4K HTPC

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clevoir

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4K HTPC

#1

Post by clevoir » Sun Nov 26, 2017 6:59 pm

I have an 10 year old HTPC CoreDuo Dual Core 3GHz CPU with a HD7770 graphics card, running Windows 8 with Media Centre addin

This runs great @ 1080p running MadVR & LAV (Shark 007) codecs, but I now want to play 4K H265 files, these just stutter badly at present.

I have bought a 1050GT garphics card and thought that this would work, with the GPU doing all the processing, but I could not get files to play, so I sold the card.

I read on the Kodi forums that a 1030GT card would work fine on old CoreDuo motherboards, but again I have found that I keep getting stuttering even if I don't use MadR

I have put the card in my main PC running Windows 10, 3.7GHz Quad Core Sandy Bridge, files play fine but I must turn off MadVR otherwise I get stuttering.

It looks like I am going to have to update my HTPC witha new CPU, motherboard and memory so that I can use the 1030GT. However I want to run Windows 8 or 8.1 so that I can use Windows Media Centre

I read that Microsoft will not allow Windows 8 to be installed on Skylake CPU's or any CPU's moving foward, so I am looking at Haswell 1150 instead, what CPU should I be looking for to achieve smooth 4K H265 payback.

If I get a new copy of Windows 8 or 8.1, can I use my existing Media Centre key?

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Crash2009

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#2

Post by Crash2009 » Mon Nov 27, 2017 3:08 am

I don't know the answers to most of your questions. But I do have one suggestion.... Keep an eye on this thread......

viewtopic.php?p=123221#p123221

clevoir

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#3

Post by clevoir » Mon Nov 27, 2017 4:49 pm

Thanks I have already installed the intial version, bu this doesn't relate to my query.

I would be grateful if someone could tell me what hardware (using 1150 socket) I need in addition to my 1030GT graphics card to get H265 files to playback without stuttering, reading a number of forums it looks like this is a common isssue. I would build using nerw hardware, but Microsoft have blocked W7 & W8 working on newer CPU's

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DavidinCT

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#4

Post by DavidinCT » Mon Nov 27, 2017 8:54 pm

clevoir wrote:Thanks I have already installed the intial version, bu this doesn't relate to my query.

I would be grateful if someone could tell me what hardware (using 1150 socket) I need in addition to my 1030GT graphics card to get H265 files to playback without stuttering, reading a number of forums it looks like this is a common isssue. I would build using nerw hardware, but Microsoft have blocked W7 & W8 working on newer CPU's
Do some homework, on some of the newer CPUS, there is a 3rd party hack that will enable the CPU to be used, I forget the models...this will work in 7 or 8.1.

Edit: here ( know there are some newer hacks but, I'd have to research it)

viewtopic.php?f=49&t=10890

I was in the same boat, I had stuttering on h265 4K videos, I had a GTX750ti with a 2 year old i5 quad core, I changed to a GTX1050, and updated my Shark 007 codecs (look over his threads he has some settings that is needed). Now even high bit rate 4k videos run flawlessly.

Off the top of my head, you would need to find the better CPUS, I would have to research it.

As for your KEY, as long as you have a Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center key, you can install it and get WMC... If you just have a 8.1 key, you could always install the Windows 10 Media center...it's the same one modified to run on 8 or 10...

You don't need a MEGA power house CPU to run 4k videos but, you will need a newer CPU...
-Dave
Twitter @TheCoolDave

Windows Media Center certified and WMC MVP 2010 - 2012

clevoir

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#5

Post by clevoir » Mon Nov 27, 2017 10:02 pm

Thanks thats some really good information, so looks like a new CPU, motherboard & RAM then

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DavidinCT

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#6

Post by DavidinCT » Tue Nov 28, 2017 4:40 pm

clevoir wrote:Thanks thats some really good information, so looks like a new CPU, motherboard & RAM then
Don't go nuts, you don't need to go totally crazy, I have a 2014 Intel i5 2.9ghz quad core and I can run every video I dumped at it. It's a CPU you can get for $120 or under.

