Zotac ION: Atom Powered HTPC

[jinjuku]

Hi All,

There is a Mini-ITX motherboard out there that seems perfect for the HTPC crowd.

The Zotac Ion comes in several flavors. The one of interest to most HTPC enthusiasts would be their ION-ITX-A-U. Based on the dual core Atom processor, it also features an external 'laptop style' 90Watt DC power supply.

The Video and Audio are handled by nVidia's ION chipset (basically the nVidia GeForce 9300). It can play 1080p and decode DD 5.1, DTS 5.1, or 8-channel LPCM with appropriate software (Power DVD 8/9, or Total Movie Theater 3). Make sure you get the latest patches for these products.

Combine that with a laptop HD like the Western Digital Scorpio 320GB

A case like this one (just remove the included power supply)...

Mmmm, goodness.

 

[Djizasse]

review on Anandtech
review on Toms Hardware

New reviews should pop soon. This board looks very promising.

 

[jinjuku]

review on Anandtech
review on Toms Hardware

New reviews should pop soon. This board looks very promising.

Yep, the NDA was lifted:

Techreport.com
engadget

 

[Nemo128]

1920x1080 gaming with most available titles is easily doable with this chipset, even with the wimpy dual core Atom. Add its HT capabilities and it's a winner.

 

[Nemo128]

The Video and Audio are handled by nVidia's ION chipset (basically the nVidia GeForce 9300).

nVidia 9400M, more power than the 9300 and runs cooler.

 

[Djizasse]

1920x1080 gaming with most available titles is easily doable with this chipset, even with the wimpy dual core Atom. Add its HT capabilities and it's a winner.

1920x1080 gaming?
For me, gaming is at least Half Life 2, this thing cannot run it at 1920x1080.

 

[tbergman]

So how would you do DVR with this? external TV tuner?

 

[jinjuku]

So how would you do DVR with this? external TV tuner?

Correct. Just use a USB Tuner (or multiples so you can watch and record). You can get them for OTA and/or Clear QAM. I am still waiting for a Cable Card variant that doesn't require me to purchase a complete system from the Likes of HP/Dell.

 

[Nemo128]

1920x1080 gaming?
For me, gaming is at least Half Life 2, this thing cannot run it at 1920x1080.

HA! The Source engine is highly efficient. This chipset can indeed run it at that res with playable framerates, not ZOMG 120FPS, but playable indeed, and it's only CPU limited, not GPU limited.

I am still waiting for a Cable Card variant that doesn't require me to purchase a complete system from the Likes of HP/Dell.

CableLabs just won't allow it. They make too much money on OEM licensing, and the OEMs reap big profits from consumers on the systems.

 

[Djizasse]

HA! The Source engine is highly efficient. This chipset can indeed run it at that res with playable framerates, not ZOMG 120FPS, but playable indeed, and it's only CPU limited, not GPU limited.

Playable? 30-40fps with details at low? It would be enough for quick DoD matches
I'll wait for the benchmarks.

 

[jinjuku]

Could we keep this on topic as it pertains to Home Theater PC's? I think most people in the know realize that this is not a monster gaming system.

 

[Djizasse]

Could we keep this on topic as it pertains to Home Theater PC's? I think most people in the know realize that this is not a monster gaming system.

As a HTPC, one of its duties can be as a gaming machine.
I think it is important to know how it behaves with some games.

When I get some benchmarks on the source engine I'll post them, if that's ok with you. Till then I won't bring this up again.

 

[tbergman]

so would this make for a relatively capable HTPC? How good are usb tv tuner cards? Does anyone have one that they suggest? If this works out, it's a lot more comparable price wise to non-HTPC alteratives than the HTPC that I was thinking about building. Basically I want HTPC capability at network media player prices, I want it all, and I want it cheap?

 

[jinjuku]

so would this make for a relatively capable HTPC? How good are usb tv tuner cards? Does anyone have one that they suggest? If this works out, it's a lot more comparable price wise to non-HTPC alteratives than the HTPC that I was thinking about building. Basically I want HTPC capability at network media player prices, I want it all, and I want it cheap?

I have the Avermedia and Hauppauge USB TV tuners and they work great. Another higher end tuner that is a network device is the HD Home Run. You simply install a virtual tuner to V.MCE.

 

[tbergman]

Anybody find the IONITX-A-U anywhere for sale? newegg just has the two single core Atoms. Will the single core work hard enough for HD? Found it one place for $250, maybe the price will come down when more places are carrying them?

 

[Djizasse]

Anantech has posted a follow up with more usage tests:
Link here

 

[Sheep]

You'd be better of with an AMD X2 system on an mATX board with the Built in ATi graphics that can produce 1080p resolutions without problems, and play games. A bit more space, but the performance is much better.

SheepStar

 

[Djizasse]

Zotac says that wake-on-USB isn't currently supported by the PCB and requires a hardware revision to enable it. A new revision of the Zotac Ion board with wake-on-USB support is in the works and Zotac tells me that the new board should be ready in early June.

This means that this board does not have the useful feature that is to press a key to turn on the HTPC.

 

[Djizasse]

Toms hardware continue to play with the Zotac:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/nvidia-ion-htpc,2329.html