Requirements to run 720p

[Yocracra]

Odd question, but I’m doing a project that requires me to run video on a 720p monitor (1280x1024). I want to know what the minimum requirements are to run that, and if you can, tell me a list of parts to make a pc that will run it. (Don’t include case)

 

Side note: I’m looking for cheap, so if there is a part that runs better and is cheaper, go with that

[Princess Luna]

You want a computer that can run videos in 720p?

[WereCatf]

3 minutes ago, Yocracra said:

Odd question, but I’m doing a project that requires me to run video on a 720p monitor (1280x1024). I want to know what the minimum requirements are to run that

Even a potato can do that, if there's hardware-decoding for the codec your video is encoded in.

[Yocracra]

Just now, WereCatf said:

Even a potato can do that, if there's hardware-decoding for the codec your video is encoded in.

-__- I don’t know what that means. I don’t know too much about that stuff.

[Princess Luna]

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Athlon 200GE 3.2 GHz Dual-Core Processor  ($51.42 @ Walmart)
Motherboard: ASRock B450M-HDV R4.0 Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard  ($59.89 @ OutletPC)
Memory: GeIL EVO SPEAR 8 GB (2 x 4 GB) DDR4-2400 Memory  ($33.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial BX500 120 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($20.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master MasterBox E300L MicroATX Mini Tower Case  ($24.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA BR 500 W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply  ($35.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $227.26
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-07-25 10:07 EDT-0400

[Yocracra]

I’m only asking because I’m used to knowing the capabilities of newer parts. But since I wasn’t born when computers used CRT monitors, I don’t know what parts to buy.

[Yocracra]

2 minutes ago, Princess Luna said:

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Athlon 200GE 3.2 GHz Dual-Core Processor  ($51.42 @ Walmart)
Motherboard: ASRock B450M-HDV R4.0 Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard  ($59.89 @ OutletPC)
Memory: GeIL EVO SPEAR 8 GB (2 x 4 GB) DDR4-2400 Memory  ($33.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial BX500 120 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($20.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master MasterBox E300L MicroATX Mini Tower Case  ($24.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA BR 500 W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply  ($35.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $227.26
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-07-25 10:07 EDT-0400

When I say cheap computer I mean *cheap*. Like $20-$30 max cheap. I won’t be using this for anything except constant streaming of video. I’ll use old parts too. This isn’t for performance.

[steelo]

20 minutes ago, Yocracra said:

Odd question, but I’m doing a project that requires me to run video on a 720p monitor (1280x1024). I want to know what the minimum requirements are to run that, and if you can, tell me a list of parts to make a pc that will run it. (Don’t include case)

 

Side note: I’m looking for cheap, so if there is a part that runs better and is cheaper, go with that

I believe your cheapest route if all you want to do with it is play videos at 720p is a raspberry pi 3 ($35) Another route may be to use chromecast or roku to stream the videos from a phone or device to the monitor. This is all assuming the monitor has a HDMI port.

 

If you're wanting to buy or build a full blown PC, I'd say just about anything with fairly modern hardware can play 720p videos.

[Princess Luna]

1 minute ago, Yocracra said:

When I say cheap computer I mean *cheap*. Like $20-$30 max cheap. I won’t be using this for anything except constant streaming of video.

Then buy w/e used OEM prebuild you find on eBay

[Boinbo]

Do you have an old laptop? You could use that instead to save some money

[Yocracra]

2 minutes ago, Boinbo said:

Do you have an old laptop? You could use that instead to save some money

No. But I do have an old pc that runs 1080p. Problem is that it won’t turn on and I don’t know which parts do and don’t work.

[Boinbo]

Just now, Yocracra said:

No. But I do have an old pc that runs 1080p. Problem is that it won’t turn on and I don’t know which parts do and don’t work.

Maybe post the build here and we can help troubleshoot?

[steelo]

21 minutes ago, Yocracra said:

When I say cheap computer I mean *cheap*. Like $20-$30 max cheap. I won’t be using this for anything except constant streaming of video. I’ll use old parts too. This isn’t for performance.

A raspberry pi 3 is your cheapest solution if all you need it for is to play video. A rpi3 runs around $30 and includes a hdmi port to connect to your monitor. They are extremely compact and use about 1/100th the electricity of a typical PC

[mariushm]

You can buy a socket AM2 motherboard with a CPU from AMD with integrated graphics.

A socket FM2 / FM2+ motherboard will also work.

Make sure the motherboards have VGA (D-Sub) connector, or DVI-I connector (you can then use a 1-2$ passive DVI-VGA adapter to have VGA)

 

There's also socket AM2 / AM3 motherboards with chipsets like 760g which have integrated graphics.

