looks the HD2600XT is a good HTPC choice

[otispunkmeyer]

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3047

better than the 8600

to be fair its neck and neck in H.264, but the HD2600 blows the doors off the 8600 under VC-1, not that VC-1 presents much difficulty even to old Pentium 4 hardware though. so perhaps its a little bit of a hollow victory.

also, AT determind that the 8600 and 8800 provided the best visual quality of all, however the AMD cards arent miles behind and i bet to most its not even noticable.

so really its.... do u want a little lower CPU usage or do you want a little better noise reduction?

 

[erwos]

A little better noise reduction. If you're packing a Q6600, a 10%-15% difference makes absolutely no difference.

 

[Keysplayr]

I'd have to say noise reduction as well. If your sitting there watching movies/videos, do we really care how much CPU is being utilized?
Cleanest picture, I would say, would be a priority over how many CPU cycles were being used. IMHO

 

[dandragonrage]

Who would use a Q6600 for an HTPC anyway? I mean, yes, it will help if you want to encode high-quality H.264 in realtime, but the thing just draws too much power and runs too hot to be of much use IMO.

But still, VC1 decode acceleration is not needed, I agree there.

 

[heyheybooboo]

But still, VC1 decode acceleration is not needed, I agree there.

Please note that the HD-DVDs on the market today overwhelming use vc-1.

do you want a little better noise reduction?

Thanks to Derrick & AT for getting this out there but Tech Report and Guru3d each determine the ATI HD2xxx superior to nVidia in noise reduction and overall HD-HQV tests. I will note that the latest nVidia beta drivers have closed this gap as stated on Guru3d.

It must be noted that there are serious unanswered questions about GeForce HDCP support for HD movies over DVI. There are going to be some peesed-off cowboys in the next 12 months.

(Now entering serious rant) With the price of compliance there needs to be some serious mojo heaped on the vendor DRM pile if they profess HDCP without AACS crypto-ROM chips. This sleight-of-hand BS obsfucation has been WAY prevalent in the industry as of late. I've always supported the intelectual and property rights of others but I have bookmarked this link and I am not afraid to use it.

/rant

Yall have a good day!

 

[erwos]

Originally posted by: heyheyboobooand Guru3d each determine the ATI HD2xxx superior to nVidia in noise reduction and overall HD-HQV tests. I will note that the latest nVidia beta drivers have closed this gap as stated on Guru3d.

OK, so nVidia and ATI have roughly the same noise reduction. Now you can make the question "is it worth the 3D gaming performance hit for a little less CPU usage in VC-1?" That's going to depend on the system's usage.

It must be noted that there are serious unanswered questions about GeForce HDCP support for HD movies over DVI. There are going to be some peesed-off cowboys in the next 12 months. (Now entering serious rant) With the price of compliance there needs to be some serious mojo heaped on the vendor DRM pile if they profess HDCP without AACS crypto-ROM chips.

As far as I'm aware, this was only a problem with some ATI cards a generation or two ago, and has been resolved. All 8600GTS cards (but not all 8600GT cards), for instance, have HDCP support. If this isn't true, I'd like to see a link.

 

[paulpod]

The crying shame in the HD2600 product line is that the Pro versions are adequate for Home Theater use but nobody has a bundle with a quiet heatsink and an HDMI dongle.

All the 2600Pro bundles are aimed at gaming even though the performance there is nowhere near adequate.

PLEA TO CARD MANUFACTURERS: Give is a 256MB HD2600Pro with a quiet heatsink, HD player software, and an HDMI adapter!!! (I sound like Conan O'Brien's "Recliner of Rage" guy!)

 

[metalmania]

Originally posted by: paulpod
The crying shame in the HD2600 product line is that the Pro versions are adequate for Home Theater use but nobody has a bundle with a quiet heatsink and an HDMI dongle.

All the 2600Pro bundles are aimed at gaming even though the performance there is nowhere near adequate.

PLEA TO CARD MANUFACTURERS: Give is a 256MB HD2600Pro with a quiet heatsink, HD player software, and an HDMI adapter!!! (I sound like Conan O'Brien's "Recliner of Rage" guy!)

First post in one year?

There is 2400pro with HDMI and quiet heatsink.

 

[alizee]

Originally posted by: metalmania

Originally posted by: paulpod
The crying shame in the HD2600 product line is that the Pro versions are adequate for Home Theater use but nobody has a bundle with a quiet heatsink and an HDMI dongle.

All the 2600Pro bundles are aimed at gaming even though the performance there is nowhere near adequate.

PLEA TO CARD MANUFACTURERS: Give is a 256MB HD2600Pro with a quiet heatsink, HD player software, and an HDMI adapter!!! (I sound like Conan O'Brien's "Recliner of Rage" guy!)

First post in one year?

There is 2400pro with HDMI and quiet heatsink.

How is the decode performance of the 2400 compared to the 2600?

Also, what about the decode performance between the Pro vs. XT 2600s?

 

[alizee]

Originally posted by: paulpod
The crying shame in the HD2600 product line is that the Pro versions are adequate for Home Theater use but nobody has a bundle with a quiet heatsink and an HDMI dongle.

All the 2600Pro bundles are aimed at gaming even though the performance there is nowhere near adequate.

