4K playback/data vault on the cheap!

[FeralWombat]

Hello LTT community,

 

I need your wise suggestion on a htpc/mini-storinator build I have in my mind. this will mostly be using fairly modest parts which I have already around from previous systems that I never got around to get rid of.

 

Here's what I have at hand:

• MSI 760GMA P34 (FX)
• AMD Phenom II X4 3.4Ghz (need to get a better cooler for this, currently only have the (loud) stock cooler
• 2x 4Gb DDR3 memory
• 350W PSU, can't remember the brand but it's not 80 Plus certified

 

What I want to do:

• HTPC for 4K playback (Netflix and footage taken from a dji phantom 3 [inb4, this machine will not be used for any video editing, just playback]);
• Storage machine, nothing big, about 2TB, mostly just as a backup for pictures; the 4k video files are stored elsewhere)
• It's not my intention to turn this machine into a NAS, mostly due to the cpu's high tdp; I just want to power it on whenever I want to watch tv or when I want to drop files onto it.

 

I know that this CPU isn't powerful enough for 4k playback that's why I thought about getting a second hand gpu for this. Some research online leads me to believe that, for playback, any gpu with at least 2GB of VRAM will suffice, do you guys share the same opinion, any gpu suggestions? Or since the socket is fairly modern, I should just upgrade the cpu to something like an X6 or X8?

I may also update the PSU to a corsair 450w 80+ bronze which I currently have on my main PC (I thought about getting something with a bit more oomph which could potentially run fanless on there this however is a more long term thing).

 

I'm opened for any other suggestions obviously (including the "don't waste your time and money with this" type of suggestion).

 

Cheers!

[Stagea]

You'd want a Pascal-based GPU with at least 3 GB of dedicated memory to support 4K UHD Netflix. This would mean at least a GTX 1050. 

http://techreport.com/news/32195/nvidia-384-76-drivers-quietly-enable-uhd-netflix-on-pascal

[FeralWombat]

I was not aware of this. Many thanks for sharing. I'll have to rethink my build then or the purpose of the build.

If 3gb is the minimum, I suppose I would have to spring for a Ti model as well. Has AMD not offered support for this yet?

[AshleyAshes]

15 hours ago, Stagea said:

You'd want a Pascal-based GPU with at least 3 GB of dedicated memory to support 4K UHD Netflix. This would mean at least a GTX 1050. 

http://techreport.com/news/32195/nvidia-384-76-drivers-quietly-enable-uhd-netflix-on-pascal

Wouldn't the cheaper GT 1030 be more suitable for this application?  It'd be cheaper, smaller, and cooler.  Assuming this GPU was ONLY for hardware video acceleration and drawing of interfaces.  Obviously, if light gaming was in interest, GTX 1050 would work better.

 

Edit: Wait, nope, they're all 2GB.  Never mind.  Also 'Well that sucks'.

[Stagea]

1 hour ago, FeralWombat said:

I was not aware of this. Many thanks for sharing. I'll have to rethink my build then or the purpose of the build.

If 3gb is the minimum, I suppose I would have to spring for a Ti model as well. Has AMD not offered support for this yet?

You're welcome bud. Polaris is still not validated for Playready 3.0; I don't know if it ever will be. I have a feeling that it's missing the hardware DRM needed for compliance. 

 

Maybe Vega will support this.