HTPC Card for 1080P

[Modrick]

Hello,

Right now I have a AMD X2-5000 HTPC hook up to a 47" inch LCD via VGA connection getting 1440x900 resolution. Everything works fine, and I'm able to play 720p without issue. However 1080p just taxes the system to much and can't play it.

I just read the The Perfect HTPC Cards , sounds like just what I need for 1080p on the cheap. I found this card at NewEgg and want to double check before I buy this.

So my question is, I get this card, install the drivers, hook up to my TV via HDMI (using monster cables of course - lol). I should be able set the resolution to whateverx1080 and play my 1080p videos (yes, porn) without issue?

Thanks in advance!

 

[alyarb]

i'm glad we can all laugh about monster cables. your link was a little screwy so i'll repost it

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814121310

and yes, that is the ideal card for you. you have to realize that with this card, your CPU will not be doing any video decoding, it will be done on the GPU via directx video acceleration. so you'll need to use playback software (cyberlink or similar) that supports DXVA.

most home-brew HTPCs use Media Player Classic Home Cinema that comes with the cyberlink decoder preinstalled so everything works great.

http://mpc-hc.sourceforge.net/

read the "DXVA support" page so that you know how to get it working. you can't use the haali renderer or anything like that. just read the page.

 

[cusideabelincoln]

Yep, should play fine as long as the video is:

http://ati.amd.com/products/Radeonhd4300/specs.html
2nd generation Unified Video Decoder (UVD 2)
-Enabling hardware decode acceleration of H.264, VC-1 and MPEG-2
-Hardware MPEG-1 and DivX video decode acceleration

 

[nickbits]

I have that card with a C2D overclocked at 2.5 and it works fine. But when it is running at lower than 2.5 I get motion jerks in the video. So if your X2 5000 is comparable to a 2.5GHz Core2Duo then yes.

 

[mosco]

Thats pretty much the lowest I would go from ATI. I use a 4550 in my HTPC.

That will give you the hardware for 1080p, but you need the software too. Someone mentioned MPC-HC, it uses its own decoder that supports H264 at 1080p. There is also a decoder you can get as part of MPC-HC that you register with the system to get this ability in any app that uses directshow stuff.

If you interested in more of this, check out avsforum.com an the HTPC section.