

would love to hear your experience after a couple of months with the epia.

Don't.

Garrett says its woe-fully underpowered and it seriously is. Without a "real" VGA device and C3 1GHz =/= P4 1GHz (that's "does not equal").

I'm using just Beyond Media (Beta 5) on it, and without violating any beta agreements, its not speedy (hardware problem, NOT software). Scrolling is lagged enough to where I'd notice (maybe grandma won't), and when I move the mouse with BM running, it uses 100% of the CPU power.

But, playback is fine if you set DivX down to the lowest setting (no visible difference). MP3s play fine, and DVDs play fine. I use the FireFly remote instead of the mouse and I'd qualify it as "Acceptable".

I'm currently using 1 in my NESPC (listed as "Client" in my signature), check out the pic.

[Garrett]

Originally Posted by Eric3a

She had outgrown it already???
Eric

Just About!

You'd be suprised what a two-year old can do. I setup the PC when she was 18 months old for her, and loaded a bunch of kids games on them.

I gave her an old trackman marble to use for it and she loves it.

She's mastered clicking, doubleclicking, drag-n-drop, finding the OK button, clicking through goofy intros, the whole thing.

And if for some reason, it's not availible, I sure do hear about it. Demanding uptimes indeed!

G

[Garrett]

Originally Posted by ticklemeozmo

But, playback is fine if you set DivX down to the lowest setting (no visible difference). MP3s play fine, and DVDs play fine. I use the FireFly remote instead of the mouse and I'd qualify it as "Acceptable".

I'm currently using 1 in my NESPC (listed as "Client" in my signature), check out the pic.

I couldn't even bring myself to do that.

I cranked the res and bitrate to 720x480 and 10000kbps on my athlon2100, and it now looks fantastic. Given all the other things I wanted to do, and lets face it, if all you wanted was a Tivo, go get one. A BTV box is inherintly designed for far more usage than as simply a PVR.

I'm trying an install on my P4/2.4G Hyperthreaded with it, and seeing if how smooth that is. I still haven't decided which PC I'll stop with

G

[ticklemeozmo]

Originally Posted by Garrett

and lets face it, if all you wanted was a Tivo, go get one. A BTV box is inherintly designed for far more usage than as simply a PVR.

Oh, no doubt. My BTV Box is my "Server" in my signature. That's in my living room raping Comcast of its "kwality" programming.

The Client sits in my room next to my TV for when I just want playback functionalitY. If I just want to watch a recorded show, or play music. The one in the living room is for recording and all compressing and all that high processor power stuff.

The Mini-ITX box is great for its playback. Don't expect it to be a BTV server. I'm just hoping it will do well with BTV Link. I will post my results.

[kevink]

I've been using my m1000 with BTV Link with a few, little issues. I found that you must have the following items for it to be workable.

1) 512M ram
2) PowerDVD 4.o decoder used with the "Use hardware acceleration" setting
3) make sure you have video set to use 64MB of ram otherwise the video is jerky.

With the above items I have found that I can play any DVD and BTV recording. I've got a 802.11g card in it and have it set up in my living room. Menu changing/scrolling with BTV Link is a little slow but liveable. Also '3-D accelerated' does not work so no transparent overlays.

I've got two issues 1) an occasional box lockup requiring reboot 2) Viewing on TV the picture has a slight trapazoidal shape..