Video Card - Hardware MPEG decoder?

[folkboat]

Been using GBPVR with a Radeon 7000 (actually ASUS) 32mb video card/composite out.

I have noticed the newer cards have a "hardware-based" MPEG decoder on them.
Are there any advantages to this when running GBPVR??
I don't watch DVD's with GBPVR, just an occasional recorded TV program.

Most of the recorded shows are watched thru MVP's, which I understand has a built in hardware MPEG decoder.

Thanks

[folkboat]

Will GBPVR have an option in "config" to select the video card HWD MPEG decoder instead of a "software" based decoder?

My direct TV GBPVR configuration dictates that I use a "composite-out" because my receiver switches all video/audio inputs and sends it to the TV. Apparently there is an S-VIDEO to composite video widget which I could use.

[sub]

Will GBPVR have an option in "config" to select the video card HWD MPEG decoder instead of a "software" based decoder?

No it wont. Those hardware decoders listed there are specialist devices that do full video decoding. Thats not the case with the hardware accelleration features offered by regular video cards. With these you still need to use a software decoder, but behind the scenes it'll use the hardware accellaration features to do a big chuck of the work. The software decoder you use needs to be capable of using these features.

[folkboat]

I understand........

In order to utilize the acceleration/features of a video card, a software decoder specifically designed for that card must be used.

Whats the best combination out there??

The only two OEM's I know of are NVideo and ATI. NVideo offers a software decoder "not for free though" that they claim will work with "any" video card.

Tried it, selected it in GBPVR config using my ASUS Radeon7000, didn't notice any improvements/changes.

Since I plugged in my second MVP some recordings have some jitters, I am assuming my system needs some upgrading - choices are: video card, new CPU, more memory..................can't afford new CPU/Motherboard.

Sytem:
AMD Athlon 2000+
512kb
Radeon 7000
40gig for Operating sys/GBPVR
80gig (7200rpm) for recordings
2-MVP hardwired through switch

Thanks

[littlalex]

Your OK on both the CPU and RAM specs, esp with the MVP's doing the decoding work. Don't believe either or those are the problem (Unless you're doing other stuff on it at the same time)

Good luck troubleshooting. Do a search on the forums on "stuttering," as that issue has popped up more than a couple of times.

Peace,
Littlalex