[mythtv-users] Critique on ASUS M3N78-VM FE (plus ASUS/MOBO Questions)

Thu Nov 20 14:31:05 UTC 2008

I'm building a Mythbox BE/FE using the M3n78 Pro right now.

You have to use the latest Nvidia drivers to get the video working, but it
works flawlessly on a HDMI TV.

As for audio on this board, you need at least alsa 1.0.18a to get it to work
right.

With the latest drivers, I just got audio over HDMI working last night.

I ended up going Fedora 9 on it, just to get it to act normal.  Support for
this board and chipset are coming, but it's still pretty close to the
bleeding edge on the update scale. (Fedora is closer to the edge than
Suse,etc. But not on the real edge like Ubuntu)

-Mark

On Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 10:51 PM, Steven Adeff <adeffs.mythtv at gmail.com>wrote:

> On Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 10:36 PM, Jeff Holicky
> <myth.myth_user at myth.sent.com> wrote:
> >
> > I am close to going ahead to build my first front end and wanted to ask a
> > number of questions from the "collective" (aka MythBorg).
> >
> > My criteria - cheap $300-400CA; some future proofing for future HD; for
> some
> > rooms - small/attractive; very quiet; no HDD/CDR; no networking boot
> unless
> > I must
> > Lower power consumption where possible since it will most likely be on
> most
> > of the time
> > I will be playing SD mostly today with future HDTV functionality; not
> sure
> > how many FEs today - a perfect world would be 5 - but I might also buy a
> > MediaMVP to test that out in one room.
> >
> > 1) MOBO - M3N78-VM
> > I originally was looking at the P5E-VM HDMI ($150CA) which had all the
> bells
> > and whistles I wanted, but felt the premium to get HDMI out was not worth
> it
> > (could get a cheaper MOBO and buy an HDMI card after) and found the
> P5KPL-CM
> > (P5K) which had some basic features I needed.  Then I read the following
> > post (by Nico) on a prospective machine:
> >
> > http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/mythtv/users/357383#357383  (post
> #10
> > - Nico)
> >
> > <snip>
> >
> > I've just build an FE system on Newegg for less than $200 that would be
> > fully HD compliant with this API:
> > Western Digital Caviar WD800BB 80GB 7200 RPM IDE Ultra ATA100 Hard Drive
> > $35.99
> > ASUS M3N78-VM AM2+/AM2 NVIDIA GeForce 8200 HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
> > (DVI+HDMI+Optical audio)  $74.99
> > Kingston ValueRAM 1GB (2 x 512MB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400)
> > Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model KVR800D2N5K2/1G $20.99
> > AMD Sempron 64 3400+ Manila 1.8GHz Socket AM2 62W Single-Core Processor
> > Model SDA3400IAA3CW $19.99
> > Linkworld Black body/ Silver strip Steel 6280-01 Micro ATX Media Center /
> > HTPC Case with 300W Power Supply $38.99
> > Total: $190.95  ... Add a CPU Fan... Ugly and probably noisy.
> >
> > <snip>
> >
> > I saw a few posts on the M3N78-VM and decided to review further - esp
> since
> > I can get it.  I had eliminated (for whatever reason) the AMD boards, and
> > found this board was an excellent middle of the road board - HDMI/DVI but
> > not too pricey ($100CA).  Plus it has some smarts to boot into a LINUX
> mode
> > that allows you to connect to the net if the system fails to carry on
> past
> > the BIOS and not boot (cool).
> >
> > I am starting to price out a similar set up:
> > mobo - ASUS M3N78-VM
> > ram - Kingston ValueRam (per QVL) - DDR2 800 PC2 6400 1GB
> > video - ASUS EN7200GS 256 RAM (SDTV - I need this for S-VIDEO output) [I
> can
> > actually get this; cannot find any low profile available]
> > case - Antec NSK 1380 (350W CPU; 80 certified - uATX) - Quiet 80 PLUS
> > Certified 350W P/S with universal input delivers quiet, stable power.
> > - Because the video card I cannot go low profile.  The only alternative
> to
> > this would be maybe a MINI-TOWER IN-WIN case at 1/2 the price but 2x the
> > size. Case comes with a 120mm fan - implies quieter than the 80mm plus
> with
> > the 80 PLUS rating in the long run it might be a better decision to bite
> the
> > bullet and get this.  Sadly it makes the system about $50 more than it
> could
> > be.
> >
> > CPU?
> > Right now I am having problems with the CPU.  With Intel I might have
> gone
> > with a low power Core 2 Duo E4500 (~65W).  AMD is a problem - though
> above
> > the set up quotes "AMD Sempron 64 3400+" I am having a problem getting
> that
> > (I don't do mail order).  One computer company I went to only could get
> > SOCKET AM2 - Sempron LE-1300 - but I can't find much on them cpu mark
> wise.
> > From what I read, anything over a P4 3.0GHz should play HD without
> problem.
> >
> > Please refer to this site: http://www.cpubenchmark.net/common_cpus.html
