Will my Video Card be able to decode HD? (1 Viewer)

[DeathStar1]

I probably won't go into te format untill Recorders come onto the market, after seeing the HD Demonstration yesterday, but here's a question..

I was browsing ATI's site and noticed under their X1900 All In wonder that it provides Decoding for HD DVD. The Page for my card, http://www.ati.com/products/radeonx1...900/index.html Dosn't. I just got this card in October. So am I going to have to buy another new one if I want HD DVD?

 

[Ken_F]

Neil,

You will need a new video card (among other things) and a HDCP-capable monitor to experience full-resolution output on both Blu-ray and HD-DVD titles that use something called the "ICT" flag. This flag tells the player to downconvert 1920x1080p output to 960x540p on systems that lack a digital output and monitor with HDCP (DVI-CP, HDMI, etc).

Based on available information, it looks like somewhere between 15% and 30% of early titles will use this flag. Of course, if people boycott these "ICT flagged" titles, that may change.

 

[DeathStar1]

Hmm,

So even if I have a DVI input on my monitor/Card, I'd still have to get newer equipment to get it to work....

What exactly will I have to replace? I've read some things, but I'm not quite sure if I've got all the facts..

From what I've read, I will probably need a new motherboard, a new operating system(Vista), a potential new monitor, and now a new video card. Is there anything else?

This is the motherboard I ordered... http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131540

The Dell Monitor I ordered in April 2005 was the 2005FPW.

And of course, i have Windows Media Center 2005..

Thanks

 

[Aaron_Brez]

You'll need a new video card that is HDCP compliant (none of the ATIs currently released are, despite what ATI claims on their website; there may be a few Nvidias that shipped with Sony machines which are HDCP-compliant).

That's to get the video out on titles which have not been tagged with the ICT or Digital Only flag in AACS.

Even for titles which are free of these flags, you will need an OS and player software which is AACS approved-- currently, only the forthcoming MS Vista has been discussed in the trades as having this on the way. I suspect that Apple will have something soon as well, but as of yet, nothing's been announced.

Finally, in order for the OS to provide an AACS-approved solution, you'll need "protected video path". No one's positive yet what this will require, from a hardware perspective, but it's likely to include a new motherboard at the very least. Some Pentium-class processors have shipped with the required security technology, but it's not certain which-- and in any case, unless the motherboard has it enabled as well, it's not all that useful for you.

This is all a major pain in the butt, so my suggestion is this: if you are planning on running Blu-ray or HD DVD on your PC, don't make any major upgrades to your system until next year (or the end of this year) when the requirements are clearer.

 

[DeathStar1]

Right now, I'm not so much concerned about playback of HD Movies. I have HD HBO for that use . But I would like to use the Recorder function ASAP. Would I still need the special equipment to play back home made content?

 

[Aaron_Brez]

Not unless you apply the ICT or Digital-only flag to your own content.

For that matter, AACS/PVP shouldn't make a difference, either.

Your video card, now, coupled with a processor if you're using AVC or VC-1 codecs, should be totally sufficient to decode and display your own HD content.

 

[Shawn Perron]

There is a lot of speculation, but no proof of anything for playing back the HD formats on a PC. We do know that a dual core processor is a "minimum requirement" for atleast 1 3rd party software player (intervideo), as well as "trusted drivers". As no one currently has a "trusted driver", no one is able to play either format at this moment even were it released.

I'm betting that Windows Vista will be a minimum requirement for any kind of HD playback. I'm also willing to bet that new hardware will be required to obtain a "trusted driver" from manufacturers.

Since the studios would rather not release HD movies at all rather then allow any security holes, I'm betting that pcs will never output above 540p over the DVI/HDMI connector without HDCP. Thier biggest nightmare is people aquiring bit for bit digital copies at any point during playback.

Possibly the ICT flag may allow 1080p output over an analog VGA connection, but I highly doubt the DVI/HDMI connector will ever be allowed to output 1080p on a PC without HDCP. If you think about it, what's the point of securing the media only to allow an unprotected 1080p digital output? This would make everything they did for security pointless and therefore will not happen.