Via C3 and DivX

[Thanatos22]

Hi,

I was just wondering if there's anybody who knows wether the VIA C3 can playback DivX-movies without problems (frameskipping etc)? I was thinking about building a silent pc to put next to my tv and watch DivX-movies on them. Anybody who has got some experience in this field?

Thanks,

Steven

 

[rcj187]

i dont know a great deal about the Via C3 but i get the impression itsucks at number crunching stuff. playing back a high quality DivX especially if there is a lot of compression may trouble the C3 quite a bit although i suspect it can cope...just. but i may be wrong

I'm out of my mind, but feel free to leave a message.

 

[Thanatos22]

Well, I also figured it's not very good in FP-operations, but if it can play a DivX-encoded movie without glitches, it's ok for me
Thanks for your answer anyway!
Is there anybody with a C3 processor who could give me an answer?

 

[dionicio]

No,
C3 is running windowsXP OS, is running office 2000,
but no, it is not able to even decode divx
without strong droping.

 

[HonestJhon]

i think i read a review of the c3 1ghz that said it was a better performer than the c3 900mhz. and that it could do stuff like playing movies and whatnot with no real difficulty. i dont remember where it was, or if they were playing divx movies or dvd, but they said it wasnt that bad.
in fact, i am thinking about making a box to put with the tv downstairs that will have a viac3, probably the 1ghz, with a passive heatsink, and just some video card with tv out. a low profile card. and a low profile sound card...
make a custom box, and throw it in the tv stand...
so personally, i think that the c3 is fine for divx...at least from what i have read....

-DAvid

-Live, Learn, then build your own computer!-

 

[Thanatos22]

Too bad... Oke, thanks for your answer, but it's not what I wanted to hear
Is this the case for all C3's? Even the 933 Mhz version? (don't know which one you've got)

 

[dionicio]

You can get your specications with some PIII CPU's
some models (latest) have very low heat emition
under 17W max.

PIII are quite up to replaying divx

There is a site (I lost the locator) where all
CPU electrical specs are shown.

 

[HonestJhon]

what speed c3 are you running?
the 1ghz is supposed to be a nice jump from the 933..

-DAvid

-Live, Learn, then build your own computer!-

 

[Thanatos22]

HonestJhon, it's a big difference whether it's DVD or DivX, because the integrated mobos Via sells (with the CPU soldered on the motherboard), have an integrated VGA controller which takes a bit of the DVD-decoding-stuff away from the CPU... Maybe that's what you've read? Anyway, your idea is the same as mine, I also want a quiet, small box next to the tv But I wanted to be sure if the C3 could playback the DivX encoded movies.

 

[eden]

If you are still hesitant on the C3, you can always look at the extremly cheap priced Duron 1GHZ at around 50$, Retail, which supposedly is very silent. Otherwise grab an OEM one and buy a fan with a very very low DB noise, something below 27 if possible. Between the two of these CPUs, the Duron is better and costs less, or it depends on the store.

--
Meow

 

[dionicio]

Latest c3 I tested 750 mhz was able to play
DVD video harware asisted only.

 

[Thanatos22]

Eden: I know, Duron is also good (and cheap), but I was just wondering about the C3 and wanted to find out about it. It can run fanless I'm not going to try that on a Duron

 

[dionicio]

I have assambled PIII CPU-fanless just pointing a plastic duct to the PS. PIII are overheat protected too. PIII have
advanced multimedia instructions sets. Use a BIG heat
sink dressed and atached to the plastic duct.
Cool multimedia player...

 

[Thanatos22]

Dionicio, the 750 Mhz version is probably a Samuel 2 core or even a Samuel 1 core. The new C3 has the Ezra or (newest) Ezra-T core (933 Mhz). This core is newer and it also runs at 133 Mhz FSB (yours runs at 100 Mhz FSB), so maybe the new core CAN actually cope with DivX-encoded videos?

 

[dionicio]

You are true, I am talking about a Samuel I core;
Really does not feel like buying a 1Gh Ezra just for test.
Gross calc from TomsHardware tests on enconding
gave me little hope on decoding (wich is
a highly paralel operation, too)

 

[Thanatos22]

Ofcourse you're not going to buy one just for testing I wasn't planning on doing that either
I think I'll just have to wait untill someone with an 933 Mhz or 1Ghz version drops by and give me his/her thoughts...
Thanks anyway for the reaction!

 

[dionicio]

I apollogize
Realize now I have been rude
Cooling off

 

[Thanatos22]

I wasn't offended... Misunderstanding I suppose. If I've offended you, I didn't mean to! Sorry!

 

[dionicio]

You have pointed a definitive issue about
multimedia in diferent CPU's families:
Just as important enconding performance is in high-end
decoding performance should be in low-end.

Low-end CPU's benchmarks should include
how many divx frames a second cand we
PLAY or decode on them.

 

[M_C_Hammer]

my friend has a 1ghz celeron which easily plays divx and performs other tasks at the same time, but then the c3 is much slower than even the celeron.

Also, does anyone know if amd released 0.13 micron durons as well as athlons? if they did then they must use up very little power, maybe good for a silent system?


I need a 1.5 Ghz Athlon + 512mb ddr ram to write emails......honestly

 

[dionicio]

www.cpuscorecard.com tables
says all of the line are "0.18m" and power hungry.

The Camaro data shows 2-25W power disipation.
Says it is socket A, could it be inserted in a
conventional motherboard?