H.264 video through X1600 GPU?

[Yousuf Khan]

Now, I know this isn't the killer video card range by any stretch of the
imagination, but I think it should be relatively powerful enough. I just
don't know if the functionality exists in this card though. I've
upgraded to the latest Catalyst 7.4 drivers, and I was under the
impression that these drivers will allow you to encode/decode the H.264
video through the GPU rather than the CPU.

First, is this feature really available on these drivers? Second, if so,
then is it available on my particular generation of GPU? Assuming that,
then is there a special video codec that needs to run to make use of the
GPU for H.264? Basically, how would I know that I'm using the GPU rather
than the CPU?

Yousuf Khan

 

[the dog from that film you saw]

Now, I know this isn't the killer video card range by any stretch of the
imagination, but I think it should be relatively powerful enough. I just
don't know if the functionality exists in this card though. I've
upgraded to the latest Catalyst 7.4 drivers, and I was under the
impression that these drivers will allow you to encode/decode the H.264
video through the GPU rather than the CPU.

First, is this feature really available on these drivers? Second, if so,
then is it available on my particular generation of GPU? Assuming that,
then is there a special video codec that needs to run to make use of the
GPU for H.264? Basically, how would I know that I'm using the GPU rather
than the CPU?

the feature is supported by the card.
HOWEVER.

it's not down to the drivers - it's down to the software you use - you need
software that uses the hardware accelaration.
i think the newest HD compatible version of power dvd does.

only problem is, the x1600 is only able to suffiiciently accelarate 720p -
not 1080p - and there are 1080p sources out there.
for me personally, i get better results using the core codec and letting
that do the job in software.

with that, i can play 1080p x264 without dropping frames on my 3ghz pentium
with x1600 card as long as i don't have other things going on at the same
time.

 

[YKhan]

the feature is supported by the card.
HOWEVER.

it's not down to the drivers - it's down to the software you use - you need
software that uses the hardware accelaration.
i think the newest HD compatible version of power dvd does.

Okay, so my older version of Power DVD 6 won't have that, I guess? And
I assume that Windows Media Player also doesn't have it? I'm not as
interested in playing Blu-Ray or HD-DVD as I am in playing *.MP4
files, etc.

Yousuf Khan

 

[the dog from that film you saw]

On Apr 29, 4:14 pm, "the dog from that film you saw"

Okay, so my older version of Power DVD 6 won't have that, I guess? And
I assume that Windows Media Player also doesn't have it? I'm not as
interested in playing Blu-Ray or HD-DVD as I am in playing *.MP4
files, etc.

in that case i'd suggest you do as i did and get the core codec - i know
it's galling to have the hardware accelaration and not be using it, but the
fact is it does the job - i use media player classic plus the codec.

 

[Yousuf Khan]

in that case i'd suggest you do as i did and get the core codec - i know
it's galling to have the hardware accelaration and not be using it, but the
fact is it does the job - i use media player classic plus the codec.

Is that what they're called, the Core Codecs?

Yousuf Khan

 

[the dog from that film you saw]

Is that what they're called, the Core Codecs?

just core codec - no plural.
i'd suggest checking out doom9.org for details on how to use it.