HD Playback graphics card

bailes550 · 23 May 2008 at 14:35

Hey there

I currently have

CPU Intel Q6600
2 gig Ram
Vista
Onboard Graphics card

When i run HD video, they play alright for a bit but then break up, with the audio still playing, about a minute later the picture eventually comes back. I presume this is down to running off an onboard graphics card ??

Anyway Im getting a new tv (plasma 37px80) and want to run HD video from pc to the plasma. What graphics card would you guys advise, and also what connection (cable) would i need to connect the two together?

jak731 · 23 May 2008 at 14:37

is this just for HD media or do you want to game as well?

3450 for just hd media
3650s for hd media and light gaming
3800s for hd media and gaming

assuming you are buying now

Phatzy · 23 May 2008 at 14:41

Sapphire ATI Radeon HD 3650 512MB GDDR3 TV-Out/DVI/HDMI (PCI-Express) - Retail £64.61 inc VAT

Vince · 23 May 2008 at 14:42

jak731 said:
is this just for HD media or do you want to game as well?

3450 for just hd media
3650s for hd media and light gaming
3800s for hd media and gaming

assuming you are buying now

Agree with this as the ATI card have a HD decoder built in. As for the cable you will need a HDMI and you will also need to make sure your ati card comes with a dvi-hdmi dongle if you want sound over HDMI also.

bailes550 · 23 May 2008 at 14:46

jak731 said:
is this just for HD media or do you want to game as well?

3450 for just hd media
3650s for hd media and light gaming
3800s for hd media and gaming

assuming you are buying now

Yer just HD Media, no gaming, apart from football manager or something, but i think thats more ram intensive then anything.

3450 then

cheers for advice all

Sweetloaf · 23 May 2008 at 15:55

Why not try one of the 9600GTs with a HDMI output, no need for converters that way and it works a treat

Xpertvision and Palit do some pretty cheap ones, I have an expertvision with 2 x DVIs, 1 x HDMI and 1 Display port. It cost a little over £100 competitors stock them, can't say where.

gurusan · 23 May 2008 at 16:10

He said he doesn't game, so a 9600GT is overkill really. A 3450 is ideal for him

dbmzk1 · 23 May 2008 at 16:19

A Q6600 should more more than capable of running any HD video, regardless of what graphics card is in there. I'd suggest you take a look at your codecs etc. Uninstall everything and install MPC-HC and ffdshow

Rob43 · 23 May 2008 at 16:36

dbmzk1 said:
A Q6600 should more more than capable of running any HD video, regardless of what graphics card is in there. I'd suggest you take a look at your codecs etc. Uninstall everything and install MPC-HC and ffdshow

Got to agree here, very good combo to be using

gurusan · 23 May 2008 at 22:48

What's the difference between MPC and MPC-HC?

tutu · 23 May 2008 at 23:19

gurusan said:
What's the difference between MPC and MPC-HC?

HC - Support for Enhanced Vista Renderer - a new renderer which allows you to play back video without disabling aero and also uses pixel shaders.

dbmzk1 · 23 May 2008 at 23:21

MPC is not developed anymore. MPC-HC continues to be develop it and has just added some features. It's main ones being support for Vistas EVR renderer and hardware H.264 and VC-1 playback. There is also a 64-bit version though I'd advise against using it.

http://tibrium.neuf.fr/

tutu · 24 May 2008 at 00:18

dbmzk1 said:
MPC is not developed anymore. MPC-HC continues to be develop it and has just added some features. It's main ones being support for Vistas EVR renderer and hardware H.264 and VC-1 playback. There is also a 64-bit version though I'd advise against using it.

http://tibrium.neuf.fr/

64-bit working fine here for quite some time

bailes550 · 28 May 2008 at 21:10

dbmzk1 said:
A Q6600 should more more than capable of running any HD video, regardless of what graphics card is in there. I'd suggest you take a look at your codecs etc. Uninstall everything and install MPC-HC and ffdshow

ta give a check at some of them codecs.

Not sure how i would connect it to my tv tho, without gfx card.

bailes550 · 29 May 2008 at 12:36

Just checked the back of my pc, i have a DVI connection spare. If i used a DVI to HDMI cable, would i get sound, or would i need to purchase a DVI to HDMI converter and then run a hdmi to hdmi connection ?? :confused:

Toryglen-boy · 29 May 2008 at 15:16

i run a HTPC with a 3450 in it, and its riddled with problems,i am a lifelong ATi user, but they have real issues with HDCP compliance, i wouldnt buy another one.

FrankJH · 30 May 2008 at 00:40

Phatzy said:
Sapphire ATI Radeon HD 3650 512MB GDDR3 TV-Out/DVI/HDMI (PCI-Express) - Retail £64.61 inc VAT

I got the Asus HD 3650 for around the same price with the HDMI dongle in as well - and this performs excellently on the br's and hd-dvd's I tried

Toryglen-boy said:
i run a HTPC with a 3450 in it, and its riddled with problems,i am a lifelong ATi user, but they have real issues with HDCP compliance, i wouldnt buy another one.

I would be surprised as its the same generation of card (albeit different model) as I have tried and it worked straight away without any issue at all

Are you sure the rest of your setup is completely HDCP compiant?

bailes550 said:
Just checked the back of my pc, i have a DVI connection spare. If i used a DVI to HDMI cable, would i get sound, or would i need to purchase a DVI to HDMI converter and then run a hdmi to hdmi connection ??

Few (if any) graphics cards output sound yet, so even though you are going to be using HDMI, it will still only be video going through it.
(Remember the graphics connector is actually DVI on the card, which doesnt include sound output, before you attach the dongle)

You will need a spdif cable or 5 channel analogue cables from the sound outputs on the mobo also (to an amp) or just speakers directly attachted.

R4z0r · 30 May 2008 at 11:11

FrankJH said:
Few (if any) graphics cards output sound yet, so even though you are going to be using HDMI, it will still only be video going through it.
(Remember the graphics connector is actually DVI on the card, which doesnt include sound output, before you attach the dongle)

You will need a spdif cable or 5 channel analogue cables from the sound outputs on the mobo also (to an amp) or just speakers directly attachted.

The 34xx (Probably entire 3xxx range, but not 100%) series will output sound via HDMI, it's one of their biggest selling points for HTPC users... You just need to make sure you get the ATI (A generic one won't work) HDMI->DVI convertor (My 3450 HIS from OCUK came with it).

For the OP, I can completely recommend the HIS 3450, silent, cheap, low power, and works perfectly for me.

Sweetloaf · 30 May 2008 at 11:21

FrankJH said:
Few (if any) graphics cards output sound yet, so even though you are going to be using HDMI, it will still only be video going through it.
(Remember the graphics connector is actually DVI on the card, which doesnt include sound output, before you attach the dongle)

You will need a spdif cable or 5 channel analogue cables from the sound outputs on the mobo also (to an amp) or just speakers directly attachted.

The 9600GT Sonic card I mentioned above has an optical output for sound.

It really is the most versatile and straightforward card on the market for HD playback and general use. It's no slouch either and £105 or thereabouts.