best Nvidia card for playback?

[glc650]

Hi,

Looking for the best single slot Nvidia based card for video/movie playback. Mainly 1080p/720p (up to 60 fps in both cases) mkv, avchd, mp4. I also have some 1080i60 avchd from an older camcorder.

Is the GT 430/440 still the way to go or should I be looking at another model?

TIA,

->g.

 

[nenforcer]

I own a GT 240 512MB GDDR5 and I would recommend either this or its replacement, the GT 440 GDDR5.

The GT 440 has added HDMI 1.4a, Dolby TrueHD and DTS Master bistreaming support.

Stay away from the GT 430 and even the GT 520, they are very underpowered and don't cost that much less than either of the above cards.

 

[Rifter]

I own a GT 240 512MB GDDR5 and I would recommend either this or its replacement, the GT 440 GDDR5.

The GT 440 has added HDMI 1.4a, Dolby TrueHD and DTS Master bistreaming support.

Stay away from the GT 430 and even the GT 520, they are very underpowered and don't cost that much less than either of the above cards.

bang on with this advice.

 

[tweakboy]

8800 GT 9800 GT 260 or 460 1GB ,, gl

 

[chimaxi83]

I've got an MSI 440 (link) in an HTPC I built for the parents, it's served them great, although they don't take advantage of it's enhancements over the 240.

Also, GTX460 for movie playback? lol. I've seen you recommend 460's left and right. Overboard here...

 

[glc650]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Sounds like the 440 is a good choice.

How about the GT 545? From the numbers (eg. # of cuda cores) it looks like it is a step up from the 440. Bennefit or overkill for someone with just media playback needs?

->g.

 

[TheRyuu]

The only thing that matters is the VP engine for hardware decoding. The number of cuda cores, clock speed, etc are all irrelevant.

DXVA (hardware decoding) sucks for a lot of reasons and unless you're watching this on some shitty atom (doubt it since you're looking for a video card) any remotely decent cpu should be able to handle anything.

 

[glc650]

The only thing that matters is the VP engine for hardware decoding.

Ok so does the 440 have a better VP engine than the 545? Also doesn't the 520 have the latest VP engine? According to wikipidia it does yet it is considered underpowered so there must be a little more to it than just the VP engine?

 

[Wizlem]

From what I'm seeing the 440 is just a higher clocked 430 with possibly GDDR5 instead of DDR3 but my guess is the 440 isn't going to be bandwidth starved. Maybe someone can clarify why the 440 is fine but the 430 is not. In the article

http://www.anandtech.com/show/3973/nvidias-geforce-gt-430/18

they recommend the 5570 over the 430 unless you're doing 3D. 6570 is slightly better than 5570 and is about the same price as a 440. I'd go with that unless you are really set on NVidia.

 

[glc650]

In the article

http://www.anandtech.com/show/3973/nvidias-geforce-gt-430/18

they recommend the 5570 over the 430 unless you're doing 3D. 6570 is slightly better than 5570 and is about the same price as a 440. I'd go with that unless you are really set on NVidia.

Well last time I had an ATI card they were having issues with drivers. Is that no longer the case? Their software on par with Nvidia now?

 

[glc650]

they recommend the 5570 over the 430 unless you're doing 3D. 6570 is slightly better than 5570 and is about the same price as a 440. I'd go with that unless you are really set on NVidia.

Ok I've read that article good read. It is a year old now though. If that article was written today would Nvidia still have 2nd rate image quality to ATI?

 

[WildViper]

Not to hijack this thread, but like the OP, I do watch 1080p video while doing some High End photo editing...and I just bought the GT 520...

shall I cancel the order and get the 440? The only difference I see is that it is 128bit vs 64bit...same speed otherwise. Am I missing something?

Thanx for the help

 

[glc650]

Ended up going with a Radeon 6570:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814102934

It replaced an Nvidia 520. My interlaced content now plays back smoothly and with less artifacts with the same software (mp-hc, LAV, madVR (without CUVID now of course)). One oddity I noticed is madVR stutters through my 1080/60p content. If I use EVR Custom Pres. instead it plays back just fine.

Thanks,

->g.