Setup for HDTV(especially in Denmark). Mine can't cope.

[mila06]

Hi

I would love to hear about some HDTV setups. I have a fairly low-spec setup(see signature) which i fine for MPEG 2 recording and playback. Some channels now broadcasts in H.264 MPEG4 and HE-ACC audio. I have tried many setups (Cyberlink, ArcSoft, monogram of sound), but the system can not cope.
The Media Center should be in the livingroom, so it should be relatively quiet. It should also be not-so-expensive!

What are your HDTV setups/specs??

[sub]

H.264 channels, particularly HD ones, are pretty hard on machines. To get decent preformance you pretty much need a based nvidia 8500/8600 or newer video card (or similarly new ATI card like 4650 etc). You also need to be running Vista or Win7 so that you can get DXVA 2 acceleration.

[mila06]

Thanks Sub!

Would you say i could use my P4 2.4 GHz (if i can find a nv 8500/8600 or ATI 4650 as AGP - low profile) with windows 7 og do i have to find another comp with PCIe and maybe dual core?

[psycik]

I don't think that range of cards came out in AGP sorry.

[sub]

Yeah, I think you're out of luck with AGP. There was a couple of ATI HD 2400Pro/2600 cards that came out in AGP, which were supposed to do this H.264 hardware acceleration, but they're full height cards, and it sounds like they cause people no end of hassles and generally dont work for the H.264 functions anyway.

[mila06]

Ok... Thanks to both of you.
I must buy some new hardware, i think.

Psycik, are your AMD AM2 a medie center, or a server for your Popcorn?

[psycik]

Both

Popcorn hour is in the bedroom. AM2 system in in the lounge for recording and playback on HD (similar to your format).

[mila06]

Is the AMD x2 AM2, 64 bit?

[psycik]

Yes, but I'm only running xp 32b it on it. Its dual core as well. But doing all the HD work is the Nvidia 8600gt...

[Reddwarf]

H.264 channels, particularly HD ones, are pretty hard on machines. To get decent preformance you pretty much need a based nvidia 8500/8600 or newer video card (or similarly new ATI card like 4650 etc). You also need to be running Vista or Win7 so that you can get DXVA 2 acceleration.

I have an ATI-3450 in my htpc and I'm running DirectX v10 on XP SP3, some say that DirectX v10 on XP only emulates, but both playback and live view of HD-channels uses no more that 12-15% cpu, so it must be using DXVA.

BTW: The 3450 card is in AGP as well, not sure it it is available in lowprofile.