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Custom Llano based HTPC... opinions please!

Hey all,
I am putting a HTPC together that will primarily be used with XBMC, but also be used to browse the internet and download films via lovefilm.com. Here is what I am considering...
AMD Llano A8-3800
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/amd-a8-3800.html
Gigabyte Motherboard - AMD A75, Socket FM1, DDR3 (GA-A75M-UD2H)
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-358-GI&groupid=701&catid=1903&subcat=2058
Corsair Vengeance 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 PC3-12800C8 1600MHz Dual Channel
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MY-298-CS&groupid=701&catid=8&subcat=1517
Western Digital Caviar Black 2TB SATA 6Gb/s 64MB
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-368-WD&groupid=701&catid=14&subcat=1953
OCZ ModXStream Pro 500w Silent
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-037-OC&tool=3
Lian Li Case (PC-C37B)
http://www.kustompcs.co.uk/acatalog/info_1194.html
For these simple tasks I am under the impression Llano will suffice. Should I be worried about the lack of a discrete GPU?
Also this will cost about £500 which is kind of pricey for a HTPC. Has anyone got any suggestions to reduce the price of the build?
Thanks for any feedback?

PSU and RAM is a bit overkill for a HTPC. Also, run LINUX if you wanna keep it low-powered. From what I hear, Llano has a great GPU but sucky CPU. It should suffice as a HTPC processor. I'd go for a lower end PSU and about 1GB RAM if Linux, 2GB if Windows.

Thanks for the good advice about the PSU and RAM.
I have heard that the LLano CPU is a little weak on other sites too. I was considering instead an Athlon II with dedicated graphics. It will cost a similar amount as this system.
I can even get the AsRock vision 3D for the same price...
http://www.asrock.com/microsite/Vision3D/index.asp?c=Main
There are just too many options...

edcoppen said:
Thanks for the good advice about the PSU and RAM.
I have heard that the LLano CPU is a little weak on other sites too. I was considering instead an Athlon II with dedicated graphics. It will cost a similar amount as this system.
I can even get the AsRock vision 3D for the same price...
http://www.asrock.com/microsite/Vision3D/index.asp?c=Main
There are just too many options...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
3D is overrated. I'm assuming that you:
1. Have a 3D HDTV.
2. Have the 3D glasses
3. Have a desire for headaches.
Also, a lot will depend on usage pattern/behaviour. If you are only using it for some browsing (assuming social networks, youtubes, reading forums like XDA, some degree of flash playing), the Llano should be more than sufficient. It will also serve well in a light gaming mode (we're talking COD:MW2 probably). And if you're running Linux, I'd say that bumping to 2GB will make it a behemoth when it comes to webapps.
That said and done, what I suggested (Linux build and bumping it to 2GB) will be more than sufficient for watching movies and some light browsing with webapps. The Llano is not good as a CPU, but it is a real kicker when it comes to making a no fuss dedicated system (although it sucks when it comes to making a good gaming PC). I believe that many sites actually view it as a high potential processor for HTPCs. Just remember to properly cool your rig (silent cooling FTW) when building your HTPC (my brother's sucked because he used a 9800GT).
So... building your own (if you have the expertise or can seduce/befriend someone with the expertise) will definitely yield savings, benefits and earn an essential geek badge.

Linux is out the question as my Dad (who will be using the HTPC) has used Windows all his life and will not learn another OS.
I get your point about the 3D and I have no intentions of using it for now... but it will be there for the future
I believe that both a LLano based system and the ASRock Vision 3D will fit the needs of a HTPC. As they cost a similar price and I am comfortable building my own system I have both options open to me.
I guess what it comes down to is which system is better... Llano with A75 chipset or i3 with HM55 chipset? Any opinions???

edcoppen said:
Linux is out the question as my Dad (who will be using the HTPC) has used Windows all his life and will not learn another OS.
I get your point about the 3D and I have no intentions of using it for now... but it will be there for the future
I believe that both a LLano based system and the ASRock Vision 3D will fit the needs of a HTPC. As they cost a similar price and I am comfortable building my own system I have both options open to me.
I guess what it comes down to is which system is better... Llano with A75 chipset or i3 with HM55 chipset? Any opinions???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Llano.
It has similar processing powers to an i3, but trumps even an i7 when it comes to GPU power. As for 3D, when the glassless 3DTVs come out, the specs will be different. I get most of my home movies off the internet, and from what I understand, a Blu-Ray disc has about 20+GB on average on it, so go figure.

