'Cheapest' AGP card with H.264 hardware decode

[Andrew Rossmann]

What is the most basic (cheapest) ATI-based AGP card that has H.264
decoding in hardware? I'm trying to update an old computer (don't want
to do a full replacement yet), and am looking at what is available. It
currently has a 9550 in it.

Looking at ATI's site, it looks like possibly the X1300 series?

If anyone is willing, any equivalent nVidia's?

 

[Clas Mehus]

What is the most basic (cheapest) ATI-based AGP card that has H.264
decoding in hardware? I'm trying to update an old computer (don't want
to do a full replacement yet), and am looking at what is available. It
currently has a 9550 in it.

Looking at ATI's site, it looks like possibly the X1300 series?

If anyone is willing, any equivalent nVidia's?

If you want *real* h.264-decoding, you need a cpu like the Radeon HD
2400 or higher. There are AGP-based 2400 and 2600 boards. Thus, I
don't belive they are the same when it comes to the
HDMI-implementation as on the PCIe-boards with these GPUs.

Yes, the X1-series can *assist*, but isn't good at all at this.

 

[First of One]

X1K series has hardware assist for H.264 decoding. The HD2400 and HD2600
series (but not the 2900) has a "UVD" feature that offloads a bit more work
from the CPU.

Keep in mind H.264 hardware decode isn't free. What ATi and nVidia had done
is open the API to DVD software producers. You'll need full versions of
PowerDVD, NeroDigital, etc. to take advantage of it.

 

[Ken Maltby]

What is the most basic (cheapest) ATI-based AGP card that has H.264
decoding in hardware? I'm trying to update an old computer (don't want
to do a full replacement yet), and am looking at what is available. It
currently has a 9550 in it.

Looking at ATI's site, it looks like possibly the X1300 series?

If anyone is willing, any equivalent nVidia's?

--
If there is a no_junk in my address, please REMOVE it before replying!
All junk mail senders will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the
law!!
http://home.att.net/~andyross

If it is AVC that you are interested in, consider this:

http://www.coreavc.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=4&id=21&Itemid=59

$8 for the Standard edition and $15 for the pro version.

CoreCodec has been a leader in H264 decoding right
from the beginning. They just updated a few days ago,
as well. The update and new package includes the
latest version of the Haali Media Splitter and the
Renderer ( that alone is worth the $15). The pro
version also adds a number of very useful DirectShow
Filters.

The Haali Splitter will likely improve playback of a
number of other video formats on your system, also.
It is especially good working with Media Player Classic.

Luck;
Ken

 

[Andrew Rossmann]

X1K series has hardware assist for H.264 decoding. The HD2400 and HD2600
series (but not the 2900) has a "UVD" feature that offloads a bit more work
from the CPU.

Keep in mind H.264 hardware decode isn't free. What ATi and nVidia had done
is open the API to DVD software producers. You'll need full versions of
PowerDVD, NeroDigital, etc. to take advantage of it.

The primary reason of slightly extending the life of this computer (an
old P3-1000) is so I can watch a few music videos and such from iTunes.
Even with the screen shrunk down as much as possible, it often has
trouble with some, to the point of being a slide show. From what I've
read, these are basically Quicktime videos that use h.264.

I can play DVD's and most Microsoft videos I have found. It's just the
Quicktime-based stuff that kills the computer.

 

[Alan Jones]

If you want *real* h.264-decoding, you need a cpu like the Radeon HD
2400 or higher. There are AGP-based 2400 and 2600 boards. Thus, I
don't belive they are the same when it comes to the
HDMI-implementation as on the PCIe-boards with these GPUs.

Yes, the X1-series can *assist*, but isn't good at all at this.

Which stand alone DVD players will play h.264? Are there even any
computer applications the require or use h.264, other than simply
encoding, playing or editing movies and video clips?

 

[Ken Maltby]

Which stand alone DVD players will play h.264? Are there even any
computer applications the require or use h.264, other than simply
encoding, playing or editing movies and video clips?

Actually, all the new High Definition DVD players,
Blu-Ray and HD-DVD, are required to be able to play
H.264, per their new standards.

Your second sentence, you might want to re-read that.
What other kinds of programs do you expect to use a
video format?

Luck;
Ken

 

[First of One]

The primary reason of slightly extending the life of this computer (an
old P3-1000) is so I can watch a few music videos and such from iTunes.
Even with the screen shrunk down as much as possible,

Scaling the video from original size to full-screen is a simple bilinear
filtering operation that most video cards can do in hardware. As such,
shrinking down the screen does very little to reduce the CPU utilization.

it often has trouble with some, to the point of being a slide show. From
what I've read, these are basically Quicktime videos that use h.264.

