Kodi Community Forum

(2014-03-13, 02:08)yaser222 Wrote: [ -> ]Hi
Please I need a little help to choose between Intel nuc i3 vs celeron
(...)
my video 720p and 1080p files size between 3 gig and 6 gig
No 3d or Bluray
Play from synology nas

I have the Celeron NUC (n2820) with 4GB of ram, and it runs extremely well for the file formats you want to watch, as well as Blurays - not a problem at all. I have never noticed much heating, but I don't pay much attention to it either. All I know is that the CPU usage is at max 20% during playback except for Blurays for which it is closer to 50% load but still 100% fine. I have never tried 3D, I read that it depends on the type of 3D file.

I use Openelec, and can also boot to win 8.1 and Ubuntu if I want to. Openelec is very fast, the other two run fine, they would probably be a little more snappier if I had a SSD instead of a HDD. I also access videos on my Synology NAS.

Sounds like going for the Celeron perfectly suits your needs and would be a wise financial choice as well.

(2014-03-13, 05:33)locust Wrote: [ -> ]I'm in the NUC club!! Bought the Haswell i3 kit tonight, just installed Windows 7 on it now, working on getting all drivers going

Please come with your personal opinion once you got it up and running

What about the noise level on them, is that low?
And can anyone tell me if they have UEFI?

(2014-03-13, 08:14)Dybro Wrote: [ -> ]Please come with your personal opinion once you got it up and running

What about the noise level on them, is that low?
And can anyone tell me if they have UEFI?

The NUC BIOS has UEFI support. I haven't used it though. I configured to fan speed to be 25% when the temperature is low enough. I cannot hear my NUC from the sofa (the NUC is next to the TV about 2 meters away).

(2014-03-13, 08:29)trsqr Wrote: [ -> ]

(2014-03-13, 08:14)Dybro Wrote: [ -> ]Please come with your personal opinion once you got it up and running

What about the noise level on them, is that low?
And can anyone tell me if they have UEFI?

The NUC BIOS has UEFI support. I haven't used it though. I configured to fan speed to be 25% when the temperature is low enough. I cannot hear my NUC from the sofa (the NUC is next to the TV about 2 meters away).

Great, thank you. What version are you having? Celeron / i3 / i5?

(2014-03-13, 08:32)Dybro Wrote: [ -> ]Great, thank you. What version are you having? Celeron / i3 / i5?

I've got the Haswell i3.

Well I was all excited because I thought I had it working, but something is wrong.. I have enabled DXVA2 playback, but when I go to try and play a 720p x264 file, it's playing back in ultra slow motion, like 1 or 2 frames per second only. Zero audio, it's running THAT slowly.

I have tried playing with all kinds of settings, I tried changing the audio devices from DirectSound to WASAPI and still nothing doing. The sound is working within the GUI (all clicks and menu motions make noise properly) it's only during playback that this problem happens.

I have the new Haswell i3 NUC and it's running Windows 7.

Can anybody please point me in the right direction? Thanks in advance, I'm at my wits end here because I can't figure out what I've done wrong, everything should be working properly

(2014-03-13, 01:35)Dybro Wrote: [ -> ].... How is it when it is running XMBC? I plan to run a Windows 8.1 OS on the machine, for being able to run Netflix and Viaplay (Scandinavian alternative to services like Netflix)....

I intended do nothing on the machine besides running XBMC, and as mentioned, some streaming apps, but no gaming or anything....

I have the i5 - however I think you would still be fine with the i3 for what you are doing.
If undecided you are presumably being budget conscious (nothing wrong with that!)
You can save even more money than the difference in the two processors by running XBMC over Linux rather than Windows 8.1 - which is considerable cost on its own!
I have some notes on installing Linux Mint and XBMC a few pages back.
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid...pid1647383

You then have to do a couple of extra things in order to play Netflix (because Netflix uses Microsoft SilverLight - presumably Viaplay might also?)

1) Install Chrome browser;
2) Install Pipelight - this enables Silverlight to run.
3) Add a User Switcher Agent (to trick Netflix into seeing a Windows based browser)

Those sound complicated but quite easy.

1. Install Chrome
Open the Firefox browser (comes pre-installed on Mint)
Search for Chrome for Linux - download the Chrome application for Linux (Ubuntu).
You will get a self-installing deb package and installation should be quite straight forward.