PLEA TO CARD MANUFACTURERS: Give is a 256MB HD2600Pro with a quiet heatsink, HD player software, and an HDMI adapter!!! (I sound like Conan O'Brien's "Recliner of Rage" guy!)

I don't know about the fan, but this 2600XT has an HDMI dongle (the oly HD 2000 series that has one, that I could see on a quick search).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814161097

 

[metalmania]

Originally posted by: alizee

Originally posted by: metalmania

Originally posted by: paulpod
The crying shame in the HD2600 product line is that the Pro versions are adequate for Home Theater use but nobody has a bundle with a quiet heatsink and an HDMI dongle.

All the 2600Pro bundles are aimed at gaming even though the performance there is nowhere near adequate.

PLEA TO CARD MANUFACTURERS: Give is a 256MB HD2600Pro with a quiet heatsink, HD player software, and an HDMI adapter!!! (I sound like Conan O'Brien's "Recliner of Rage" guy!)

First post in one year?

There is 2400pro with HDMI and quiet heatsink.

How is the decode performance of the 2400 compared to the 2600?

Also, what about the decode performance between the Pro vs. XT 2600s?

There is absolutely NO difference on HD video decoding between 2400 and 2600, pro or XT.

 

[DrMrLordX]

Didn't the recent Anandtech review note some IQ problems when decoding with a 2400XT?

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3047&p=3

 

[tuteja1986]

Originally posted by: erwos

Originally posted by: heyheyboobooand Guru3d each determine the ATI HD2xxx superior to nVidia in noise reduction and overall HD-HQV tests. I will note that the latest nVidia beta drivers have closed this gap as stated on Guru3d.

OK, so nVidia and ATI have roughly the same noise reduction. Now you can make the question "is it worth the 3D gaming performance hit for a little less CPU usage in VC-1?" That's going to depend on the system's usage.

It must be noted that there are serious unanswered questions about GeForce HDCP support for HD movies over DVI. There are going to be some peesed-off cowboys in the next 12 months. (Now entering serious rant) With the price of compliance there needs to be some serious mojo heaped on the vendor DRM pile if they profess HDCP without AACS crypto-ROM chips.

As far as I'm aware, this was only a problem with some ATI cards a generation or two ago, and has been resolved. All 8600GTS cards (but not all 8600GT cards), for instance, have HDCP support. If this isn't true, I'd like to see a link.

Actually alot of 08600GT/2600 don't support HDCP. Its up to Vendor
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814150229 like this card.. selling like hot pan cake, do you think the buyers know it doesn't support hdcp ?

So be aware and make sure what you buy is HDCP compliant
like this ;
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...on=8600gt+hdcp&x=0&y=0

 

[metalmania]

Originally posted by: DrMrLordX
Didn't the recent Anandtech review note some IQ problems when decoding with a 2400XT?

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3047&p=3

Anandtech is the only website saying that. I wonder it is true or not. Anantech also said that 2600 has poor noise reduction comparing to 8600. Sorry I don't believe it. This makes me wonder more.

 

[heyheybooboo]

^^^^^ @ tuteja

AnandTech pointed out this problem in an article 6-8 months ago. Sorry I can't seem to locate the link . . .

The GeForce 8600GT and 8500GT GPUs do not contain HDCP keys as *standard*, however manufacturers add chips to their cards for AACS key decryption. In the past both nVidia and ATI have been complicit in misrepresenting HDCP but as I remember nVidia launched this series as *HDCP compliant* without initially noting that the PCB required the necessary AACS components.

When Joe and Jane American find out their $3000 flat panel and $400 video card degrades (or refuse to play) HD content because of a lack of HDCP compliance in the *protected media pathway* there will be some 'splainin' to do. The current climate in the USA does not bode well for the consumer in dealing with these issues over the next few years.

It only gets worse. AACS v3 key cracked before release

What's next for DRM? Super Duper Military Grade 512-bit encryption (that makes cuurent HDCP-compliant AACS keys obsolete?)

 

[Wreckage]

Originally posted by: otispunkmeyer
http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3047

better than the 8600

to be fair its neck and neck in H.264, but the HD2600 blows the doors off the 8600 under VC-1, not that VC-1 presents much difficulty even to old Pentium 4 hardware though. so perhaps its a little bit of a hollow victory.

also, AT determind that the 8600 and 8800 provided the best visual quality of all, however the AMD cards arent miles behind and i bet to most its not even noticable.

so really its.... do u want a little lower CPU usage or do you want a little better noise reduction?

I will take the better noise reduction, IQ & 3D performance.

 

[Kalibaba]

Originally posted by: paulpod
The crying shame in the HD2600 product line is that the Pro versions are adequate for Home Theater use but nobody has a bundle with a quiet heatsink and an HDMI dongle.

All the 2600Pro bundles are aimed at gaming even though the performance there is nowhere near adequate.

PLEA TO CARD MANUFACTURERS: Give is a 256MB HD2600Pro with a quiet heatsink, HD player software, and an HDMI adapter!!! (I sound like Conan O'Brien's "Recliner of Rage" guy!)

I just bought an HIS 2600 Pro 512MB for $104.99 AR, and it comes with the DVI to HDMI dongle, no playback software. It's in my HTPC, and it's adequately quiet.

 

[mruffin75]

Did anyone see this article about Nvidia image quality??

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=42430

I know I know...it's the Inquirer...I don't need lectures on their reliability.. (although they *have* got things right from time to time)...