Cheapest 4K HTPC or Similar

[Durvelle27]

I'm in need of a PC or similar to stream 4K content and be used as a cable DVR Tuner. So far I've come up with this

Is it possible to build or buy something capable similar to this build but cheaper.

 

[Durvelle27]

Anyone

 

[Toothless]

Not sure that CPU can handle the load. Nor that GPU can either as it is a laptop-based GPU. Might have to beef it up a bit.

 

[Durvelle27]

Not sure that CPU can handle the load. Nor that GPU can either as it is a laptop-based GPU. Might have to beef it up a bit.

Suggestions

Price is the biggest factor

 

[Toothless]

Well I know my quad-cored laptop has issues with running 4k. You might need an Intel CPU (low-grade i5) and a dedicated GPU. I'm no expert at 4k and whatnot but I know my desktop ran 4k videos, but my laptop can't.

FX-6300+GTX660 - desktop

3420m+ HD6520G - laptop

 

[wickerman]

I have an AM1 system that I am about to start toying with to see if is a viable HTPC system, as a replacement for the RaspberryPi streamers I have in various locations. They run great but interface can get a bit laggy with a large media collection, and they don't handle high bitrate content that well. So I'm going to be trying this Athlon 5150 under windows 7 + xbmc and openelec or another light weight linus distro with xbmc.

As far as I can tell, there shouldn't be any trouble with most content as the GPU is easily capable of accelerating a variety of content. But I'm not holding out too much hope for 4k at and high bitrates. If you have an example of a typical 4k file you intent to view, I'd be happy to try it out.

But don't forget the main draw to kibini is the low power, simplicity, and and price. You could easily get some IVB or Haswell based Celeron or Pentium series chips to do this job and they would run rings around kibini. I have a G2120 based system that I use for letting people try my Oculus Rift kits, and that little box as a slim GTX 750 TI. Price wise a build like that is not unreasonable and will sit a fair bit ahead of the AM1 box. You can grab a G3420 for like $60 typically, and that a Haswell based 3.2ghz dual core with 3mb of cache and intel GD graphics (with quick sync).

 

[Durvelle27]

I have an AM1 system that I am about to start toying with to see if is a viable HTPC system, as a replacement for the RaspberryPi streamers I have in various locations. They run great but interface can get a bit laggy with a large media collection, and they don't handle high bitrate content that well. So I'm going to be trying this Athlon 5150 under windows 7 + xbmc and openelec or another light weight linus distro with xbmc.

As far as I can tell, there shouldn't be any trouble with most content as the GPU is easily capable of accelerating a variety of content. But I'm not holding out too much hope for 4k at and high bitrates. If you have an example of a typical 4k file you intent to view, I'd be happy to try it out.

But don't forget the main draw to kibini is the low power, simplicity, and and price. You could easily get some IVB or Haswell based Celeron or Pentium series chips to do this job and they would run rings around kibini. I have a G2120 based system that I use for letting people try my Oculus Rift kits, and that little box as a slim GTX 750 TI. Price wise a build like that is not unreasonable and will sit a fair bit ahead of the AM1 box. You can grab a G3420 for like $60 typically, and that a Haswell based 3.2ghz dual core with 3mb of cache and intel GD graphics (with quick sync).

Just you're standard 4K Blu-Ray is all nothing special.

 

[GhostRyder]

Just you're standard 4K Blu-Ray is all nothing special.

Sorry but your going to need a little more than even the Athlon 5350 for 4k video playback even at 30FPS (Though I have heard mixed reviews back and fourth). It has been noted that the stress on the CPU is 100% under those conditions just on playback and causes dropped frames (But again I have heard mixed reviews). I would suggest if you are on a budget doing something like this to keep it cheap yet functional for all your needs:

Pentium G3258 Combo with gigabyte B85 MATX Motherboard
Gskill Ripjaws 1600 4gb (2x2gb)
WD 1tb 7200 RPM (Same you selected)
APEX MATX Case with 275PSU

You can get away with that for a pretty great price at $222 which is about as low as you can go if your intending it to render 4K video. This CPU with its iGPU both will handle 4K playback just fine as ive seen in reviews along with decent power consumption so you should be more than fine for your needs. If you want a little more you can always slap an R7 240 or similar for another 50+ bucks if necessary, but this will do a 4K media center HTPC just fine.

