ATI HD2600 for 1080p (1 Viewer)

[freaker]

Hi

I am in the process of building my HTPC and I'm using my "old" computer for this. It's a 3ghz P4 with 1Mb of cache and 800mhz FSB. One of my main intentions with this HTPC is to play 1080 mkv files. This are encoded with the X.264 codec.

As my motherboard has only an AGP slot there are not a lot of cards I can choose from. At the moment I have an ATI X1550 and I can play with no problems mkvs up to 720p with no problem. But 1080p files don't play smoothly. I've read that the ATI HD2600 can decode 1080p h.264 files with the GPU..

Does anybody have any experience with this video card? Can it decode 1080p withouth using the computer's CPU? Do you know any other AGP card that can decode h.264 by hardware?

thanks

 

[allanp81]

In theory it should be fine as long as you use the ati h.264 decoder.

 

[revs]

I'm also in upgrading my graphics card, as thr HD channels i watch via Mp all look a bit wierd, and I thin its because the PC is struggling.

Can anyone confirm that a suitable gfx card (i.e. one that accelerates h,264) will work with BBC HD and ITV HD? I assume these channels use H.264 and not some variant?

 

[allanp81]

I've always thought that CPU is still more important. I use an ati x1300 to watch BBC HD and ITV HD no problems, but I have a core2duo 1.86ghz cpu. I had an ati x1950 pro with a p4 3gig cpu and it was incapable of 1080i/p h2.64 playback.

 

[revs]

If the Graphics Card can handle the decoding then why not? I'd much rather have the CPU running at 15 - 20% and have the Graphics Card doing the work, then having the CPU 80 - 90%. It also allows you to have a slower, more energy efficient CPU.

I have a X2 4800, and Id rather get a new Graphics card than a new Mobo, and CPU!

 

[allanp81]

I would've thought that a 4800 was already capable of 1080p playback though.

 

[blogra]

Hi all,
I've been trying to get an answer to a graphics question, but haven't had any luck sofar. On my GA-MA69GM based media centre (using the onboard graphics) running MP, credits at the end of a show are blurry, like the screen isn't updating fast enough. It is especially noticable on fast scrolling credits, or credits that scroll horizontally, ie right to left across the bottom of the screen. This does not happen on an analog signal, and normal action is fine, although I notice the same effect with fast action sports. Is this just a digital TV thing, and something you just have to put up with, or would a graphics card like the ATD HD2600 fix this. Has anyone else noticed this, or should I just ignore the elephant in the lounge room? Does anyone have a before graphics card and post graphics card experience?

regards