2. Install PipeLight
Open Terminal
Get the repository:


Install the application


Start the application and enable it to run Silverlight


Close the Terminal

3. User Switcher Agent
Open Chrome Browser and open 'Settings' (click on the icon with three bars on right side of toolbar and then 'Settings' from the menu)
Select 'Extensions' and click on 'Get More Extensions' link
In the search field type 'User Switcher Agent'
Select the User-Agent Switcher for Chrome by Glenn Wilson
Click on the 'Free' tab and then 'Add'
Once the extension is loaded, the preferences icon will appear on right side of toolbar (next to the 'Settings' icon - looks like a mask)
Select 'Firefox and then Windows Firefox 15 from the sub-menu.

That's it! Point to Netflix in Chrome and it should open up.
The first time confirm on the prompt to "always run Silverlight on this site"

Note that you can try all of this on ANY pc you already own - even a Windows system - as a test/trial by running off the Mint 'Live' USB stick, without actually permanently installing anything on your test rig - this can give you a feel for what you have to do and that both of your streaming apps will actually work!

(2014-03-13, 08:13)thechocobn Wrote: [ -> ]

(2014-03-13, 02:08)yaser222 Wrote: [ -> ]Hi
Please I need a little help to choose between Intel nuc i3 vs celeron
(...)
my video 720p and 1080p files size between 3 gig and 6 gig
No 3d or Bluray
Play from synology nas

I have the Celeron NUC (n2820) with 4GB of ram, and it runs extremely well for the file formats you want to watch, as well as Blurays - not a problem at all. I have never noticed much heating, but I don't pay much attention to it either. All I know is that the CPU usage is at max 20% during playback except for Blurays for which it is closer to 50% load but still 100% fine. I have never tried 3D, I read that it depends on the type of 3D file.

I use Openelec, and can also boot to win 8.1 and Ubuntu if I want to. Openelec is very fast, the other two run fine, they would probably be a little more snappier if I had a SSD instead of a HDD. I also access videos on my Synology NAS.

Sounds like going for the Celeron perfectly suits your needs and would be a wise financial choice as well.

Cool
Thank you for your reply
You helped me a lot
Have a nice day

Just received my remote from http://shop.inteset.com/xbox-4-in-1-prog...red-remote
The remote works out of the box.

I changed the behavior of the power button to completely shutdown Windows, with AdvancedMCERemoteMapper http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=164252

For the volume button, it changes the windows volume and not xbmc volume.
Just modifiy appcommand.xml http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=118132

The remote hasn't a wide range but for 17$....it's rc6 compatible and you can manage 3 more devices.

(2014-03-13, 01:35)Dybro Wrote: [ -> ]I am in doubt with the i3.

How is it when it is running XMBC? I plan to run a Windows 8.1 OS on the machine, for being able to run Netflix and Viaplay (Scandinavian alternative to services like Netflix).

I'd recommend going with the i3;

I run viaplay live sports on my D34010WYK with win 8.1 Pro and it works like a dream, just make sure you use the dedicated viaplay win8 app, using a browser you get a silverlight stream that stutters a lot, the app though is far better with smooth playback and no quality issues so far for me.
Oh and xbmc is lightning quick on it too.

For Windows 8.1 users, here's a workaround for the Netflix sound bug. I verified that it worked on my NUC. From Intel forum user boombia:

Quote:While the Netflix app is running on the TV and a 5.1 DD+ audio track selected (i.e., with no sound output and skipping most video frames), go into the Speaker Setup configuration (right click on the Speakers icon, Playback Devices, select Intel Display Audio device, and click on Configure). Choose Stereo option and click Next a couple of times, followed by Finished.

I get an error message: "Format not supported by this device.", and the Netflix Metro App automatically reloads the film in Dolby Digital Plus and plays it OK from then on. The Intel Display Audio device stays configured as 5.1 (the Stereo option doesn't stick).

I hope this helps somehow until Intel/Netflix manage to figure out this problem.

(2014-03-13, 18:11)DEcosse Wrote: [ -> ]

(2014-03-13, 01:35)Dybro Wrote: [ -> ].... How is it when it is running XMBC? I plan to run a Windows 8.1 OS on the machine, for being able to run Netflix and Viaplay (Scandinavian alternative to services like Netflix)....

I intended do nothing on the machine besides running XBMC, and as mentioned, some streaming apps, but no gaming or anything....

I have the i5 - however I think you would still be fine with the i3 for what you are doing.
If undecided you are presumably being budget conscious (nothing wrong with that!)
You can save even more money than the difference in the two processors by running XBMC over Linux rather than Windows 8.1 - which is considerable cost on its own!
I have some notes on installing Linux Mint and XBMC a few pages back.
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid...pid1647383

You then have to do a couple of extra things in order to play Netflix (because Netflix uses Microsoft SilverLight - presumably Viaplay might also?)