 

[The Von Matrices]

Just you're standard 4K Blu-Ray is all nothing special.

Blu-ray 4K is far from "nothing special". There are two major issues with PCs and Blu-ray 4K.

The Blu-ray 4K standard allows videos to be encoded in H.265. At the moment no GPU has full H.265 decoding capability. All the 4K video benchmarks you see on other sites test only H.264, which is tremendously easier to decode. AMD has said nothing about their plans for support of H.265 (although I'm sure they will support it at some point in the future), and all Nvidia has is a H.265 have a hybrid decoding using both the CPU and GPU, but that means you need a powerful CPU. You aren't going to play H.265 without an expensive system.

The other problem is that Blu-ray 4K uses a new version of HDCP (2.2), which requires support in the display output. Even if the GPU could decode H.265, if you don't have the right HDCP support you won't be able to play the disc. The only GPUs that have version of HDCP at the moment are Nvidia GTX 970/980, so you are looking at at least $350 for a GPU to play the disc.

You are going to have spend a lot of money now or wait a while before you can cheaply play Blu-ray 4K on a PC.

 

[Toothless]

Well I learned a few things.

So basically for 4k playback, OP is looking at a gaming-grade HTPC for videos.

 

[DayKnight]

OP talks about 'cheapest' and goes on to select an expensive RAM. Seriously?.

Also, more processor power needed. That 1.3 wont cut it.

The Von Matrices post is pretty spot on. Cheap and 4K dont go hand in hand. Sorry.

 

[Durvelle27]

Blu-ray 4K is far from "nothing special". There are two major issues with PCs and Blu-ray 4K.

The Blu-ray 4K standard allows videos to be encoded in H.265. At the moment no GPU has full H.265 decoding capability. All the 4K video benchmarks you see on other sites test only H.264, which is tremendously easier to decode. AMD has said nothing about their plans for support of H.265 (although I'm sure they will support it at some point in the future), and all Nvidia has is a H.265 have a hybrid decoding using both the CPU and GPU, but that means you need a powerful CPU. You aren't going to play H.265 without an expensive system.

The other problem is that Blu-ray 4K uses a new version of HDCP (2.2), which requires support in the display output. Even if the GPU could decode H.265, if you don't have the right HDCP support you won't be able to play the disc. The only GPUs that have version of HDCP at the moment are Nvidia GTX 970/980, so you are looking at at least $350 for a GPU to play the disc.

You are going to have spend a lot of money now or wait a while before you can cheaply play Blu-ray 4K on a PC.

I have never heard of this

OP talks about 'cheapest' and goes on to select an expensive RAM. Seriously?.

Also, more processor power needed. That 1.3 wont cut it.

The Von Matrices post is pretty spot on. Cheap and 4K dont go hand in hand. Sorry.

This doesn't make sense as the RAM I chose is the cheapest available on Newegg

Sorry but your going to need a little more than even the Athlon 5350 for 4k video playback even at 30FPS (Though I have heard mixed reviews back and fourth). It has been noted that the stress on the CPU is 100% under those conditions just on playback and causes dropped frames (But again I have heard mixed reviews). I would suggest if you are on a budget doing something like this to keep it cheap yet functional for all your needs:

Pentium G3258 Combo with gigabyte B85 MATX Motherboard
Gskill Ripjaws 1600 4gb (2x2gb)
WD 1tb 7200 RPM (Same you selected)
APEX MATX Case with 275PSU

You can get away with that for a pretty great price at $222 which is about as low as you can go if your intending it to render 4K video. This CPU with its iGPU both will handle 4K playback just fine as ive seen in reviews along with decent power consumption so you should be more than fine for your needs. If you want a little more you can always slap an R7 240 or similar for another 50+ bucks if necessary, but this will do a 4K media center HTPC just fine.

Not to bad

Is there e any ITX boards

 

[Toothless]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157390

C'mon now. NewEgg isn't that hard to navigate.

