Decoding ability on Nvidia Cards

[ncage]

Hi everyone i was wondering if anyone knows the difference between a feature touted on the geforce4mx series cards which is:

Video Processing Engine (VPE)
Integrated high-definition Video Processing Engine delivers the highest quality DVD, video, and display output available in the market today. Integrated hardware MPEG2 decoder reduces CPU utilization for DVD playback to provide a longer viewing experience.

and the geforce 6 cards which is:
PureVideo Technology
NVIDIA PureVideo? technology is a combination of the new GeForce 6 Series GPUs? high-definition video processor and NVIDIA video decode software that delivers unprecedented picture clarity, smooth video, accurate color, and precise image scaling for all video content on any display.

They sound to be about the same thing. Nvidia provides a software for the geforce6 cards that will enable its dvd encoding ability. Im assuming you would have to have to use the same software to enable mpeg2 decoding on gforce4mx but there decoder software only mentioned the geforce6. Can anyone tell me the difference between these card and the video processsing. This relates to me building a HTPC.

thanks,
ncage

 

[Pete]

What nV is advertising for the GF4MX is what almost every other card had before nV: some MPEG2 decoding assist (IIRC, iDCT was nV's main shortcoming up 'til GF4MX). What they advertised with PureVideo for the GF6 appeared to be far more comprehensive. Whether it was mere marketspeak, I'm still not sure.

 

[JonTom]

are you planning on outputing to an HDTV? If yes, go with a new (6xxx) Nvidia card (not a 6800 tho - WMV9 or 10 hardware accel (part of PureVideo) is broken on these cards)

if not, you can save some $$. GF4mx had v good tv out, really the best thing about these cards (except the price).

They're not the same thing. The PureVideo is a combinations of technologies that, when combined with the Nvidia DVD Decoder, gives the best results currently avail. The 6xxx is also a Dx9 card, which makes VMR9 render (at least in part) on the Vid card instead of the CPU. VMR9 will be usuable on a lesser vid card but will depend more (or a lot, depending) on the cpu.