Yep, H.264 encoding, but encased in a Quicktime wrapper. The problem is that
you will need either Quicktime Player or Quicktime Alternative to play these
videos, and neither app supports hardware H.264 decoding.

I can play DVD's and most Microsoft videos I have found. It's just the
Quicktime-based stuff that kills the computer.

See above. This is probably why Apple has fairly high system requirements
for Quicktime Player: http://www.apple.com/quicktime/player/specs.html

On the other hand, if you encounter H.264-encoded AVI or MPEG4 videos, those
can be accelerated if you use the appropriate player (PowerDVD, NeroDigital,
etc.) along with a supported video card.

 

[Alan Jones]

Actually, all the new High Definition DVD players,
Blu-Ray and HD-DVD, are required to be able to play
H.264, per their new standards.

Thanks, I'm not into HD (yet) and I was not sure that h.264 was native
to HD-DVD players. I had simply regarded h.264 as yet another format
(or yet another codec) for video files.

Your second sentence, you might want to re-read that.
What other kinds of programs do you expect to use a
video format?

None that I am aware of, hence the question.

My point is that it may be unrealistic to demand that a computer
display card include hardware h.264 decoding and display. Such files
should simply be burned onto optical media and displayed with a stand
alone HD-DVD player.

The stand alone player should have the lowest cost combination of
video display chip, CPU, RAM and other resources for displaying h.264
files. Which video display chip(s) are they using? If you insist on
upgrading an old computer to play h.264 files, you could then just
look for, or wait for, a computer video card that includes that same
chip, assuming you still have the required CPU, RAM, etc. Of course
it is also my understanding that virtually any computer graphics
display card with just 2D accelerated graphics will work just fine for
displaying h.264 files with a fast enough CPU. Putting a faster CPU
in an old computer is probably cheaper than putting in a new state of
the art video card.

In my case, my computer is too old and slow to upgrade for h.264
playback, but I can just barely burn DVDs. So it seems to me that the
cheapest solution for me is simply to buy an HD-DVD player. Of course
not being into HD-TV yet, I'd need one with S-Video output (NTSC).

Now, since I could stand a general computer upgrade, instead of asking
for a specific video card, what would you recommend for a low cost
laptop computer whose toughest requirement may be the playback of
h.264 files? I'm not a gamer.

Thanks,
Alan

 

[Ken Maltby]

Thanks, I'm not into HD (yet) and I was not sure that h.264 was native
to HD-DVD players. I had simply regarded h.264 as yet another format
(or yet another codec) for video files.


None that I am aware of, hence the question.

My point is that it may be unrealistic to demand that a computer
display card include hardware h.264 decoding and display. Such files
should simply be burned onto optical media and displayed with a stand
alone HD-DVD player.

It's not a question of "demands", unrealistic or otherwise,
both ATI and Nvidia have a full range of video cards with
H.264 acceleration of one kind or another. For ATI it's:
their "Avivo"; for Nvidia it's their "PureVision". In fact for
ATI, their highest priced card is still using the older version
of their Avivo, while the newer, cheaper cards have the
latest implementation.

The stand alone player should have the lowest cost combination of
video display chip, CPU, RAM and other resources for displaying h.264
files. Which video display chip(s) are they using? If you insist on
upgrading an old computer to play h.264 files, you could then just
look for, or wait for, a computer video card that includes that same
chip, assuming you still have the required CPU, RAM, etc. Of course
it is also my understanding that virtually any computer graphics
display card with just 2D accelerated graphics will work just fine for
displaying h.264 files with a fast enough CPU. Putting a faster CPU
in an old computer is probably cheaper than putting in a new state of
the art video card.

Unfortunately, we are in a time when any real upgrade will
necessitate much more than "Putting a faster CPU in an
old computer".


-----------------

In my case, my computer is too old and slow to upgrade for h.264
playback, but I can just barely burn DVDs. So it seems to me that the
cheapest solution for me is simply to buy an HD-DVD player. Of course
not being into HD-TV yet, I'd need one with S-Video output (NTSC).

You might want to check into the cost of HD-DVD players.

Now, since I could stand a general computer upgrade, instead of asking
for a specific video card, what would you recommend for a low cost
laptop computer whose toughest requirement may be the playback of
h.264 files? I'm not a gamer.

Thanks,
Alan

I haven't looked at Laptops lately, but I would think
any two core processor based system would likely
be a useful upgrade. There should be some refurbished
for ~$700. You will have to sift through a lot of specifics
to find a match to your actual requirements, and budget.

Luck;
Ken