New Asus HDCP Motherboard

w1retap

w1retap

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I don't know if any of you have saw that yet, but its good news for us. :D

Release Statement:
http://usa.asus.com/news_show.aspx?id=6276

Product Page:
http://usa.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=3&l2=101&l3=496&model=1568&modelmenu=1

$73 at Newegg!!
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131172&ATT=13-131-172&CMP=OTC-Froogle

This could help build a nice mATX low profile HTPC. Throw a 65nm AMD X2 3600+ in there and 1-2GB of ram, and you have yourself a HDCP certified HTPC for playing back 1080p Bluray and HDDVD. It has DVI and HDMI supporting HDCP, and it also outputs digital audio via the PCI slot dongle to be decoded by your reciever.
 
there are two version,

one w/o hdmi card

and

one w/ hdmi card

the one in Newegg is w/o hdmi card
 
Yes.. I know. You don't really need HDMI anyhow. You can use DVI-->HDMI adapters for super cheap on monoprice.com. The mobo has the digital audio pinouts, so you are basically all set. You always have the option of using a nice sound card as well.
 
the only problem is you have to buy an expensive am2 cpu like x2 6000 in order to play it w/ low cpu utiltizaton.
 
compwarez said:
the only problem is you have to buy an expensive am2 cpu like x2 6000 in order to play it w/ low cpu utiltizaton.
Click to expand...

... an X2 3600+ for $75 will playback 1080p just fine. You could always go with a Brisbane 4400+ for $155 if you want more overhead.
 
are you talking about hd-dvd movies or just something else? because you want to watch hd-dvd movies it is going to be slow.
 
Yes, I'm speaking of HD-DVD, Bluray, and x264/TS 1080p movies. It will playback just fine. Head on over to HDbits and see for yourself. I also have a 3600+ I'm building for my boss right now that plays back HDDVD just fine.
 
Links for what? Its a private forum. There is a HDbits invite thread in the FreeStuff section here. Is it really that hard to grasp that a 3600+ can playback HDDVD and Bluray?
 
okay so i just bought the Asus mATX board with DVI+VGA with the NV6150 chipset... should i send it back to newegg and get this? they are basically the same price?

I always heard that ATI cards dont do well with 720 and 1080 resolutions and that NV cards are better for HTPCs..

i have a week left before i can no longer return the motherboard....

is this chipset better overall graphics than the 6150?

I do not havea HD-DVD player an all my DVDs are backups on my HDD so HDCP isnt a big deal...
 
i think you have to google for it i forgot where there is a review on one of 690G board that compare with 6160 chipset about hd-dvd?
 
well i have been looking at it seem that neither can play games really... so I am keeping my board and I will just adda HDCP semi-gaming card like a 8600 series when it comes out :D



thanks for the link though... I must have had my head in the sand when this came out...
 
compwarez said:
what program do you use to watch hd-dvd? because powerdvd 7.x doesnot support x1250
Click to expand...
Yes it does. Use PowerDVD 7.3. It works with any official HDCP card. The "certified list" on their site and HDCP test program doesn't mean anything. My 8800GTX wasn't on the list for 7.2 and it works fine.
 
w1retap said:
Yes, I'm speaking of HD-DVD, Bluray, and x264/TS 1080p movies. It will playback just fine. Head on over to HDbits and see for yourself. I also have a 3600+ I'm building for my boss right now that plays back HDDVD just fine.
Click to expand...
Hi
This very much interests me (very close to my own HTPC), with the cpu you using, can you please list what other hard ware and software you are using?
thanks:)
 
gjvrieze said:
Hi
This very much interests me (very close to my own HTPC), with the cpu you using, can you please list what other hard ware and software you are using?
thanks:)
Click to expand...

For my boss, the Biostar T-force mobo, 3600+ X2 Brisbane, Corsair 2GB DDR2-667, MSI 7600gt HDCP, Windows XP Pro SP2, PowerDVD 7.3, Xbox 360 HDDVD player. Comes in at well under $1000 too. ^_^
 
This is probably going to be in my next HTPC build along with the HD-DVD add on (I would love to add a Blu-ray drive too but that would mean a PS3 rather then an actual drive). Hopefully Blu-ray drives drop in price pretty soon.

But the Sapphire and MSI boards look very tempting.

Also, it looks like the HDMI version of the Asus board is going to $100: http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=247141
 
Even the 6150 w/ the windows purevideo drivers can only support 720p H.264 (HD video stream, not MPEG2) AFAIK...
 
w1re, I know we dont' agree on everything...but thanks for this information. Really quite nice to see.
 
