[mythtv-users] Is this the ultimate HTPC motherboard so far?

[Brian Long]

On Mon, Mar 29, 2010 at 3:25 PM, Matt Emmott <memmott at gmail.com> wrote:
> I was just browsing Newegg and came across the ASUS PBGA437 Atom / ION
> motherboard. I clicked on it because it had a picture of a remote and
> I like shiny things, and almost passed it right by before I read the
> specs. For $199 US you get:
>
> * Dual-core Atom 330 (Fanless)
> * Onboard GeForce 9400M
> * Built-in b/g/n wifi and gig Ethernet
> * HDMI and S/PDIF ports
> * A PCI-E x16 port
> * 4 SATA ports, up to 6 USB ports and support for 4GB RAM
> * A (terrible looking) remote with what looks like a USB IR receiver
>
> And the thing that really stands out and made me want to share:
> * DC power onboard with included power brick
>
> So, what we have here is a 100% silent running motherboard / CPU / GPU
> combo with a DC power supply included. With 11n networking onboard you
> could conceivably stream HD wirelessly (Although I know there have
> been discussions already and I don't pretend that this is reliable),
> and an IR receiver is included! All you need is a case, HDD and memory
> and you've got what looks to be an awesome all-in-one HTPC!
>
> Here's the link:
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131635
>
> At only $199 I think this is the best candidate for HTPC
> motherboard/CPU/Video combo so far. What do you guys think?

I'm running the Zotac IONITX-C-U which is the single-core Atom with DC
power brick, HDMI, DVI and VGA, SPDIF, etc.  The single-core Atom is
supposedly fanless, but I had to put a 40mm fan on top of the CPU/GPU
heatsink in order to keep it cool enough when running in a passively
cooled case (Mini-box M350).  I only had problems when deinterlacing
1080i content and scaling it to my 720p display and I'm not certain,
but I believe the GPU was overheating and throttling itself.  I don't
believe the Atom CPU was stressed.  I'd be wary of the dual-core
fanless motherboard unless your case is actively cooled.

/Brian/