Software to play HD-DVD/BD?

ps3ud0 · 24 May 2008 at 23:23

Hi,

Whats the best software to play HD-DVD or BD? Will it be fine on an A64 single core with X850XT? Is there anything free that can?

Got a XBOX 360 HD-DVD drive and want to play some films...

Thanks

ps3ud0 :cool:

AbsenceJam · 24 May 2008 at 23:41

You will be able to play MPEG2 encoded discs but not VC-1 or AVC with those specs, so pretty much only early BD's.
As for software there's PowerDVD, WinDVD and Arcsoft.

ps3ud0 · 25 May 2008 at 11:55

Oh bugger

What kind of spec do I need?

Theres no free software I guess?

ps3ud0 :cool:

james.miller · 25 May 2008 at 11:57

what that graphics card, you'd really need a dual core cpu. i fine with my 8800gtx (which doesnt realy accelerate HD video like newer cards) my e2160 needs to be above 3ghz minimum to playback the highest bitrate films without dropping frames.

ps3ud0 · 25 May 2008 at 12:00

I am moving to a 2Ghz dual core Opteron with G92 8800GTS

that should be fine right?

ps3ud0 :cool:

AbsenceJam · 25 May 2008 at 12:23

Afraid not. The 8800GTS only has assisted decode rather than full bitstream which only reduces CPU use a little, and though the CyberLink decoder is multithreaded that CPU still won't be enough.

Either ditch the S939 stuff, it sells for more than it's worth on eBay, and get an Intel setup. Or get an ATi card with the UVD.

jellybeard999 · 25 May 2008 at 12:25

Im running a 7800GT and E4300 @ 2.6 and I can manage fine with 1080p HD MKVs - are they less intensive than the discs, ie the divx of HD ?

Will MPC play HD-DVD/BR with the Matroska(sp?) splitter and FFDShow ? again, it plays MKVs

lord filbuster · 25 May 2008 at 12:27

my athlon 4200+ plays bd content fine using the older 8800 gts, It only drops frames if i play it from my blu ray drive instead of the hard drive.

ps3ud0 · 25 May 2008 at 12:28

Bugger - really didnt think my setup was that bad

...

Got 2 S939 setups - guess Id better get rid of both...

ps3ud0 :cool:

sirlemonhead · 25 May 2008 at 13:46

I can play AVC stuff fine on my rig... single core opteron and ati 1800XT.

Got some program called CoreAVC to speed it all up though.

Greenlizard0 · 25 May 2008 at 16:05

ps3ud0 said:
Theres no free software I guess?

ps3ud0

Give it time - there'll be some soon. I expect that e.g. VLC will be able to play them in a few months time.

AbsenceJam · 25 May 2008 at 16:47

sirlemonhead said:
I can play AVC stuff fine on my rig... single core opteron and ati 1800XT.

Got some program called CoreAVC to speed it all up though.

You wouldn't be able to play the AVC encodes on BD or HD-DVD with that setup. MUCH higher bitrates and other overheads.

CoreAVC is the fastest software MPEG4-AVC decoder but not by that much anymore and you still need a meaty system for BD/HD-DVD.

AbsenceJam · 25 May 2008 at 16:48

You can play BD & HD-DVD using free software but only the basic audio and video streams and not all audio codecs, plus it takes quite a bit of messing about to get everything working. I personally remux all my discs into a MKV container and convert any lossless tracks to FLAC.