[jivetrky]

So right now, this HTPC has an E8600 in it. I'm recently without a CPU for my main desktop. I found a closeted system with a PentD 820 in it.

Would this 820 have sufficient power to handle Windows7 Pro running mainly as a media center (using media browser) and playing 1080p Bluray rips? My video card is a 5450. I had to turn off the hardware decoding on it because it would sometimes freeze the system (I mainly noticed it on playing HD flash videos in Firefox). And I definitely noticed a decrease in smoothness when browsing through the movie covers in media browser after downgrading from a 4850 to the 5450.

It's in an HTPC case, so it doesn't have tremendous airflow and the video card is passively cooled, which I believe is the reason for it's failure in hardware decode. SO, the CPU will have to handle the decoding of 1080p material, etc.

Also, another issue is that I know these things run hot, would that be OK in an HTPC? I have an after market cooler but it's probably not MUCH better than one of the better stock HSF's.

[Bobnova]

Maybe, if you can OC it a good bit. That CPU puts out a lot more heat then an e8600.
I would put a quiet fan on the GPU and turn hardware decoding back on.

[jivetrky]

That's actually a good idea, I don't know why I didn't think of putting a fan on the GPU.

I'm just afraid of overclocking that 820 because f the massive heatload. This HTPC is also my file server, with the 3 large harddrives in there, which don't get great airflow as it is, I'd be afraid of adding that much more heat in there. IDK worth a try I guess. Maybe I'll just stick it in there and see how it handles 1080p stuff. I just hope I don't crack that case and play around with it all for nothing

Thanks sir!

Originally Posted by Bobnova

Maybe, if you can OC it a good bit. That CPU puts out a lot more heat then
an e8600.
I would put a quiet fan on the GPU and turn hardware decoding back on.