4k x265 upgrade

[phoenix99]

Need some help upgrading my home theatre pc.

I5 4460 with 8gb ram no GPU, is struggling to play 2160p x265 video. What's the cheapest way to get it playing well?

Upgrade CPU?

Get a GPU?

Advice is appreciated

 

[Neoprod]

Upgrading the CPU won't benefit much as Intel added support for hardware accelerated HEVC decode from Skylake onward. You'd have to get a new motherboard that supports DDR3.

Getting a GT 1030 or RX 550 graphics card would be the best bet for basic 4K 60 fps HEVC playback. Either one would do the job with the GT 1030 being a bit cheaper (the RX 550 is a bit more powerful for gaming purposes).

 

[Dan C]

Can't get mine to play 4k (AMD setup). I just moved the data to a flash drive and the MI Box did wonders

 

[HeftyCrab]

As per above, but I believe if you want x265 10bit to be decoded by the CPU you need Kaby lake (7th Gen Intel CPU) or newer (otherwise it will probably be done in software). Skylake (6th Gen) only does x265 8bit IIRC.

Otherwise get something like a Mibox, or hopefulle someone can comment on a graphics card that supports your requirements.

 

[ScottulusMaximus]

10 series nvidia cards do 265 hardware decoding, can get 2nd hand 1050s cheap cheap currently.

 

[phoenix99]

Thanks for the replies peeps. Looks like a GPU is the best way forward.

My gaming PC has a GTX970 that I've been wanting to replace with a 1080 or 1080ti for a while now.

Would putting the 970 in the home theatre PC do the job or does it have to be a 10 series card?

 

[Johnatan56]

Thanks for the replies peeps. Looks like a GPU is the best way forward.

My gaming PC has a GTX970 that I've been wanting to replace with a 1080 or 1080ti for a while now.

Would putting the 970 in the home theatre PC do the job or does it have to be a 10 series card?

970 does have hardware encoding, so near definite decoding.

 

[ponder]

@phoenix99

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nvidia_PureVideo

Sell the 970, buy a 1030 and use the leftover cash towards towards a new gpu for your gaming rig, winner winner chicken dinner

You should be able to flog the 970 on carbonite and pick up a used 1030 there.

 

[ScottulusMaximus]

970 does have hardware encoding, so near definite decoding.

I could never get 265 playback to work on my 970 for some reason.

 

[phoenix99]

@phoenix99

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nvidia_PureVideo

Sell the 970, buy a 1030 and use the leftover cash towards towards a new gpu for your gaming rig, winner winner chicken dinner

You should be able to flog the 970 on carbonite and pick up a used 1030 there.

Thanks Ponder, I think I'll do this.

 

[Rickster]

I could never get 265 playback to work on my 970 for some reason.

I can...but im not sure if its a 10Bit video.

 

[ScottulusMaximus]

I can...but im not sure if its a 10Bit video.

Can't quite remember as it was a while ago, and certainly not saying it's impossible, but I did experience some issue.

 

[Johnatan56]

Can't quite remember as it was a while ago, and certainly not saying it's impossible, but I did experience some issue.

So seems Nvidia gimped the 970, the 960 and 980 both have full HW support while the 970 uses a hybrid decoder (using CPU as well).
https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=294283

Weird.

 

[ponder]

So seems Nvidia gimped the 970, the 960 and 980 both have full HW support while the 970 uses a hybrid decoder (using CPU as well).
https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=294283

Weird.

I dont think the 980 has full support, only the later second generation maxwell cards(950&960) have full hardware based decoding but I speak under correction.

 

[Johnatan56]

I dont think the 980 has full support, only the later second generation maxwell cards(950&960) have full hardware based decoding but I speak under correction.

Yeah, you're most likely right. Quick Google says only M206 has full H.265 support. Which are:

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 (OEM) GM206-300 924 / 1250 MHz 3 GB GDDR5

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 GM206-300 1127 / 1753 MHz 2 GB GDDR5

NVIDIA Tesla M4 GM206 1074 / 1375 MHz 4 GB GDDR5

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950 GM206-250 1024 / 1652 MHz 2 GB GDDR5

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950 (OEM) GM206-250 935 / 1250 MHz 2 GB GDDR5

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950 Rev.2 GM206-251 1024 / 1652 MHz 2 GB GDDR5

NVIDIA Quadro M2000 GM206GL 872 / 1652 MHz 4 GB GDDR5

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 (GM206) GM206-150 1020 / 1250 MHz 1 GB GDDR5
https://videocardz.net/gpu/nvidia-gm206/

Then full support from 10th generation on wards. Does the 9th gen Titan X even support it?

 

[phoenix99]

UPDATE: picked up a used GTX1050 from Carb and it's eating that 4k 10 bit for breakfast. Thanks again peeps