1) Install Chrome browser;
2) Install Pipelight - this enables Silverlight to run.
3) Add a User Switcher Agent (to trick Netflix into seeing a Windows based browser)

Those sound complicated but quite easy.

1. Install Chrome
Open the Firefox browser (comes pre-installed on Mint)
Search for Chrome for Linux - download the Chrome application for Linux (Ubuntu).
You will get a self-installing deb package and installation should be quite straight forward.

2. Install PipeLight
Open Terminal
Get the repository:

Code:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:pipelight/stable

Install the application

Code:

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install pipelight-multi

Start the application and enable it to run Silverlight

Code:

sudo pipelight-plugin --enable silverlight

Close the Terminal

3. User Switcher Agent
Open Chrome Browser and open 'Settings' (click on the icon with three bars on right side of toolbar and then 'Settings' from the menu)
Select 'Extensions' and click on 'Get More Extensions' link
In the search field type 'User Switcher Agent'
Select the User-Agent Switcher for Chrome by Glenn Wilson
Click on the 'Free' tab and then 'Add'
Once the extension is loaded, the preferences icon will appear on right side of toolbar (next to the 'Settings' icon - looks like a mask)
Select 'Firefox and then Windows Firefox 15 from the sub-menu.

That's it! Point to Netflix in Chrome and it should open up.
The first time confirm on the prompt to "always run Silverlight on this site"

Note that you can try all of this on ANY pc you already own - even a Windows system - as a test/trial by running off the Mint 'Live' USB stick, without actually permanently installing anything on your test rig - this can give you a feel for what you have to do and that both of your streaming apps will actually work!

Hi. Thank you for your post.

I will keep Linux in my consideration. A couple of years back, when I bought my first HTPC I tried Ubuntu with (I think it was called) Moonlight, which also should be able to run Silverlight, but I couldn't make it work, why I haven't really considered it.

The reason I am in doubt is to save a few bucks. But also because I have a thing where I buy hardware way to powerful for what I actually need, because I get "greedy" and think "for just a little more, I get a better CPU", but if you take a little more, a lot of times, it adds up ;-)

(2014-03-12, 23:56)decaturguy Wrote: [ -> ]I have i3 tall version with dvb-t and dvb-s2 card (PCTV 461e). No problem whatsoever with both SD and HD channels as long as i have a good reception.
My OS is Archlinux and my backend is VDR and frontend Gotham from FernetMenta's repo which includes vaapi-sse4: Deinterlacing.

Thanks, good to know. I tried MediaPortal in Windows and that seems to work ok, no pixelation whatever I do. Also tried to another fresh Ubuntu Linux setup with 3.14 kernel and VDR, but no luck there either - picture gets pixelated when I open the menus or ever bring up the channel list on top of the live tv video. I still only got one tuner (PCTV 290e) so I haven't tried any other tuners - I ordered one August T210 (cheap DVB-T2 tuner) to try. That should be supported in 3.14 kernel. I've got a PCTV 461e as well, but haven't set up the dish yet.

I've been trying to play around with BIOS settings as well, but no luck there either.

It came to my mind that could it be that the PCTV 290e tuner is pulling too much power from the bus and for some reason the NUC wouldn't be able to provide that in certain cases. Shouldn't be, but will try with a powered USB hub between the NUC and tuner just to exclude the possibility...

(2014-03-13, 17:49)locust Wrote: [ -> ]Well I was all excited because I thought I had it working, but something is wrong.. I have enabled DXVA2 playback, but when I go to try and play a 720p x264 file, it's playing back in ultra slow motion, like 1 or 2 frames per second only. Zero audio, it's running THAT slowly.

I have tried playing with all kinds of settings, I tried changing the audio devices from DirectSound to WASAPI and still nothing doing. The sound is working within the GUI (all clicks and menu motions make noise properly) it's only during playback that this problem happens.

I have the new Haswell i3 NUC and it's running Windows 7.

Can anybody please point me in the right direction? Thanks in advance, I'm at my wits end here because I can't figure out what I've done wrong, everything should be working properly

Try turning DXVA2 off,.... i had playback problems with it enabled.

@fritsch

Could you explain to me, why scrolling text e.g. in movie library resutls in full CPU speed (i.e. 2,6Ghz)?

I'm using XBMC Beta 1 on Win 8.1 and Aeon MQ 5 skin.

Is there a way to change this?

Best regards