Is this HTPC Overkill?

  • I've just built this with a windows set up in mind but it's already getting on my nerves :D

    Intel Core i5 7600

    Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 Ti 8GB

    8GB DDR5 Ram.

    I want it to play 4k video faultlessly. Switch Colourspace accurately and output HDR when required.

    I also want Netflix 4k to work.

    Will Libreelec do this for me?

  • Intel HDR support in the mainline kernel is still WIP but we're nearing the point where various independent threads of development come together. And once Intel completes HDR support we'll be able to align support for other SoC/GPU types with the same work.

  • Wheher it is an overkill or not it depends on your needs. Whether you want LibreELEC or Windows, whether you need it just for multimedia playback or for gaming too ?

    Your CPU is way too powerful for LE and you don't really need nVidia for LibreELEC since it only supports VDPAU wchich is not being developed anymore and LE/Kodi support for VDPAU is going to be dropped. VDPAU does not support HEVC 10 bit decoding.

    I have Pentium G5600 (UHD 630) and my colleague has Pentium G4560 (HD 610) - both integrated Intel graphic chips support everything that is needed for LibreELEC, including HEVC 10 bit decoding. We're both content with these platforms.

    Your MB does not have DP so you're locked to 30Hz at 4K (Intel chips do have only HDMI 1.4, maybe one day they'll have HDMI 2.0b or even 2.1).

    If I were you, I would got rid of nVidia (unless you need it for gaming on Windows ?) and replaced MB with one that has HDMI and DP port, then purchase Club3D CAC-1080 DP 1.4 to HDMI 2.0b adapter (this will give you 4K/60Hz). You will have everything that is needed to play back everything under LE 9/Kodi 18, including 10 bit HDR HEVC 4K videos @60Hz (Kodi 18 converts HDR to SDR on the fly but stil cannot passthrough native HDR to TV). That's what I did myself recently - got rid of 1050Ti and replaced MB with theo ne that has DP+HDMI port + purchased CAC-1080.

    One thing that will not work is frame-packed 3D (is Kodi capable of playing back native MVC videos ?) because DP in Intel chips is version 1.2 only and DP 1.2 does not support frame packed 3D (DP 1.4 is needed). To play back frame-packed 3D you may need to move TV connection back to MB's HDMI 1.4 port.

    Today's only painful limitation of Intel graphic chips is lack of native HDMI 2.0a/b. Intel is working on adding HDR support to thier drivers but I wonder how this is going to work since their chips still don't support at least HDMI 2.0a natively.