Thank you for the good advice. I am nearly ready to make my purchase. I have decided to go for a custom Llano based system pretty similar to the one outlined in the OP. I will follow the advice though to downgrade the PSU and ram. Just a few more questions pls...
I was hoping to avoid using a dedicated GPU but I just realised i'm not sure if the motherboard supports lossless bitstreaming. I have looked but couldnt find out. Here's the motherboard I have in mind...
http://uk.asus.com/Motherboards/AMD_Socket_FM1/F1A75M/#specifications/#specifications
If this board doesn't support it I will probably get this GPU but I want to avoid it if possible...
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-263-SP
Thanks again for the help so far!

This situation just got a whole load more confusing
It turns out that the only way to get lossless bitstreaming with a Llano-based system is to use a dedicated GPU. This kind of defies the whole point of going down the Llano route as its integrated graphics was one of it's key benefits. Seeing as everyone says the CPU performance of Llano system is underwhelming I am seriously reconsidering the whole build.
Instead I could base the build around the H55 chipset as this does support lossless bitstreaming. I could then use the superior CPU performance of an i3, but would still require dedicated graphics to escape crappy Intel HD2000.
Bearing in mind that bitstreaming is an essential part of the build what would you do?
Edit: the H55 path really limits things like SATA 6gb/s and USB 3.0

edcoppen said:
This situation just got a whole load more confusing
It turns out that the only way to get lossless bitstreaming with a Llano-based system is to use a dedicated GPU. This kind of defies the whole point of going down the Llano route as its integrated graphics was one of it's key benefits. Seeing as everyone says the CPU performance of Llano system is underwhelming I am seriously reconsidering the whole build.
Instead I could base the build around the H55 chipset as this does support lossless bitstreaming. I could then use the superior CPU performance of an i3, but would still require dedicated graphics to escape crappy Intel HD2000.
Bearing in mind that bitstreaming is an essential part of the build what would you do?
Edit: the H55 path really limits things like SATA 6gb/s and USB 3.0
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmmm... I'll need to do a little homework first... I'll get back to you regarding the lossless streams

edcoppen said:
This situation just got a whole load more confusing
It turns out that the only way to get lossless bitstreaming with a Llano-based system is to use a dedicated GPU. This kind of defies the whole point of going down the Llano route as its integrated graphics was one of it's key benefits. Seeing as everyone says the CPU performance of Llano system is underwhelming I am seriously reconsidering the whole build.
Instead I could base the build around the H55 chipset as this does support lossless bitstreaming. I could then use the superior CPU performance of an i3, but would still require dedicated graphics to escape crappy Intel HD2000.
Bearing in mind that bitstreaming is an essential part of the build what would you do?
Edit: the H55 path really limits things like SATA 6gb/s and USB 3.0
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seems to me that using an AMD Phenom/Athlon with a dedicated GPU will be slightly cheaper., although the whole rig will never fit in that casing...

I have decided to rule out the Llano system due to the complications with lossless audio. This now leaves me with an i3 system or Athlon like you suggested.
For an Athlon system I saw these parts:
AMD Athlon II X2 Dual Core 250 3.00GHz
Asus M4A88TD-M EVO/USB3 AMD 880G (Socket AM3)
These are cheaper than an i3 system for sure... as far as performance goes I am confident both the Athlon and i3 route is enough for a HTPC. I wonder about how their power consumption compares though?

edcoppen said:
I have decided to rule out the Llano system due to the complications with lossless audio. This now leaves me with an i3 system or Athlon like you suggested.
For an Athlon system I saw these parts:
AMD Athlon II X2 Dual Core 250 3.00GHz
Asus M4A88TD-M EVO/USB3 AMD 880G (Socket AM3)
These are cheaper than an i3 system for sure... as far as performance goes I am confident both the Athlon and i3 route is enough for a HTPC. I wonder about how their power consumption compares though?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
AMD usually has a lower power profile than Intel, although if you underpowered your PC the processor will have to work REALLY hard to keep up... depends a lot.
Currently, an AMD-AMD setup for CPU and GPU combo is more efficient than an Intel-NVidia setup, although for the mid-range PCs, it might be different. A key component of power draw and power efficiency is actually your PSU. Most of the time, the PC will be on idle/low usage. Having an 80+ rated Gold or Platinum goes a loooooooong way towards saving power.
In terms of performance, the i3 does not have much benefit over AMD, because the good techs are limited to the i5s and i7s. AMD only differentiates the core count and superficial unlocks.
DISCLAIMER: A little late on this, but: I AM A HUGE AMD FAN. Not that I blow, but I really like AMD, and have been using AMD rigs for as long as I can remember.