> > If I wanted to ensure that I could play any HD video in the future with
> this
> > box (1080p/i) - am I right in assuming any CPU over the P4 3.0GHz - CPU
> mark
> > 466 should be perfectly fine?  Or should I raise the bar and go higher -
> if
> > so - what would you suggest as a minimum?   (the cpu benchmark site is
> more
> > for me to hear suggestions on a minimum - then I can see what I can buy
> that
> > are better).  Obviously I still want a CHEAP CPU - and not go too far
> higher
> > than the minimum.
> >
> > FWIW
> > - A dated but still good CPU power usage link:
> > http://www.processor-comparison.com/power.html
> > - Also dated video card usage page -
> > http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/000662.html
> >
> > MEMORY?
> > I think 1GB is plenty - but again if I want to future proof - is it
> better
> > to get 2GB?
> >
> > Jury still out on cost - but seem to be stuck in the $400CA range.
> >
> > Board questions:
> > 1) USB BOOT - I have asked a generic question below.  Whoever has this
> board
> > (M3N78-VM) - can one use a USB KEY (1-4GB) to boot?  (Has anyone tried
> > this?)
> >
> > 2) NETWORKING - I noticed in the ASUS specs, that they do not refer to
> > manageability with the M3N78-VM.  No mention of networking - PXE etc.
>  P5K
> > specs mention it.  Both manuals are the same as the specs online - and
> offer
> > no more.
> > When I reviewed a cousin (M3N78-CM) it does say manageability - must be
> an
> > oversight. (Manageability ... PXE).  Anyways, can anyone confirm that the
> > M3N78-VM supports PXE?
> >
> > 3) AUDIO DRIVERS - the P5K has Linux drivers (Asus) for audio under the
> > downloads.  When I checked the M3N78, there are no drivers. Both use the
> > same AUDIO chip.
> > Can I simply use the drivers for the M3N from the P5K or do I need to go
> > somewhere else (if I need alternate - where from?)
> >
> > 4) LAN DRIVERS - I am not seeing any drivers at all for this -VM unit.
>  The
> > -CM cousin merely suggests  "Gigabit LAN" but this is different and again
> no
> > drivers for this board.
> > "2 x Realtek 8111C Gigabit MAC Atheros F1 Gigabit PHY featuring AI NET 2"
> > The manual talks about AI NET 2 and nothing else.  Any thoughts on where
> I
> > would get drivers?
> >
> > 5) Similar Intel boards?
> > Does anyone know of a similar Intel board - around the same price point
> with
> > HDMI and the SLI video etc?  I might look into that and get the E4500
> > (maybe).
> >
> >
> > General ASUS questions:
> > a) I want to aim at booting via a USB KEY.  Yet no where does it say that
> > all ASUS motherboards do this [no spec or documentation].  I want to know
> if
> > there is a general consensus that ASUS boards after a certain point
> (Socket
> > 775 / Socket AM2+) should automatically be able to boot from USB Keys
> > (1-4GB).  This is a rather CRITICAL question - I really want to eliminate
> > HDD / CDRs and networking booting options.  I posted a message in the
> ASUS
> > board to no avail at this point.
> >
> > b) Memory (more any MOBO really).  I am interested in knowing how well
> MOBOs
> > work with various memory choices.  I haven't built a computer from
> scratch
> > since the Apple ][+ days (soldering the chips to the board I mean and
> > burning the EPROMS).  I am always worried that if I buy a MOBO and memory
> > separate, that there is a chance that the machine may not like it and
> there
> > I am pissing away time and money at trying to fix it.  (Prefer to have
> > someone else build the machine and worry about conflicts such as this).
> > ASUS offers their QVL (Qualified Vendors List).   Nico showed Kingston
> Value
> > Ram - yet that RAM was not part of the QVL (specs are not the same).  I
> have
> > found the QVL version of Kingston RAM for about $10CA more - not a big
> > deal.  But I was wondering - how finicky are the boards with memory used
> > that are not listed in the QVL?  If I am building from scratch, am I
> better
> > off following their guidelines, and reduce or eliminate any conflicts
> > (system hanging etc) - or damned if I do and damned if I dont?   Please
> > offer some thoughts on this.  I am inches away from the big jump -
> building
> > it myself piecemeal would save money overall.
> >
> > Thanks to everyone that is able to assist at reviewing and offering any
> > help.  Also thanks to Nico - who I emailed originally - he suggested it
> was
> > better to get more eyes to review the specs and offer suggestions - and I
> > agree - education for all!
>
> Here's what I built my recent bedroom frontend, same basic criteria
> except HD playback was a must....
>
> http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/index.php/User:Steveadeff#Current_Bedroom_Frontend
>
>
> --
> Steve
> http://www.jobs-khakis-chicks.com/MythTV/
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