4k Playback Solution? New BRIX HTPC (GB-BXi7-4500) and Seiki 50" 4k UltraHDTV

[Ryan Sauve]

I'm looking to produce and display 4k footage on a compact and portable setup. The new BRIX seems like it'll play 4k content. If it can feed the Seiki a 4k signal and the Seiki can play it, this would be a pretty sweet setup.

Here's the latest on the updated BRIX system that claims to be able to send out a 4k signal over hdmi...

http://www.pcper.com/news/General-Tech/Gigabyte-Announces-New-Haswell-Powered-BRIX-PCs

 

[Christopher Quarksnow]

Hi, Ryan -
There are two aspects to investigate with the BRIX : the first being the lack of DisplayPort, so you might wind up with a "Not Support" on the Seiki because its EDID 1.3 resulting in a 3840x2160 @29Hz 32bpp that exceeds HDMI source capability. The Intel NUC D54250WYK http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/nuc/nuc-kit-d54250wyk.html features both DisplayPort and HDMI, so you can use the latest Accell DisplayPort to HDMI to "clear customs". I am using another NUC with an ASROCK Z87E-ITX motherboard and just had the issue, unexpectedly, as I tried a Dell 9020 USFF before with 2 DisplayPorts and did not have that problem.
The second aspect is color depth. To make a long story short, it's like buying a Lamborghini and they'll tell you that it can only do 55MPH because that's what "the limit is". Ideally you would be able to see 10bpc, yet the Intel drivers limit choices to 8bpp, 16bpp and 32bpp. I am given a runaround, but as I get right now (as writing to you) 3840x2160x29Hzx32bpp, I don't see a bandwidth issue with getting 3840x2160x29Hzx30bpp (a.k.a. RGB101010) as long as the signal is modified for such mode.
Also and that has been covered in Reduser, the current implementation of the Seiki forces anything acceptable below 30Hz to refresh at 30Hz, this causing judder with 24Hz sources. Seiki has been questioned about a firmware update, yet I looked at the Chimei Innolux spec section 6.3.1 and can't see much difference with 6.3.2, so I am going to question Jeff Kilgore.
I am interested in static pictures like photographs, so the only worry for me is color depth, and I somewhat resolved losing the mouse cursor occasionally by using a USB share cable with another computer, rather than unplugging and replugging the mouse.
Make sure you can return whatever you order, as Intel gives no color depth specification for 4th Gen Core or Xeon E3-12xx v3 and then refers to motherboard manufacturers for this, as the implementation differs (like your Lamborghini might do 160Km/h in Italy and then 320Km/h in Bavaria). Of course, no motherboard manufacturer has specs, so it's for the customer to try ! I always make sure they pay shipment back and no restocking fee.
The Seiki panel takes 4x79MHz max, that's better than Sharp's 4x76MHz max, though.
Hope this helps,
Christopher

 

[L. Langer]

What you really want will be out next year. The Broadwell BRIX will have HDMI 2.0 and the latest improvements to DisplayPort for 4K along with improved 4K video playback performance.

 

[Ryan Sauve]

Appreciate the feedback guys!