 

[Durvelle27]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157390

C'mon now. NewEgg isn't that hard to navigate.

Only has HDMi

 

[Toothless]

Only has HDMi

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157374

Was again, pretty easy to find.

 

[GhostRyder]

I have never heard of this

This doesn't make sense as the RAM I chose is the cheapest available on Newegg


Not to bad

Is there e any ITX boards

The reason I specified that deal was because you get it with 48 bucks off which basically renders the processor 20 bucks making it a steal. If your concerned with size try this case as it comes with a 300Watt PSU and is also pretty darn small and its also inexpensive with a 5 in 1 card reader if that is something you would like. The ITX board selection is ok but they are going to jump the price up quite a lot.

Only has HDMi

What inputs do you want?

 

[Durvelle27]

The reason I specified that deal was because you get it with 48 bucks off which basically renders the processor 20 bucks making it a steal. If your concerned with size try this case as it comes with a 300Watt PSU and is also pretty darn small and its also inexpensive with a 5 in 1 card reader if that is something you would like. The ITX board selection is ok but they are going to jump the price up quite a lot.



What inputs do you want?

HDMI and DP

 

[The Von Matrices]

OP talks about 'cheapest' and goes on to select an expensive RAM. Seriously?.

Also, more processor power needed. That 1.3 wont cut it.

The Von Matrices post is pretty spot on. Cheap and 4K dont go hand in hand. Sorry.

Just to be clear, streaming 4K content (encoded in H.264) can be done with a cheap PC and integrated graphics. As long as you don't expect the PC to be able to play 4K Blu-ray discs you'll be happy. Even a cheap AM1 Athlon system can stream and decode 4K with only 50% CPU usage.

 

[Durvelle27]

Just to be clear, streaming 4K content (encoded in H.264) can be done with a cheap PC and integrated graphics. As long as you don't expect it to play 4K Blu-ray discs then you'll be happy.

More than anything it would be Netflix 4K and Sony 4K. But I did want the option for Blu-Rays if I ever decided to use them

 

[Toothless]

That option for blu-rays will be the wallet wrecker.

 

[GhostRyder]

HDMI and DP

Well on motherboards that's a bit of a challenge because generally only expensive ones contain that.

The cheapest I found containing that on Intel at least was the msi b85i but it will add to the price (for itx).

 

[Champ]

I agree with the g3258. Its probably the cheapest processor that is designed to handle that resolution. I think the board when doing multi-media machines is also important. I used a biostar board for my last HTPC. The last one review here (z97 type) did outstanding and the audio was a big point.

 

[Jetster]

How about something like this

http://www.cloudmedia.com/openhour/

Or Intel NUC

 

[DayKnight]

I have never heard of this

This doesn't make sense as the RAM I chose is the cheapest available on Newegg

No used RAM?. No point in gettign a brand new one.

BTW, I couldn't find it on newegg.

 

[GreiverBlade]

well too bad it's for 4K ... otherwise a 5350 (which is the only Kabini worthy of being used... the Semprons 3850 or under the Athlon 5150 wont cut it unless for a "cheap file server")setup would have been the best in line for his price category... i have one for my mother and it can do Bluray, light gaming (heck i even played Defiance on min settings on it during my holidays...) and my mother love it ok ... that's no special argument, no intel low end in the same category of price can beat the iGPU of that one, and you get a quadcore instead of a dualcore (ok a dual CMT 2 core but it would count as a dualcore with HT.... even if the IPC is better on intel).

the main thing is i did choose the Athlon 5350 and added 8gb Kingston Fury 1866

I agree with the g3258. Its probably the cheapest processor that is designed to handle that resolution. I think the board when doing multi-media machines is also important. I used a biostar board for my last HTPC. The last one review here (z97 type) did outstanding and the audio was a big point.

weaker iGPU (tho not so far behind) and also motherboard+cpu combo is stellar (in price) above the Kabini setup... ok it can decode blueray at 4k but at what TDP ...
now i wonder ... since it can do it ... why the Kabini couldn't do it too ... after all the main force of the Kabini APU is the iGPU