 

For example (mostly UK sellers cause this is my default but in US you'll probably get free shipping or cheaper shipping)

 

15$  + shipping : HP 660155-001 AAHD2-HY Holly Rev 1.03 Socket FM1 A55 DDR3 mATX Motherboard w/ BP  :

17.5$ + shipping : Pegatron/Asus M2N-VM/S Rev 2.01G Socket AM2 DDR2 GeForce Motherboard No BP

19$ + shipping:  Biostar GF7025-M2 TE Ver. 6.0 Socket AM2 Motherboard No BP

 

Here's a 50$ mb + cpu+ ram : https://www.ebay.com/itm/Biostar-a55mlc2-VER-7-1-FM1-A4-3300-2-5GHZ-4GB-DDR3-Motherboard-With-BP/372645368371?hash=item56c3651233:g:wJQAAOSw2bFcLj7B

 

You can then just look at the processors that were made for various sockets and search on eBay for that cpu.

ex

socket FM1 : http://www.cpu-world.com/Sockets/Socket FM1.html

socket FM2 : http://www.cpu-world.com/Sockets/Socket_FM2.html

socket FM2+ : http://www.cpu-world.com/Sockets/Socket_FM2_.html

socket AM2 : http://www.cpu-world.com/Sockets/Socket AM2.html

 

For example, for that socket FM1 motherboard, the smallest A4-3300 is 8$ with free shipping and a cooler is maybe another 5-10$:  https://www.ebay.com/itm/AMD-A4-3300-CPU-A4-Series-dual-core-2-5-GHz-1M-Socket-FM1-Processors/352699141098

 

So ~ 15-20$ for mb, 10$ for cpu, 5$ for cooler and maybe 10$ for a 2-4 GB DDR3 stick and then get a psu and a hdd from somewhere and you're done. It can be cheaper than a raspberry pi 4.

 

You don't have to buy expensive DDR4 and recent processors for something like that.

 

Alternatively, you can buy motherboards which have processor soldered onto them, so you only need to add a DDR3 stick and a power supply to have your own pc.

Here's an example: ASRock J3455M Intel Quad-Core Celeron Processor J3455 (up to 2.3 GHz) Micro ATX Motherboard/CPU Combo

It's 65$ for a motherboard with a cpu that's passively cooled, which supports two or three displays. Add a cheap DDR3 stick and a cheap psu and a SSD/hard drive and you're done.

 

[Yocracra]

13 minutes ago, steelo said:

A raspberry pi 3 is your cheapest solution if all you need it for is to play video. A rpi3 runs around $30 and includes a hdmi port to connect to your monitor. They are extremely compact and use about 1/100th the electricity of a typical PC

It can also run 720p?

[steelo]

5 minutes ago, Yocracra said:

It can also run 720p?

Yes it can, if you're streaming online content though it may struggle. If the videos are stored locally, for example - on a pen drive, it should work fine.

[mariushm]

Be careful and look what input your monitor has. If it has only VGA, then you can't use the PI because it has only HDMI.  You'd need a HDMI to VGA converter which would cost another 10$ or more.

[Yocracra]

Just now, steelo said:

Yes. Are the videos going to be stored locally on the computer?

No. I’ll have to get a wireless network adapter right?

 

Also I have *no idea* how to use a raspberry pi.

[steelo]

2 minutes ago, mariushm said:

Be careful and look what input your monitor has. If it has only VGA, then you can't use the PI because it has only HDMI.  You'd need a HDMI to VGA converter which would cost another 10$ or more.

Right, that was the first thing I mentioned.

[steelo]

12 minutes ago, Yocracra said:

No. I’ll have to get a wireless network adapter right?

 

Also I have *no idea* how to use a raspberry pi.

 

12 minutes ago, Yocracra said:

No. I’ll have to get a wireless network adapter right?

 

Also I have *no idea* how to use a raspberry pi.

It's not for everyone, but I was just suggesting it because its a cost effective solution if all you're doing is playing videos. It comes with built in wifi and a NIC. Setting up a raspberry pi really isn't any more difficult than setting up Windows on a PC, it's just different. You install the OS (linux based) onto a micro SD card which gets inserted into the pi. It boots up as normal and then you can use a keyboard and mouse like a traditional PC. There's a ridiculous amount of resources out there to show you how to install the free OS (raspbian) You can even download 'NOOBS', burn it onto your SD card, plug in a keyboard and mouse, plug in a hdmi monitor, turn the pi on and it will set the OS up for you.

 

Are you streaming content from an online source?

 

 

[Yocracra]

4 minutes ago, steelo said:

Are you streaming content from an online source?

Yes. Probably YouTube.

[steelo]

1 hour ago, Princess Luna said:

Then buy w/e used OEM prebuild you find on eBay

I don't even know if you can find a prebuild for $30...LOL

[steelo]

46 minutes ago, Yocracra said:

Yes. Probably YouTube.

Okay, if you're streaming from youtube, why not just get a $20-$30 roku?

[Yocracra]

15 minutes ago, steelo said:

Okay, if you're streaming from youtube, why not just get a $20-$30 roku?

That’s actually a really good idea. Now it’s just a debate over to actually get a PC to match the rest of the setup, or just to do it with a Roku.

[steelo]

7 minutes ago, Yocracra said:

That’s actually a really good idea. Now it’s just a debate over to actually get a PC to match the rest of the setup, or just to do it with a Roku.

If you're on a $30 budget, that may be your only option.