Well I think I have come to a decision... again. Almost every component is different now. Here's my new selection of components:
Intel Core i3-2100T 2.5Ghz
MSI H67MA-E35 Intel H67
OCZ Platinum 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 PC3-10666
Sapphire ATI Radeon HD 6670 1024MB
Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB
SilverStone Grandia GD04
OCZ StealthXStream2 400w Silent
I can get all of these for a round £500. Any last minute feedback from anyone before I buy it all would be much appreciated.

One thing that I didn't clarify with you. The service is movie streaming or downloading? Coz 1TB is mighty little for heavy downloading (trust me).
Although, from your setup, the parts look mighty fine to me. Just upgrade the CPU and GPU down the road and you'll have a mainstream gaming rig

Pop quiz! AMD or Intel?

So I'm working on my new computer, and I need help! I'm looking into bulldozer, but it keeps getting delayed. I feel like we may be seeing i9 before Bulldozer.
I'm looking for good performance, for a little bit less.
Opinions? No flaming!

Chandelure said:
So I'm working on my new computer, and I need help! I'm looking into bulldozer, but it keeps getting delayed. I feel like we may be seeing i9 before Bulldozer.
I'm looking for good performance, for a little bit less.
Opinions? No flaming!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Intel Core i5 would be nice.....because I've not been following up on AMD lately.....
Forever living in my Galaxy Ace using XDA App

AMD fanboy since day one. Seriously, just buy whatever you can afford.

It depends. What do you plan on using this rig for?
Sent from my I897 using XDA App

Currently i7 rules but bulldozer and ivy-bridge may change that
Also it'll depend on ur budget and what you plan using the rig for

bradleyG said:
It depends. What do you plan on using this rig for?
Sent from my I897 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Development.
And i7 is far to many $$$
Sent from my LG-VM670 using XDA App

Well if i7 is out of your budget an AMD Phenom II x6 is real cheap right now with bulldozer around the corner (This is what I currently have).
I honestly would wait for bulldozer so you aren't feeling buyers remorse once it comes out. I highly doubt you will be able to afford ivy bridge if you can't afford i7. Intel is soo pricey.

if ur budget is less than 500$ than amd if more than that move to intel..

Chandelure said:
Development.
And i7 is far to many $$$
Sent from my LG-VM670 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I recommend those fast i5s .
Forever living in my Galaxy Ace using XDA App

2600K at 300$

I have the quad core i5 750 Oc'ed to 4Ghz with no problems and only a cheap upgrade to stock cooling.
It FLIES!
Half the cost of an i7 too
Sent from my HTC Desire S using Tapatalk

How did u oc it?
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda premium

How did u oc it?
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda premium

jsplace said:
I have the quad core i5 750 Oc'ed to 4Ghz with no problems and only a cheap upgrade to stock cooling.
It FLIES!
Half the cost of an i7 too
Sent from my HTC Desire S using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have a first generation core I5 processor coupled to am Asus motherboard !! Overclocked from stock 2.8 ghz to 3.5 ghz with just the right air cooling products and a good processor fan and heat sink combo !
Tapashocked via my gt-I9003 with a random keyboard of my choice !

Amd. Will not buy intel.
-My life is a shooting range, people never change-

had you asked this question 2-3 years ago I would have said Amd hands down. On-die memory controller used to make all the difference. Now that Intel has on-die memory controllers with their core i3/5/7 line, Amd is definitely lagging behind in performance. I'd still recomend a black edition phenom II x4 or x6 for someone who loves to tweak and game out, but if you've got the cash, Intel sure seems to be the ring leader lately.
I had a 9550 BE phenom I, in a nice desktop system, ran it at 3ghz stable, was a fast box. Was given an hp dv6-3050ca which has an i5 in it, with the fancy on die memory controller and video acceleration. Wow was I EVER impressed at the progress intel has made, I even managed to run fallout new vegas at 15-20fps on low settings on this thing. We're talking intel graphics here, integrated. They've made leaps and bounds in the past few years. I currently have a Core i7 720qm sitting in a asus g73jh; I'd say it has a bit of a low clock speed with all 4 cores engaged, but with 8 threads, what's the difference. Takes a Phenom II x6 to match the same level of performance. Though either can be had new for about the same price.
Intel i7's are pricey as all hell, and unless you've got cash to dump and are looking for extreme performance, you'll probably be more than happy with an Amd. If you're looking to game matching up a nice Amd/Ati motherboard with an Ati video card, really does wonders in terms of compatibility, I've built a few myself and they were painless builds. Intels tend to be more efficient, expecially in the mobile arena. There's something sexy about a 140W cpu though, and that's where the phenom II line shines, they chew up power like nazi's chew up amphetamines, and they chew through like raped apes.
All in all amd is a good start/middleroad for the money, but for true high end power, or mobile efficiency stick to intel. I've noticed a trend across all cpu manufacturers, the more on die cache, the better. 2mb extra cache is worth more than 600mhz, imho.
0.02C CDN

I think the biggest problem of AMD is compatibility. Usually They don't work truely in some Linux Distros.

