Blu-Ray Rig

[GaryJohnson]

This is an upgrade to an existing system with a P4 2.4ghz, 1GB DDR, AGP GeForce 6200. Installed a sony blu-ray drive in this system for a client and it can't handle smooth playback (powerDVD stutters ALOT, unwatchable). So here's my proposed upgrade:
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail
MB: Foxconn G31AX-K LGA 775 Intel G31 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
RAM: Kingston ValueRAM 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail
GPU: ZOTAC ZT-96TES4P-FDR GeForce 9600 GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail

Will reuse existing PATA HDD, ATX CASE & PSU (if possible, this may need to be beefed up).

Can I guarantee smooth blu-ray playback with this rig with Vista & PowerDVD? My real point of concern is the GPU, could I get away with a cheaper one?

 

[imported_Scoop]

You don't need a discrete GPU to play HD material without any issues. Even the G45 takes care of it without problems with a CPU like E8400.

 

[Bateluer]

Originally posted by: GaryJohnson
My real point of concern is the GPU, could I get away with a cheaper one?

The system as you spec'd it out will play BD fine using the the motherboard's IGP, however, you could still pick up a Radeon 3450 or 4350 for around 30-35 dollars and perfect fluidity.

 

[heyheybooboo]

Serious overkill.

Current IGPs will off-load BluRay processing from the cpu substantially reducing utilization (with PowerDVD Ultra).

Or as Bateluer noted an expensive discreet solution may be the answer to your problems. An AGP Radeon HD 3650 is around $80.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814161237
That old 4 pin floppy power connector should work just dandy.

IIRC Toms used a single-core Sempron @ 1.8GHz with an AMD 780g IGP for BluRay playback (the on board graphics is a die-shrunk HD 2400xt). The discreet Radeon HD 3650 has got twice the juice of the 2400xt and I'm thinkin' that P4 has got at least as much jam as a Sempy - and will probably run at 50-70% cpu utilization.



edit: And yah might want to throw in another Gb of RAM

 

[Denithor]

X2 4850e $56
ASRock 780G $57
Crucial 2x1GB DDR2-667 $23
Antec Basiq 350W PSU $20

That will give you perfectly smooth BluRay playback, run very quiet, probably use less power than your current P4 rig.