Minimum CPU for HDTV?

[nanaki333]

Wassup fellas? I'm going to be replacing my current socket-a sempron 2200 with a new a64 box. Mainly because it can't play HD movies. Won't even play 420p. My question is what will definitely work for 1080i, or at least 720p? The requirements from what i read say like a 2.8, but my old xp2800 system couldn't play squat. Nor could my p4 3.0 at work.

Will an a64 3200 handle it or should i go up a couple steps. Hell, I'd consider a p4 even. My budget for just the cpu is $300'ish at the most. More I save on that, the more goodies i can buy extra.

 

[saltedeggman]

this might help

 

[nanaki333]

yea, like i said. i looked up the requirements and my 2800 and 3.0 wouldn't play the files without skipping.

 

[d3 npb]

I had no problems playing 720p wmv hd movies on an XP2500, no dropped frames.. Vid card made all the difference in the world. Wouldnt play well at all on an old ti4200, but was just fine on a 6600GT

 

[nanaki333]

that may be the issue. the intel was using onboard video. the xp2800 had a 6800GT though. the sempron box has an fx5200 in it now.

my x2 4200 plays them like it's nothing

 

[thecoolnessrune]

its odd. I have this Dell with a P4 2.533Ghz (533FSB 512kb cache) with a pathetic little GeForce 4 MX 420 (not even the equivalent of a GeForce 2 Ultra) and it plays 720p movies without a problem. CPU usage is usually around 40 with hits of 90 at hgih action scenes. I dont know how 1080p does because i dont have a monitor that supports it (1600x1200 limit 19" Flat CRT). However, im sure if you get a 6 series or 7 series nvidia GPU, you problems will be solved. Even a 6200 will likely provide enough extra processing power from the built in MPEG4 decoding to solve your problem.

 

[Mik3y]

Originally posted by: d3 npb
Vid card made all the difference in the world. Wouldnt play well at all on an old ti4200, but was just fine on a 6600GT

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesnt the GPU have nothing to do with playing video files since the video is not being processed by the GPU?

 

[cmdrdredd]

Originally posted by: Mik3y

Originally posted by: d3 npb
Vid card made all the difference in the world. Wouldnt play well at all on an old ti4200, but was just fine on a 6600GT

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesnt the GPU have nothing to do with playing video files since the video is not being processed by the GPU?

From what I understand of it, yes the GPU does nothing to decode the video.

 

[nanaki333]

screw it. i just got another x2. better safe than sorry

 

[thecoolnessrune]

Originally posted by: cmdrdredd

Originally posted by: Mik3y

Originally posted by: d3 npb
Vid card made all the difference in the world. Wouldnt play well at all on an old ti4200, but was just fine on a 6600GT

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesnt the GPU have nothing to do with playing video files since the video is not being processed by the GPU?

From what I understand of it, yes the GPU does nothing to decode the video.

Normally no, but that not the case anymore. Any GeForce 6 or 7 series or any X1xxx series will help decode MPEG4 HD video. Though nVidia does a better job right now than ATI.

 

[snor]

Originally posted by: thecoolnessrune

Originally posted by: cmdrdredd

Originally posted by: Mik3y

Originally posted by: d3 npb
Vid card made all the difference in the world. Wouldnt play well at all on an old ti4200, but was just fine on a 6600GT

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesnt the GPU have nothing to do with playing video files since the video is not being processed by the GPU?

From what I understand of it, yes the GPU does nothing to decode the video.

Normally no, but that not the case anymore. Any GeForce 6 or 7 series or any X1xxx series will help decode MPEG4 HD video. Though nVidia does a better job right now than ATI.

Not according to anandtech.
check out their review of AIW x1900's dvd decoding review this week.