Graphics card with 'onboard audio'

[dayman76]

Can anyone recommend a graphics card which will carry audio through HDMI but which doesn't need a Spdif connection?

I've heard that I need a newish ATI

I basically want it to play 1080p files (with audio) on my HDTV and I also want to play Lost: Via Domus

I don't want to spend more than £40

 

[alex24]

You might have to spend more than £40 if you're playing games unless you buy second hand. Otherwise, an ATI Radeon 4350 or 4550 should do the trick. Could maybe stretch to the 4650.

 

[Marine-RX179]

This will be the perfect match for you in terms of video playback:
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-162-XF&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=168

Quote from AMD/ATI site's HD5450 specification:
Integrated HD audio controller

* Output protected high bit rate 7.1 channel surround sound over HDMI with no additional cables required
* Supports AC-3, AAC, Dolby TrueHD and DTS Master Audio formats

Source: http://www.amd.com/us/products/desk...50-overview/Pages/hd-5450-specifications.aspx


Just make sure whatever software you use for playing the videos can use 'hardware acceleration', so that the decoding of video uses the GPU (of graphic card) instead of CPU.

But for playing Lost: Via Domus, you gonna need a better card than HD5450 though...and £40 certainly won't cut it, unless you buy 2nd hand.

 

[dayman76]

Awesome. That's the one I was just looking at

Will it play the Lost game? It's a few years old and recommends:

-At least a 128MB DirectX 9.0c-compliant shader 3.0-enabled video card (256MB recommended)

-The supported cards are: ATI Radeon X1300-1950 / HD 2000 series, nVidia Geforce 6600, 6800, 7xxx and 8xxx series

And what software uses Hardware Acceleration? Not VLC I'm guessing?

 

[Marine-RX179]

And what software uses Hardware Acceleration? Not VLC I'm guessing?

Media Player Classic Home Cinema and PowerDVD 9 and later (I think).
PowerDVD just need to tick a box for enabling hardware acceleration, but it does not play MKV files I think. Media Player Classic Home Cinema might take a bit of set up to enable hardware acceleration.

If you are using the PC as mainly as a media PC and want a bit of light gaming on the side (res at no higher than 1280x1024), then HD 5670 would be a better choice (but it does cost £70)

 

[dayman76]

I bought a Gainward GeForce 8400GS 512MB for £30 from CCL and that played Lost fine. It just needed a Spdif connection for HDMI audio which my MOBO didn't have

Man, computers are hard

 

[Marine-RX179]

I bought a Gainward GeForce 8400GS 512MB for £30 from CCL and that played Lost fine. It just needed a Spdif connection for HDMI audio which my MOBO didn't have

I guess it depends on your definition of 'fine'. What quality and res were you playing Lost at?

 

[Echo]

...Media Player Classic Home Cinema...

Has anyone gotten ATI hardware acceleration working under MPC-HC incidentally?

ATI's video adjustments don't do anything under software playback and I miss NVidia's rather effective 'edge enhancement' feature which used to work across all video players, software or otherwise.

I've tried its DXVA filters instead of ffdshow but none of ATI's video adjustments seem to take effect on playback

 

[Marine-RX179]

Has anyone gotten ATI hardware acceleration working under MPC-HC incidentally?

ATI's video adjustments don't do anything under software playback and I miss NVidia's rather effective 'edge enhancement' feature which used to work across all video players, software or otherwise.

I've tried its DXVA filters instead of ffdshow but none of ATI's video adjustments seem to take effect on playback

I don't have an ATI card so I haven't tried, but here's a guide that may given a better idea on how to set it up:
http://imouto.my/watching-h264-videos-using-dxva/

 

[adrichardson81]

Never managed it with my 4870. To be honest, even in programs where it works it's disappointing (compared to my old 8800GTX, anyway). PowerDVD and WinDVD gave better IQ with software acceleration

 

[asoxedri]

gpu working instead of cpu, works on mine with wmpc.

when nothing is loaded gpu speed remains at 240mhz.
when i load a movie, the speed cranks up to 500mhz and cpu remains idle.

i just simply installed wmpc, i didn't do any of the tweaks the above poster mentioned.

 

[Chris1712]

Has anyone gotten ATI hardware acceleration working under MPC-HC incidentally?

ATI's video adjustments don't do anything under software playback and I miss NVidia's rather effective 'edge enhancement' feature which used to work across all video players, software or otherwise.

I've tried its DXVA filters instead of ffdshow but none of ATI's video adjustments seem to take effect on playback

Been using it with a 3870 since MPC-HC started DXVA support. Works fine, and all edge enchancing/chroma upscale etc. works just fine. You must be doing something wrong somewhere.