HP ProLiant MicroServer

Re83L

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I don't have a proliant microserver, but I was able to get my ATI HD5450 working in Kubuntu simply by installing the additional drivers provided in the menus. Once I rebooted, everything worked and I was able to watch Avatar in 1080p via XBMC on my 40 inch LCD over HDMI.

What exact versions Kubuntu are you using?
What release of XBMC are you working with?

What processor do you have? Are you sure it's not just your processor that's powerful enough to handle the decoding?
 

Re83L

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Intel Pentium Dual Core E5700 3GHz

Check your CPU usage while watching 1080p videos, your CPU is powerful enough to do the decoding, that's probably why your setup is working. We also thought we got it working ,but the HP N36L's CPU can only decode up to 720p, so even though it looks like hardware accelerated decoding is enabled, its actually just the CPU doing the decoding.

Thanks for the input
 

naeem.ally

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I bought my HP MicroServer purely as an HTPC.
I installed Ubuntu 11.04, put in a GT520 card and upgraded the RAM to 2GB.
Everything is looking good so far, only the wireless doesn't work in xbmc standalone. I need to sort that out. I'm using the wireless usb dongle that came with my mede8er.
I also got a XBox wireless receiver so I can use my Xbox wireless controller as a remote, that works quite nicely with xboxdrv.
I'm not running a RAID, but I may do once I got four harddrives sitting in there.

Is it worth putting in a blue ray drive?
 

orin76

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Check your CPU usage while watching 1080p videos, your CPU is powerful enough to do the decoding, that's probably why your setup is working. We also thought we got it working ,but the HP N36L's CPU can only decode up to 720p, so even though it looks like hardware accelerated decoding is enabled, its actually just the CPU doing the decoding.

Thanks for the input

Thanks for the information. My sister's ordered the microserver and she wants me to setup a media PC for her. I was going to go with the ATI, but thanks to you, I'll be able to save myself some grief by getting the Nvidia card instead.
 

Re83L

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Thanks for the information. My sister's ordered the microserver and she wants me to setup a media PC for her. I was going to go with the ATI, but thanks to you, I'll be able to save myself some grief by getting the Nvidia card instead.
Glad I could help.

Remember the 5450 / 6450 is still preferable if you're going to run Windows, since it uses less power than the 25w the PCI-E slot supplies.
The GT210 is old and IMO outdated, and uses 29w, but should work in Linux, but I'm going to get a GT520 for a second PC. I've been looking around and the guys from Rebeltech mailed me back saying that the Gigabyte one on their site as a LP Bracket included, even though the Gigabyte website states the LP bracket as an optional extra.

So it's only when running XBMC Live (or Openelec) or XBMC-with-Linux as OS that you'll have a problem with the ATi cards. (And also only with 1080p content)

jannievanzyl said his Linux and XBMX system is working perfectly with his GT520, that's why I'm looking to get my hands on one as well.

If anybody manages to get the ATi cards working in Linux (/XBMC Live / Openelec) on the N36L with VAAPI enabled and 1080p (10GB+) files playing perfectly, please reply to this thread, there's really a couple of guys looking to get their hands on this valuable info!
 

Re83L

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The GV-N520OC-1GI is the low profile model and is listed as such in the spec sheet.
http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3826#ov

Edit: Reading it again it actually only saying the board is low profile, not actually that a LP plate is included.
If you click "accessory optional" on the right top it will go to a LP Bracket with its own S/N , but as stated, Rebeltech mailed me saying that it has the bracket included after I asked exactly the same - so if it doesn't I'll be quite unhappy.
 

reactor_sa

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If you're having problems getting hardware acceleration under linux, why not just install win7??

PS: PM me if you looking for a microserver, I purchased a few too many last week (or more, a few o's bailed)... :/
 

BliZarD

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Dec 17, 2007
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Tried to set up my media pc today with no luck
I have the proliant microserver with a gigbyte 512MB gt210, an additional 4gb ram and 2tb hdd

I managed to get ubuntu amd 64 loaded but am busy downloading the nvidia drivers as I type.

