Topic: Does Video Cards Matter - Reviews and comments

[FrancisD]

Hi:

I like technology and have been following the ups and downs of video card technologies and manufacturers. I believe that the best video quality can now be found in the PC and not any other playback device. Anyways, link below to current reviews of video cards.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/hqv-2-radeon-geforce,2844-10.html

Note that in the important playback and basic processing aspects - all the cards score 100% (except probably for the GE 210 which they use a different set-up - hmm for this card to score high?).

I use a GT 240 and I'm impressed with it. From friends doing professional graphics work, say Radeons are better. Maybe this review tells why.

An HTTPC can be cheap! Gives the best video quality too. The best is - you can make the excuse of the HTTPC set-up in getting a mean gaming video card 

Please share any comments you may have on video cards for HTTPC. I have heard not so good things about GF 210. 

[Tempter]

If you are just planning to use your HTPC to watch HD Movies and normal PC use, then there's no need for High End video card. Your GT 240 will suffice.

[ABCmotorparts]

Don't go cheap when it comes to video/graphic cards,...

[Arulco]

For HTPC applications, the latest integrated graphics solutions from Intel and AMD will suffice.

These are able to decode FullHD 1080p content with ease provided that the software and hardware are set up correctly.

I don't see the need to spend extra for a discreet graphics card unless you are:

a. a gamer
b. you have an older system with inferior integrated graphics that can't accelerate HD decoding in hardware, or c. a professional that requires professional-grade graphics hardware.

[FrancisD]

Thanks for the feedback.

Planning to build a really small httpc in place of an NMT to get best video quality na medyo mura pa din. Planning to use the coming low power chips (AMD brazos).  The intel integrated graphics with the sandy bridge ones are expensive and drivers reported to be inferior to AMD / Nvidia. Estimating this to cost in the Php 10 k range.

[FrancisD]

The intel new I series chips with integrated graphics (IGP) cannot properly play movies at 23.9 fps - this results in a jitter every half minute or so: this is a hardware issue so will not be fixed until 2012.

Intel chips do not have full software acceleration support from software (such as MPC), so certain features will not be accelerated by the IGP (graphics of the chip). This may be remedied eventually.

Watch out for the low power AMD brazos

While I don't believe Brazos has enough CPU power under the hood to be a truly high end HTPC, it's easily good enough for a low cost, value HTPC. Popular codecs are well accelerated and with full DTS-HD MA and Dolby TrueHD bitstreaming support Brazos is solid. Flash acceleration is also present although it looks like there are still some kinks that need to be worked out there.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4134/the-brazos-review-amds-e350-supplants-ion-for-miniitx/9

Just might wait for this one and shelve current plans to build a HTPC from low cost amd chips and GT 220 / HD 4650. Total cost of the brazos set up may be about Php 7000 excluding HD.  

Brazos is low power so you can download all day and watch it at night. Play some games too