MPEG2 Decoder Cards

[Sledge]

What with the ever-increasing specification of today's graphics cards (GeForce2 etc) would there be any point in getting an MPEG2 decoder card to watch DVD movies?

The newest cards I've seen in reviews have some playback issues and seem to be quite old, manufacturers dont seem to be very interested in making a state of the art card.

Please help

 

[Arch!]

Yes, there is. As already stated many times on these pages, a hardware mpeg card is ALWAYS better, ALWAYS provides more fluid picture and ALWAYS has better TV output.

I can hightly recommend the Hollywood+ card.

 

[Workin']

Arch! - Don't know what pages you've been reading but this is an old issue that's been kicked around repeatedly with no absolute winner!

Hardware decoding is definitely the way to go. But..... Many newer video cards have hardware decoding built in. Especially ATi cards, which have IDCT and motion compensation on-chip. GeForce and some others also provide motion compensation. With any halfway recent CPU (i.e. 300 MHz or faster), they provide perfectly good DVD playback performance. No dropped frames, no jerking, perfectly "fluid" playback. And the ATi cards like the All-in-Wonder 32 MB and the Rage Fury Pro (both with the ATi Theater TV chip instead of ImpacTV chip) TV-out is as good as it gets - comparable to anything out there. And on your computer monitor, an ATi or GeForce will look BETTER than the Hollywood card.

So, don't waste your money on a Hollywood Plus or any of its bretheren.

 

[AMB]

Workin', I was going to say all your points, I have a HW+ and I prefer the GeForce Hardware Assisted playback out of the two. I only use the HW+ for TV output.

 

[Mday]

those cards render 3d. which is TOTALLY DIFFERENT than decoding MPEG2 (IDCT encoding).

I mean, it's like saying, with the increasing mobility of cars and highways, would there be any point in flying to Europe? You just can't do it.

of course you would probably need a car to get to the airport and drive around in Europe (that would be a 2nd car).

this is a personal issue i have with people that keep on not knowing enough...

if your processor is good enough, the DVD programs have had several generations of revision and optimization to be great. I use powerDVD 2.55 which rocks. i would recommend you have 3dnow or sse to use any program.

 

[Workin']

Ummmmm - Mday -

Oh, you mean there's a difference between 3D and DVD?????? (j/k) But you need to get your facts straight.

ATi graphics cards have IDCT in hardware. ATi and GeForce (and some others, like SiS) have motion compensation in hardware. Those are two of the major functions used to decode DVD's, and moving either or both to the video card ELIMINATES the need for a separate DVD decoder card (unless your video card doesn't have TV-out, but that's a different issue from decoding). If you have a fast CPU (say 650 or more), you can do it all in software with no problems.

This is a personal issue I have with people that keep on not knowing enough... Guess we just drove a car to Europe. Sorry, couldn't resist.

Oh, and if you have an ATi card use ATi DVD player, it's by far the best WITH THAT BRAND of card.

 

[A/\EKC]

ATi - good choice. GeForce - haven't tried, but might be. Other than that - I'd say, if you have available PCI slot and nonconflicting IRQ - get MPEG card. They are damn cheap, anyway (I've got one by creative for arround 20$ from Onsale.com). And they will have all kind of A/V outputs, if you don't have one on videocard.

 

[Mday]

motion compensation existed with the ATI rage series of chips, i just meant that the geforce does little more in terms of motion compensation as compared to how overpowering the 3d is when compared to the rage series.

as for IDCT, only the rage 128 series of chips have it.

and it is possible to drive a car to europe you can have it shipped, and with a large enough ship, you can still drive around while the ship is moving, that was the loophole i have in that analogy.

it is ashame that the ATI modded cinemaster engine is the only way of using IDCT.

powerDVD is a very good software player, and can use hardware support if you have it (as in motion compensation and a read decoder).