I dont seem to be getting any sound though. Should I be worried or is there anything I have to do to set it up in a vanilla ubuntu 11.04 install?
I didnt get the ati cos I thought that would give issues and this would work straight out the box?
 

burn

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Remote controls: Are there cheap generic IR receivers that can simply be plugged into the USB ports? I have an Apple Remote that I would like to use.
 

Re83L

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Any ideas where to source a GT210 that would fit? I'm not too keen on bending metal fins.

I was looking at this: http://www.take2.co.za/electronics-...cs-card-gt210-512mb-64bit-gddr2--5391559.html
but Take2 got back to me saying it didn't come with a LP bracket. Where'd you get your's Blizard?

Mail the guys at wootware, Rebeltech or Prophecy.
Tell them you want an *active cooled card with a ** Low-Profile PCB and *** a Low-Profile Bracket included.
Mention all three of these and say that you're unwilling to accept anything that doesn't have all three the above.

I myself am rather looking to get a GT520, GT210 seems so outdated... :)
 

justjaxx

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May 18, 2011
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Tried to set up my media pc today with no luck
I have the proliant microserver with a gigbyte 512MB gt210, an additional 4gb ram and 2tb hdd

I managed to get ubuntu amd 64 loaded but am busy downloading the nvidia drivers as I type.

I dont seem to be getting any sound though. Should I be worried or is there anything I have to do to set it up in a vanilla ubuntu 11.04 install?
I didnt get the ati cos I thought that would give issues and this would work straight out the box?

I assume you are referring to no sound on HDMI. Is so, see here :
http://www.avforums.co.za/index.php?topic=9754.0
 

orin76

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If you're having problems getting hardware acceleration under linux, why not just install win7??

Linux is cheaper (i.e. free and legal)
Reduced malware concerns (no antivirus/anti-spyware software required)
More choice of filesystems for data storage.
Less risk when copying stuff from friend's USB drives to the HTPC.
Less risk when connecting the PC 24/7 to the internet
Easier OS backup and recovery
 

spiderz

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Mar 24, 2006
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Woot!!!
Received mine this morning. :D
Gonna be a 5 disk NAS.
Ubuntu Linux Server on usb + zraid (5x2Tb)
 

yeti

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Oct 13, 2009
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Linux is cheaper (i.e. free and legal)
Reduced malware concerns (no antivirus/anti-spyware software required)
More choice of filesystems for data storage.
Less risk when copying stuff from friend's USB drives to the HTPC.
Less risk when connecting the PC 24/7 to the internet
Easier OS backup and recovery

are you justifying this for yourself, or for him (not necessary)?
 

jarrodr

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May 6, 2008
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Remote controls: Are there cheap generic IR receivers that can simply be plugged into the USB ports? I have an Apple Remote that I would like to use.

This guy at work bought a Remote (with a mouse joystick) from China Mall for R65. Comes with usb sensor.
 

BliZarD

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Dec 17, 2007
Messages
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Any ideas where to source a GT210 that would fit? I'm not too keen on bending metal fins.

I was looking at this: http://www.take2.co.za/electronics-...cs-card-gt210-512mb-64bit-gddr2--5391559.html
but Take2 got back to me saying it didn't come with a LP bracket. Where'd you get your's Blizard?

Sup, A mate got my stuff from Rectron.


I assume you are referring to no sound on HDMI. Is so, see here :
http://www.avforums.co.za/index.php?topic=9754.0

My problem was with ubuntu 11.04. I didn't have to do anything with xbmc live. I installed xbmc live to a 2gb usb last night, popped it into the hp and everything worked straight off the bat. The version I used was an older version I dl'ed in March this year.




What's the largest files that you guys can get running sweetly on the box with a similar setup to mine(hp microserver, 5gb ram,Nvidia gt210)?
If I play an 8gb movie, then I get a very slight jerking in the fast action scenes. My tv is an older one that isn't 100hz or anything special like that so I have seen it happen before, but I'm concerned that some of my larger files wont play smoothly.
 
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