So you guys are thinking that these boards will do fine with a low to mid x2 processor and no dedicated card for most hd content related stuff? If it ends up being true, this could open up a path for an upgrade for me and a new htpc for my dad.
 
FraGGleR said:
So you guys are thinking that these boards will do fine with a low to mid x2 processor and no dedicated card for most hd content related stuff? If it ends up being true, this could open up a path for an upgrade for me and a new htpc for my dad.
Click to expand...
It depends, we need to test the board out first. ATI's acceleration for H.264 content left a lot to be desired, we'll have to see if the 690G suffers with that as well.
 
The only thing that kills this for me at the moment is the lack of S-video output :( Maybe one day I will talk the wife into getting a HD TV, but probably not until this old 27" dies :mad:
 
farscapesg1 said:
The only thing that kills this for me at the moment is the lack of S-video output :( Maybe one day I will talk the wife into getting a HD TV, but probably not until this old 27" dies :mad:
Click to expand...

If you hunt around you can probably find a box that converts VGA to svideo for not to many bones..maybe $50 for a cheap one (which is about all you need for svideo). there are some better ones for a $100...but $50 one I tried looks pretty good.
 
Meh, you can get a Core 2 based system for a few bones more, and the Core 2 will do A/V converting (essential to any HTPC) much faster than a paltry X2. I'll be passing on this; I'm perfectly happy with my Core 2 and a el cheapo 6200 system (PureVideo >AVIVO :p).
 
InorganicMatter said:
Meh, you can get a Core 2 based system for a few bones more, and the Core 2 will do A/V converting (essential to any HTPC) much faster than a paltry X2. I'll be passing on this; I'm perfectly happy with my Core 2 and a el cheapo 6200 system (PureVideo >AVIVO :p).
Click to expand...

Is the board you are using mATX? Also, if it is mATX does it have more than 1 PCI slot? I think quite a few of us are interested in the integrated solution becuase of its simplicity, cost, and power reduction of it. I also thought that the 6200/6600 that were HDCP compliant were a "sony special".
 
InorganicMatter said:
Meh, you can get a Core 2 based system for a few bones more, and the Core 2 will do A/V converting (essential to any HTPC) much faster than a paltry X2. I'll be passing on this; I'm perfectly happy with my Core 2 and a el cheapo 6200 system (PureVideo >AVIVO :p).
Click to expand...
Good for you.
 
w1retap said:
Good for you.
Click to expand...
I detect a twinge of jealousy in your voice that my suggestion is better than the Asus board and only a few bones more, and that AVIVO sucks. ;) It's OK, no hard feelings.
Trepidati0n said:
Is the board you are using mATX? Also, if it is mATX does it have more than 1 PCI slot? I think quite a few of us are interested in the integrated solution becuase of its simplicity, cost, and power reduction of it. I also thought that the 6200/6600 that were HDCP compliant were a "sony special".
Click to expand...
My specific board is not mATX, because I needed some PCI slots and no mATX board in existence has 3 PCI slots, but you can indeed get some good P965 mATX boards. I tried the all-integrated route and immediately missed my precious PureVideo. Pulled my 6200 out of the closet, stuck it in, haven't looked back. Yeah, your right on the 6000 series have broken HDCP; I only used the 6200 as an example since that's what I'm using (and I'm HDCP free thanks to SlySoft ;)). You can easily get an el cheapo 7000 series card with HDCP.
 
InorganicMatter said:
I detect a twinge of jealousy in your voice that my suggestion is better than the Asus board and only a few bones more, and that AVIVO sucks. ;) It's OK, no hard feelings.

My specific board is not mATX, because I needed some PCI slots and no mATX board in existence has 3 PCI slots, but you can indeed get some good P965 mATX boards. I tried the all-integrated route and immediately missed my precious PureVideo. Pulled my 6200 out of the closet, stuck it in, haven't looked back. Yeah, your right on the 6000 series have broken HDCP; I only used the 6200 as an example since that's what I'm using (and I'm HDCP free thanks to SlySoft ;)). You can easily get an el cheapo 7000 series card with HDCP.
Click to expand...

Still though, if you total up the numbers, the AMD solution right now is superior for the function required. That is the point that quite a few of us are making. Mobo + video card is still more expensive than this solution. If the testing goes well, it will be the superior solution. So far all you said is X is the superior solution but ignored the Y factor (cost in this case). Please show us how your X solution + Y is better than the mobo listed..no? Also the HDCP tool from slysoft isn't free, it is another cost adder.

This isn't a case of apples (DVD) and oranges (HD-DVD,blueray)..it is oranges versus oranges....and i'm not sure I need a more expensive orange when all i'm looking at is to eat an orange.
 