Pure preference. What's your budget?

Hmmm, sounds like i5 it is. Thanks guys!

Chandelure said:
Hmmm, sounds like i5 it is. Thanks guys!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
one more thing, AMD heats fast. it can cook your PC within 8 hours

GPU Suggestions, GTX560TI Top or wait for Kepler?

Hey guys, just wondering if anyone has any knowledge / opinions regarding graphics cards. I'm tossing up weather to buy an Asus GTX 560Ti TOP as they seem to be fantastic for the price point ATM..... or wait for the new nVidia chipset release? Any ideas !?

How is the rest of your system looking? It might be a bit of an overkill, i would go with the GTX560 of 580, It should be ok for the next 2 years. Are you a hardcore gamer?

Hey mate, I'm not really a hard-core gamer but i figure for the price point i might as well go for it, plus a little bit of headroom would be nice.
Intel i7-2600k
8GB G-Skill DDR3 18600
60GB Sata 6Gbps SSD (For OS)
Various Drives for storage.
ASUS P8Z68-V PRO

freekaleekuk said:
Hey mate, I'm not really a hard-core gamer but i figure for the price point i might as well go for it, plus a little bit of headroom would be nice.
Intel i7-2600k
8GB G-Skill DDR3 18600
60GB Sata 6Gbps SSD (For OS)
Various Drives for storage.
ASUS P8Z68-V PRO
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The 560 will give you some headroom too. And later down tbe road when prices drop on the Kepler drop you can upgrade to that one. Are you an overclocker? Squeeze a bit more out of the 2600k and 560 and you wont notice any real-life performance difference from the Kepler.

If Kepler flops like what I'm hearing I'll be pee'd off as I'm hoping for a price war at the high end so I can upgrade my GTX580.

Intratech said:
If Kepler flops like what I'm hearing I'll be pee'd off as I'm hoping for a price war at the high end so I can upgrade my GTX580.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then you can sell your GTX580 to the OP since he isnt a hardcore gamer and everybody is happy. Solution found! Damn, I'm good. Lol.
I dont know if I would purchase such a high end video card the second it came out. I would wait like 5 months or until a second revision of the product so they can work out bugs with drivers or even with the manufacturing process.

Not to change the direction or anything but have you taken a look over at AMD? i use both products and the 7000 series is pretty good not to mention its latest and greatest 7990 6GB GDDR5 lol way too much ($800). but anyways....
I use the AMD XFX HD 6770 and need to upgrade but if Nvidia is what your looking at you might want to get the GTX 570?

XxLostSoulxX said:
Not to change the direction or anything but have you taken a look over at AMD? i use both products and the 7000 series is pretty good not to mention its latest and greatest 7990 6GB GDDR5 lol way too much ($800). but anyways....
I use the AMD XFX HD 6770 and need to upgrade but if Nvidia is what your looking at you might want to get the GTX 570?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use AMD..but 680GTX .. O_O

OmegaRED^ said:
I use AMD..but 680GTX .. O_O
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah but the 680 like the 580, 590 has problems with overclocking.
I rather have a stable card then a blazing fast card that will only last me a month

bigboxrate said:
nVidia seems to be better
But a little expensive I think
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well it depends on what works best if you have intel Nvidia works best plus the processor speed too etc.....

680 GTX i tested a beta board for 2 weeks.
No issue's.. just damn power hungry.
I would suggest... once they revise and prices have dropped.
Else.. radeon makes some OP cards as well.
Memory
But basically aim for a 2GB Gddr5 card.. ^_^
Bus Width
Always check the bus width.. the wider the better. ^-^ 128 bit cards mostly suck. 256bit and upward are Can be OP cards..
Core clock speeds..
idk.. depend on manufacturer revision.. Higher clocks are almost always better.
Some cards like nvidia have shader and cuda engines... the may have separate clocks..
If you find a card you like... google it and see how it stacks up.. there are many sites will to provide info. ^_^
Good luck guy.