Remember Windows Media Center was designed under single core CPUS (remember release date of Windows 7 for reference). So if you go spend $5k on a TOP of the line i7 with raid 0 SSDs, WMC will only get a little faster, as there is animations that it does so it does not get super quick.

Looking over your specs, the CPU is the real bottle neck here... update to a semi modern quad core.. even go the ebay route, you can get used parts for under $150-200 for all of it...

Good luck ! If you upgrade and still have issues, post back. (I forget, as it's a set and forget type setting) or just let us know how it goes !

-Dave
-Dave
Twitter @TheCoolDave

Windows Media Center certified and WMC MVP 2010 - 2012

sdowney717

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#7

Post by sdowney717 » Wed Nov 29, 2017 9:35 am

On youtube, if I can play 4k videos by selecting the 4k playback streaming, does that mean I can play 4k videos?

I am using ubuntu 17.10 OS, AMD 6 core cpu, gtx260 video card and verizon fios. And the videos seem ok.

example
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbwhE-I9Kdc

clevoir

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#8

Post by clevoir » Sat Dec 02, 2017 10:04 am

Just as an update, I have bought a i5 3.2GHz quad core Haswell CPU secondhand, new motherboard and secondhand RAM, just waiting to be deliverd.

I saw the patch which can stop the warning messages when trying to install W7 & W8 in new processors, and whilst it works today, whose it say that Microsoft will try and block this in the future? I felt safer as Microsoft are only blocking Skylake CPUs onwards

At the moment I am running W8 Pro with Windows Media Centre Key, I understand that I can unactivate Windows on my current HTPC and which then will allow me to install it again on the new CPU / motherboard / RAM. I assume that I will then be able to reuse the same Media Centre key to get MCE working again.

Rather than try to port my existing Windows installation to new hardware, I have got True Image installed which allows you to move an existing Windows install to new hardware althought it notes that they may be activation problems, I am looking to carry out a fresh Windows installation instead.

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DavidinCT

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#9

Post by DavidinCT » Mon Dec 04, 2017 4:02 pm

clevoir wrote:Just as an update, I have bought a i5 3.2GHz quad core Haswell CPU secondhand, new motherboard and secondhand RAM, just waiting to be deliverd.

I saw the patch which can stop the warning messages when trying to install W7 & W8 in new processors, and whilst it works today, whose it say that Microsoft will try and block this in the future? I felt safer as Microsoft are only blocking Skylake CPUs onwards

At the moment I am running W8 Pro with Windows Media Centre Key, I understand that I can unactivate Windows on my current HTPC and which then will allow me to install it again on the new CPU / motherboard / RAM. I assume that I will then be able to reuse the same Media Centre key to get MCE working again.

Rather than try to port my existing Windows installation to new hardware, I have got True Image installed which allows you to move an existing Windows install to new hardware althought it notes that they may be activation problems, I am looking to carry out a fresh Windows installation instead.
Good luck. I cant say Microsoft will block the CPU's in the future. Personally I wish someone would open a class lawsuit against Microsoft. They claim they will support these OS's till 2020 (Windows 7) and 2023 (Windows 8.1) blocking CPUs from running correctly in a OS is not support.

With that being said, I disable windows updates. If you have issues getting WMC running on 8.1 let me know. You should be able to install Windows 8.1 and go into the control panel and select "upgrade windows" and put in you WMC key. It should allow you to download it.

There is a back door method to install it to avoid the upgrade process. As you can find a ISO with WMC on the DVD(slipstreamed)... put in a fake WMC key to allow it to install and when it comes to activation, change key to your WMC key. If you cant get it activated correctly, I can help, as I had to do this.

Installing WMC on 8.1 requires 2 keys, One for the OS, one for the WMC upgrade (in a lot of cases)...
-Dave
Twitter @TheCoolDave

Windows Media Center certified and WMC MVP 2010 - 2012

clevoir

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#10

Post by clevoir » Sun Dec 17, 2017 8:33 pm

Today I have tried updating my HTPC using a new motherboard / CPU / RAM, reusing my sound card & DVB-S2 tuner card.

