[RAND0M1ZER]

I'm planning on building an HTPC soon and I have my eye on the new AMD trinity APUs but I was wondering if anyone had any experience with AMD on linux (I know it works fine in windows).

Also what about the intel integrated GPU? How does that do in Linux? Are there any major issues I need to be concerned about? Thanks

[SavellM]

Dont do AMD on a Linux platform.
If you want to bitstream HD audio and other nice stuff, you should stick to Intel or Intel/Nvidia.

[RAND0M1ZER]

Dont do AMD on a Linux platform.
If you want to bitstream HD audio and other nice stuff, you should stick to Intel or Intel/Nvidia.

Thanks for the reply.

What is bit stream audio? That feature is not supported by the AMD platform or just not under Linux?

I noticed in your signature that you have an i3 HTPC, how is that going for you? Are you running windows or Linux and what is the point of the nvidia card? I thought the Intel integrated was powerful enough for HD playback on its own.

[Maxi]

I'm planning on building an HTPC soon and I have my eye on the new AMD trinity APUs but I was wondering if anyone had any experience with AMD on linux (I know it works fine in windows).

Also what about the intel integrated GPU? How does that do in Linux? Are there any major issues I need to be concerned about? Thanks

Hi

I wouldn't advise you to go for AMD if you want to use Linux. Problem of AMD's APU is that they integrate Radeon HD graphics in the chip, and linux support for Radeon is almost non-existent. OK, you can get the linux drivers from AMD site, but SERIOUS support (like HD HW acceleration) is a pain. There're some efforts on the community to directly support XVBA on XBMC but there's a lot of work pending.

Here you can see what the problem is http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=ar...xbmc&num=1

And here you can see what is working/what not in the XBMC XVBA branch: http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=116996

Even when there have been some complains about NVIDIA and linux, I understand that NVidia's support of linux is way better than AMD.

In my case I've a Radeon HD, AMD Phenom II x4 and Ubuntu 12.04 and all the HD decoding is done by my CPU :-(

If you go for windows, then no problem at all (well, at least not with ATI drivers :-) )

I wish I had bought an Nvidia iso a ATI Radeon.

Max

[zxz0O0]

Hi,

I recently built my HTPC. I use Intel i3 2125 and XBMCbuntu. Everything worked out of the box and is still working flawlessly. Didn't have any problems.

[jackh]

I built my HTPC with the express intention of keeping it completely open-source. That is from the OS up to XBMC of course

So I went with an inexpensive Intel CPU (G530) AND also added a discrete and basic (yet powerful enough for 1080p hardware acceleration) fanless Nvidia GPU card.

THE BEST PC I HAVE EVER BUILT, AND THE SOUNDEST INVESTMENT. Insanely stable, reliable, snappy... and freeware! Running Linux Mint as OS, so even as an occasional desktop it looks cool too. Not to mention the many friends who keep getting awed by what they see when they come home.

It's based on this build by eskro: http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=103967

[Beer40oz]

I built my HTPC with the express intention of keeping it completely open-source. That is from the OS up to XBMC of course

So I went with an inexpensive Intel CPU (G530) AND also added a discrete and basic (yet powerful enough for 1080p hardware acceleration) fanless Nvidia GPU card.

THE BEST PC I HAVE EVER BUILT, AND THE SOUNDEST INVESTMENT. Insanely stable, reliable, snappy... and freeware! Running Linux Mint as OS, so even as an occasional desktop it looks cool too. Not to mention the many friends who keep getting awed by what they see when they come home.

It's based on this build by eskro: http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=103967

So ain't the G530 able to do everything with out a discrete card?

[Dougie Fresh]

I built my HTPC with the express intention of keeping it completely open-source. That is from the OS up to XBMC of course

So I went with an inexpensive Intel CPU (G530) AND also added a discrete and basic (yet powerful enough for 1080p hardware acceleration) fanless Nvidia GPU card.

THE BEST PC I HAVE EVER BUILT, AND THE SOUNDEST INVESTMENT. Insanely stable, reliable, snappy... and freeware! Running Linux Mint as OS, so even as an occasional desktop it looks cool too. Not to mention the many friends who keep getting awed by what they see when they come home.

It's based on this build by eskro: http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=103967

So ain't the G530 able to do everything with out a discrete card?

That's the problem -- that thread still says you need one though we've all discussed you don't necessarily need one these days.

[jackh]

So ain't the G530 able to do everything with out a discrete card?

Yes, very possibly. But I built this HTPC about a year ago. And my Linux skills are somewhere from basic to enthusiast. $35 for the Nvidia GT210 card sounded like a steal if it would save me a lot of pain and time trying to make the integrated GPU work. It did, and works like a charm.

Hey, my time is worth something too!

[RAND0M1ZER]

Thanks for all the informative replies guys, I guess my decision should really be between Intel and Nvidia.

Last time I priced out the specs for HTPCs it came out something like this in order from cheapest to most expensive:

1) Intel G530
2) AMD A4/A6 (Now out of the question for linux)
3) Intel G530 + nvidia card
4) Intel Core i3

Is there anything that is supported with an nvidia card that is not supported with Intel HD3000 (Core i3)?

That's the problem -- that thread still says you need one though we've all discussed you don't necessarily need one these days.

Is that because of some recent improvement to the software?

[jackh]

Not sure, but if I knew a year ago what I know today, I'd start with option 1) and if I find problems, would add the nvidia card (going to option 3). I guess it depends on your Linux skills and confidence

[RAND0M1ZER]

Not sure, but if I knew a year ago what I know today, I'd start with option 1) and if I find problems, would add the nvidia card (going to option 3). I guess it depends on your Linux skills and confidence

Yep, that's what I plan to do.

[Beer40oz]

I built my HTPC with the express intention of keeping it completely open-source. That is from the OS up to XBMC of course

So I went with an inexpensive Intel CPU (G530) AND also added a discrete and basic (yet powerful enough for 1080p hardware acceleration) fanless Nvidia GPU card.

THE BEST PC I HAVE EVER BUILT, AND THE SOUNDEST INVESTMENT. Insanely stable, reliable, snappy... and freeware! Running Linux Mint as OS, so even as an occasional desktop it looks cool too. Not to mention the many friends who keep getting awed by what they see when they come home.

It's based on this build by eskro: http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=103967

So ain't the G530 able to do everything with out a discrete card?

That's the problem -- that thread still says you need one though we've all discussed you don't necessarily need one these days.

I will PM Eskro if he can try to update that page on this so we don't have to keep repeating our self's.
I know it will require him to re-price things....

But he don't need to maybe he can add a line in red or something that says... "You no longer need a separate GPU they have updated there software and a G530 can play 1080p"

Something a long them words.... I don't know.

Please help eskro?