low power AMD Build

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Gilco2

1556 posts

Uber Geek

#147036 6-Jun-2014 14:27

Main HTPC has AMD A4-5300 with 8GB dual channel memory and tv tuner card. Has bluray/dvd rewriter. 2TB hdd for movies and 2TB hdd for TV series. 1TB hdd for OS and document backups and 500GB hdd for tv recordings. 500GB 2.5inch HDD with OS.   Using wall power meter at idle it uses 20watt and 50 watts watching video from internal hdd using xbmc. On startup it does spike to 65 watts.

As I have home server with all files on and those all backed up to another NAS I thought would put together what I thought would be low power htpc client using some parts already had.
I have Antec isk110 case with mini itx motherboard AMD A4-4000 cpu. 4GB single memory and 120GB Crucial SSD.   Again this idles at 20watts and 45 watt streaming a movie from server.
Using Windows 7 64bit. home premium on this and Windows 8 pro on the main htpc.   So a little dissapointed as thought with only 1 drive being ssd it would use a lot less power. Seems only real advantage is small unit taking up less space.
I could have gone with Intel NUC but thought later on wouldnt be able to upgrade motherboard etc and would have to buy whole unit. But probably would have been better in long run with this power consumption.

HTPC Intel Pentium G3258 cpu, Gigabyte H97n-wifi motherboard, , 8GB DDR3 ram, onboard graphics. Hauppuage HVR 5500 tuner, Silverstone LC16M case, Windows 10 pro 64 bit using Nextpvr and Kodi

openmedia

3046 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1060445 6-Jun-2014 16:17

What mini-itx board did you use and are you using passive cooling.

Want to move my MythTV box out of the lounge and just have a head end behind the TV.

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

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Gilco2

1556 posts

Uber Geek

#1060457 6-Jun-2014 16:44

using Gigabyte GA-F2A88XN-WIFI. May have had bad driver or something I guess. Downloaded realtek audio driver from realtek and catalyst drivers from AMD and now drawing 30 watts so reasonably happy with that now. Using stock cooler and temperature so far staying around 36 deg.

HTPC Intel Pentium G3258 cpu, Gigabyte H97n-wifi motherboard, , 8GB DDR3 ram, onboard graphics. Hauppuage HVR 5500 tuner, Silverstone LC16M case, Windows 10 pro 64 bit using Nextpvr and Kodi

PANiCnz

936 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1060759 7-Jun-2014 10:01

Both CPU's are 65w models and the difference in power usage between hard drives and SSD's isn't that large. Your both savings seem about right, I would have perhaps expected another 5w saving for the reduction in the number drives but if they aren't all spooled up when you were taking your power readings (most likely) their effect would be minimal.

If you wanted a real low power system you should have consider Intel's Baytrail or AMD's Kabini chips.

Gilco2

1556 posts

Uber Geek

#1060760 7-Jun-2014 10:06

yeah I wanted to use the memory, cpu and ssd I had not being used. But probably should have waited for the Kabini to be available here. The reviews even the sempron 3850 would be good for htpc. But even now searching cant find anyone here selling them yet.

HTPC Intel Pentium G3258 cpu, Gigabyte H97n-wifi motherboard, , 8GB DDR3 ram, onboard graphics. Hauppuage HVR 5500 tuner, Silverstone LC16M case, Windows 10 pro 64 bit using Nextpvr and Kodi

PANiCnz

936 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1060762 7-Jun-2014 10:09

Yeah unfortunately Kabini and Baytrail are next to impossible to get locally.