My existing HPTC runs W8, but I thought that I'd install W7 Pro as I have a spare copy. This was installed on a freshly formatted SSD.

As Microsoft guide data is not good, I installed EPG Collector instead. I run this a number of times (before I run MCE Live TV set up) but it kept crashing, on the one time it did work it didn't collect any data?

I run Live TV update in W7 Media Centre but this keeps crashing too, saying that no guide data can be found. I have tried running both accpeting the Windows Guide conditions and not accepting the conditions, but both have the same effect?

I have installed the lastest W7 drivers for my DVB_S2 tuner card and it appears to be working OK.

Thinking that perhaps running EPG Collector before I run Live TV set up might have caused the problem, I run system restore to before EPG Collector was installed.

But again Live TV set up keeps crashing, it can see the correct satelitte and that it has full signal strength.

I am at a lost as what to do next?

I have rebuilt my HTPC back to how it was before I updated, and I can recieve live TV on all channels and EPG Collector is working OK. So I know that tjhe tuner card is OK

clevoir

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#11

Post by clevoir » Mon Jan 22, 2018 11:46 am

I am still trying to build a new HTPC, but I am having huge problems with My Movies / TMT6 / Virtual Clone drive

On my old HTPC I can play Blu Ray ISO rips fine, select them from My Movies Movie Page, Virtual Clone drive mounts them and then TMT6 plays them. This is running W8

Using my new HTPC running W8.1, you can select a file but all you get is the spinning wheel and the file wont play.

I assumed that this may be a Windows update issue, and removed all the latest updates on the new HTPC so that they match those shown on the old HTPC, however i still can't open the ISO files

I am raised this issue on the My Movies support forum, and it has been suggested that this may be a problem with Autoplay settings, however I have tried all combinations of Windows and TMT6 auto play settings without any luck. The file is being mounted OK, but it simply will not play.

Outside of My Movies, I can select a Blu Ray ISO file in Windows Explorer, it is mounted OK and it plays fine?

I am now thinking of buying PowerDVD 15 instead, as I am aware that this is last version which integrates into WMC, and would be grateful if anyone would confirm that they are using this with My Movies, with it working 100% OK with ISO files

jachin99

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#12

Post by jachin99 » Mon Jan 22, 2018 1:41 pm

I'm not sure if WMC has ISO support out of the box, and I don't think bluray is supported out of the box either. I would make sure WMC supports both ISO files, and whatever codec your ISO is being streamed with.

mt17

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#13

Post by mt17 » Mon Jan 29, 2018 2:38 pm

clevoir wrote:I am still trying to build a new HTPC, but I am having huge problems with My Movies / TMT6 / Virtual Clone drive

On my old HTPC I can play Blu Ray ISO rips fine, select them from My Movies Movie Page, Virtual Clone drive mounts them and then TMT6 plays them. This is running W8

Using my new HTPC running W8.1, you can select a file but all you get is the spinning wheel and the file wont play.

I assumed that this may be a Windows update issue, and removed all the latest updates on the new HTPC so that they match those shown on the old HTPC, however i still can't open the ISO files

I am raised this issue on the My Movies support forum, and it has been suggested that this may be a problem with Autoplay settings, however I have tried all combinations of Windows and TMT6 auto play settings without any luck. The file is being mounted OK, but it simply will not play.

Outside of My Movies, I can select a Blu Ray ISO file in Windows Explorer, it is mounted OK and it plays fine?

I am now thinking of buying PowerDVD 15 instead, as I am aware that this is last version which integrates into WMC, and would be grateful if anyone would confirm that they are using this with My Movies, with it working 100% OK with ISO files
Hi,
I´m using PowerDVD 15 in combination with My Movies and ISO files play fine in WMC. But I use Windows 7 (with the latest updates)

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