Upgrade to support HDTV, HDDVD & Blu-Ray (2 Viewers)

[SimonDen]

I would be very grateful for a product like this. My server has only an onbard 6150 and it would mean that I could use Mini-Itx with in-built CPU's for the clients.

I would prefer the option of both a PCI and a PCI-e x1 solution for compatability across the different machines.

 

[SciDoctor]

An ideal solution and I would be happy to pay for either a pci or pci-e.

Please ensure the pci version is keyed for pci-x slots as this would be great for server spec motherboards.

This would save on the large outlay to buy new mb' cpu's and gpu and the increased cost and noise to run them.

 

[Froad]

Sounds great - I would absolutely pay for a PCI solution and hence take some burdon of the processor and the onboard Intel grafic solution.

 

[funkstar]

Just spotted this thread, not sure how i missed it before.

I really like the sound of this. Especially when combined with a passively cooled mini-ITX board and XP Embeded (as someone has discussed in another thread).

 

[BugsBunny]

Here's more news on the Broadcom solution:
http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/multimedia/display/20070608074914.html
And here's news about a cheap low end nvidia gfx card that will support PureVideo 2:
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=40202

Maybe this is of interest, since a MediaPortal hardware solution probably will have to compete with these solutions.

 

[Noelix]

I'd sure as hell buy a pci card to add to my machine to upgrade to hi def. Beats upgrading everything in the computer!

 

[luke16]

My computer can already play HD movies, but not hdtv, which is more of a hardware problem (its hard to find atsc tuners), and a service provider problem (I don't want to have to bother with trying to get "set-top" boxes to go through the pc, and have to work with remotes to control them).
As for blue ray and hddvd, I couldn't care less. One of the primary reasons for my htpc is not having to bother with discs to watch movies.

 

[Minimist]

My Asus M2A-VM with low power X2 4800+ Plays every HD movie its seen at less than 80% cpu. The onboard X1250 displays it perfectly with 2x 512 PC6400 in dual channel. This is a US$300 combo that idles at 25W system power!
I don't see the point of a pci solution unless it is really cheap. Whose Mico HTPC has a spare PCI slot anyway?
AnyDVD puts the BD and HD-DVD content on the hard drive easyly enough so I'm giving the whole HDCP mess a miss.

 

[rsbrux]

I would need a new DVD drive, don't know how good the rest is. I have an HDTV capable screen but am pretty much satisfied with normal DVDs for now. Frankly, this is still too "bleeding edge" for me. I am waiting for further developments in the "format wars" before doing anything.

 

[bigj]

Is PCI bandwidth sufficient for HD res transfer?
If not
=> pci-e only, or
must use crufty passthrough/overlay solution which breaks 'HW DirectShow solution' model.