I disagree with the post above nvdia usually generate a lot less heat compare to amd and the definitely generate a lot less power.
In my opinion the best graphic card suited for the operator is hd6950 because of the price point and you can flash the bios to hd 6970 make it one of the best bang for buck .
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium

What CPU's Can I Run? ETC...

Alright guys here's my PC Setup
HP 6214y:
MOBO: Pegatron m2n78-la (Violet) http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?cc=us&lc=en&docname=c01635734
CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 620(2.6GHz) NO OC
GPU: XFX Radeon HD 6770 Single Slot ~ 850/1200 NO OC
PSU: 650W Antec Earthwatts
RAM: 8GB DDR2
HDD: 1TB WD & LaCie 2TB External HDD
Monitor: 20" HP 2009f
Now i know the motherboard lists as AM2 yet my HP is running the Athlon II x4 620 which that says is AM3 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103706
So i was wondering if there is any Newer CPU i could run on this MOBO and if it would bottleneck my GPU?
So i had in mine the http://www.frys.com/product/7018861?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG which is 125w compared to my 95w Athlon II.
Any suggestions *i do not want to run Intel at all* So please no wars just need help, only your honest opinions on what i can do PLEASE & THANKS!

Newest amd socket is FM1, so I'm afraid you're limited to am3.
Sent from my coffee pot.

TheSkinnyDrummer said:
Newest amd socket is FM1, so I'm afraid you're limited to am3.
Sent from my coffee pot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well under tech specs it says that the AMD FX 4170 under the link i provided says socket type is AM3+ so i still can run it?
If not what could you recommend because thats cheaper than the Phenom series and their higher clocked as well i mean factory clock speed is 4.2GHz Quad Core

So if my MOBO says it supports AM2+ that means it can run AM3 just not AM3+?

XxLostSoulxX said:
So if my MOBO says it supports AM2+ that means it can run AM3 just not AM3+?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Possibly, it really depends on your bios if it can run am3 or not.
Posted by mah spudtacular killer tomato.

StormMcCloud said:
Possibly, it really depends on your bios if it can run am3 or not.
Posted by mah spudtacular killer tomato.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure what my bios is never updated never flashed lol.
Sent From A Coked Out Epic

BUMP
BUMP! Anybody???

Cmon please need help on deciding

Could I possibly run the the Amd Phenom II x4 960T?
Sent From A Coked Out Epic

You can try asking here so that you don't keep bumping this thread.
I'm closing this because of the link I just provided. That's the thread for computer Q&A.

Building my First Gaming PC

Im thinking about building my first gaming PC. I quickly threw some parts together and I want to see what you guys think. I'm also not 100% sure of everything I need to build from start to finish so advice/suggestions are greatly appreciated. Keep in mind that my budget maxes out at $1,000.
Also, how would these parts I've chosen compare to the PS4 in terms of performance?
Thanks guys!
Tower: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021
Motherboard: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...&cm_re=AMD_motherboard-_-13-128-514-_-Product
Ram: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231314
Hard Drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822236345
CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113284
GPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202103

Why do i get a notification on tapatalk about this thread?
Sent From A Samsung Galaxy S2 With AOSB Project ROM .

Why isn't this in the dedicated Desktops & Laptops thread? http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1765837
And I never did see the point of AMD/ATI for Gaming. The 'Powered by Nvidia' splashscreen in every game isn't there for decoration... You'll never be able to use PhysX, for instance. And a lot of games have issues with AMD.
As for compared to the PS4... Even an IntelHD (do not buy an IntelHD GPU) on an i5 will have a better rating than a PS4. The hardware in the 'new' consoles is severely outdated.

ShadowLea said:
Why isn't this in the dedicated Desktops & Laptops thread? http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1765837
And I never did see the point of AMD/ATI for Gaming. The 'Powered by Nvidia' splashscreen in every game isn't there for decoration... You'll never be able to use PhysX, for instance. And a lot of games have issues with AMD.
As for compared to the PS4... Even an IntelHD (do not buy an IntelHD GPU) on an i5 will have a better rating than a PS4. The hardware in the 'new' consoles is severely outdated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
outdated doesn't matter because it's only needed to run the games
Sent From A Samsung Galaxy S2 With AOSB Project ROM .

DanielBink said:
outdated doesn't matter because it's only needed to run the games
.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, in 720p at 30fps without AA, Dynamic shading and every other HD setting. I'm not paying several hundred quid for something my PC did 8 years ago.

Hello, please refer to Post 3 for a link to the **Desktops and Laptops Thread**. No need to start a new thread about the same type of subject.
Thread closed.