InorganicMatter said:
I detect a twinge of jealousy in your voice that my suggestion is better than the Asus board and only a few bones more, and that AVIVO sucks. ;) It's OK, no hard feelings.
Click to expand...
No. I really don't care. You just came into a thread to make a useless bias plug for a product you like. I was simply letting people know of this product as a viable cheap HTPC.
 
InorganicMatter said:
<snip>
My specific board is not mATX, because I needed some PCI slots and no mATX board in existence has 3 PCI slots, but you can indeed get some good P965 mATX boards. I tried the all-integrated route and immediately missed my precious PureVideo. Pulled my 6200 out of the closet, stuck it in, haven't looked back. Yeah, your right on the 6000 series have broken HDCP; I only used the 6200 as an example since that's what I'm using (and I'm HDCP free thanks to SlySoft ;)). You can easily get an el cheapo 7000 series card with HDCP.
Click to expand...

I hope you're exaggerating, because my el-cheapo Foxconn mobo has 3 pci slots. It's not that great of a board, but it's got 3.
 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813186086

There, a good MATX mobo with 3 PCI slots. Now lets shut up about it and actually talk about the mobo.

Anyone order theirs let? I think I'm either going to wait on it and get a new HDTV instead (since I want one with HDMI or/and DVI) or wait for the HDMI version of the Asus board (since I want svideo out too) or the Sapphire one.
 
I'm picking one up from the Microsoft/AMD tech tour. You get that board, a 4400+ Brisbane and Vista Ultimate all for $349 or something. I'll use it as a 1080p HTPC for the basement this summer when I build a home theater down there. =)
 
That board is smoking pretty good IMO. I've been digging around and it appears to be solid. Biggest problem i'm having right now if finding a decent desktop (i.e. non-tower)case though, IN BLACK, that has decent cooling and won't cost more than my 7800GTX on release day. I may just have to swallow my pride and go silver and get the Antec.
 
I have a 320GB seagate 7200.10 drive laying around and bought Sage 6.0 and other stuff over at PC alchemy (running sage 5.x right now). Will get the board +

Antec TRUEPOWERII TPII-430 ATX12V 430W Power Supply - Retail, $19.99 After $40.00 Mail-in Rebate

G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit, $129.99

AMD Athlon 64 X2 3600+ Brisbane 1.9GHz Socket AM2 Processor Model ADO3600DDBOX - Retail, $89

I need to replacemy current sage box (running an old 1800XP at like 100 FSB). Really, i'm buying the board for the cheap option of testing HD on this kind of platform. I'll see if if I can snag my friends XBOX drive and play a bit. It it works, we all win..especialy with a 3600+ brisbane. Even if they drop C2D prices...they seem to keep getting jacked up because of demand.
 
I look forward to your experiments with HD. I very much want to try this board with a brisbane processor, but don't quite have the cash to just play. I am a huge fan of the core2 duo's but I haven't found a solution as simple as this one for that platform, yet. Also, if I don't need the power of a core 2, then I don't want to pay extra for one.
 
Also, do we know if this board has a spdif header so that I can use the spare spdif bracket that I had bought for the older Asus 6150-based board?
 
FraGGleR said:
Also, do we know if this board has a spdif header so that I can use the spare spdif bracket that I had bought for the older Asus 6150-based board?
Click to expand...

Should work perfect. Usually asus uses the same headers across the board. But, if its different, just take a toothpick and remove the older plastic pin header from the PCI dongle bracket, and put on the new one using the right pinout diagram. Then ust plug it in and your good. =)
 
w1retap said:
Should work perfect. Usually asus uses the same headers across the board. But, if its different, just take a toothpick and remove the older plastic pin header from the PCI dongle bracket, and put on the new one using the right pinout diagram. Then ust plug it in and your good. =)
Click to expand...

You happen to have a link to one of these w1re? Usually i'm a lazy bastid and just buy boards with it built in.
 
Ok.. you can buy these from any place if you search on Froogle.. they're about $5.
tech_cable_bracket.jpg


Then, you need to see what the pinout diagram is on the motherboard so you can see if the pinout on the pci dongle is the same. If its not, just switch around the pins. If you need a totally different style plastic dongle pinout for the pci bracket side, you can get them here.
http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=60_190
 
Trep, I bought the actual Asus branded one for something like $7 off of ebay. Hopefully, I won't have to mess with any pins since I have clumsy fingers.

I want to try all this really, really badly. Should the x2 3600 use less juice than my old p4 2.8ghz northwood?
 
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