A graphics card to play 1080p files properly?

[Shmee150]

Hi,

I have a 7800GTX 256MB from the days when that was brand new and although I just got a new computer I kept the gfx card because I assumed it would be up to current standards, however my computer struggles to keep up playing 1080p video files. I have been assuming this is to do with the gfx, is this right or is it the cpu or something?

If it is the gfx I suppose should I upgrade to something like this:

512MB XFX 8800GT Alpha Dog, PCI-E (x16), 1800MHz GDDR3, GPU 625MHz, 2xDual Link DVI-I/S-Video, HDCP

Which would presumably fix it, what do you think? (the gfx card needs to be single slot by the way cos there's another card in the adjacent slot to run the 3rd screen)

Cheers,

Tim

[Jay]

I think this could be a problem with codecs. New graphics cards do accelerate video playback and take the load off the CPU but your Q6600 should be able to cope.

[wombar]

Yup, I'd have to say it's a Codec or software problem somewhere. I run 1080p files on my PC without any problem at all.

CPU: AMD 4800+
Gfx: 7600GS
Monitor: 30" Dell 3007-HC

What program are you using to play the files?

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

An HD3870 or HD3850 will be better for high definition content playback and the 8800GT better for most games.

[arthurleung]

An HD3870 or HD3850 will be better for high definition content playback and the 8800GT better for most games.

Depends on what movie you are watching.
If it is xvid / x264 / divx movie, try downloading the newest version of ffdshow with sse.
Also, make sure your driver setting does not force antialising, set to application setting.
Some decoder use the graphics card to help decoding but the AA setting increase the load with no visual effect at all.

[Shmee150]

Ok so I've been doing some playing, I've got 1080p files in all of xvid, x264 and divx and the same sort of thing happens with all of them, a load of dropped frames and eventually the sound/video sync goes, seemingly to be the computers fault not the files.

I installed the ffdshow and checked my gfx card was set to application setting. I've tried playing files with Nero Showtime and VLC, I think I tried something else at some point as well, but as of yet I don't seem to be getting anywhere.

Does anybody have any ideas how I can proceed?

Thanks again,

Tim

[SiM]

Try these:
Media Player Classic Home Cinema version
ffdshow xxl build (can use more than one core with x264)
haali matroska splitter if you use mkv files

In the MPC HC settings make sure that you render with EVR and make sure that ffdshow is prioritised in external filters...

[gurpz1]

I think this could be a problem with codecs. New graphics cards do accelerate video playback and take the load off the CPU but your Q6600 should be able to cope.

i agree it could be a codec problem. I've got an amd 64 3000+ & x850pro agp and is able to handle 1080p using MPC (media player classic)

[Shmee150]

Yep we're all good, looking much better. MPC did the job fine, that's what I'll use from now on.

Thanks all for the help, although I'll still contemplate a new card because this one is fairly outdated.

Cheers!

Tim

[cptwhite_uk]

As I understand it you should probably look at the ATI HD3850 256Mb

For a couple of reasons:

1) ATI cards, as I understand it, are far better at video decoding and playback
2) The HD3850 can be had for as little at £95 if you shop about. Available now for £105 delivered from Scan

In terms of performance compared to your 7800GTX for gaming, the HD3850 will be slightly better, but not by much:

VGA Charts 2007 | Tom's Hardware

The 7800GTX is still quite a formiddable card considering it's age.

[Shmee150]

As I understand it you should probably look at the ATI HD3850 256Mb

For a couple of reasons:

1) ATI cards, as I understand it, are far better at video decoding and playback
2) The HD3850 can be had for as little at £95 if you shop about. Available now for £105 delivered from Scan

In terms of performance compared to your 7800GTX for gaming, the HD3850 will be slightly better, but not by much:

VGA Charts 2007 | Tom's Hardware

The 7800GTX is still quite a formiddable card considering it's age.

So where does the Sapphire HD3850 256MB come up against the XFX 8800GT 512MB? I know that one is about double the other, but is it any better? And how would each compare noise/power wise compared to where I am currently?

(Watching Gladiator at 1080p on new 40" tv ... WOW!!)

Cheers,

Tim

[Shmee150]

Ok before I just watched a few minutes, when I get a decent amount into the film it starts doing what it used to, not very badly but enough that I need to fix it, could it be a problem to do with loading slowly from an old full hard disk? (interestingly I put the file on my Raptor boot drive and that could not play back at all well).

As I write this though I'm 10 minutes into something and it hasn't gone wrong yet at all.

Strange computer!


EDIT: 3 minutes later and it's developed an audio/video sync problem again

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

You can get the HD3850 512mb for £115 delivered from Ebuyer:

PowerColor HD 3850 Pro PCS 512MB GDDR3 256bit Dual DVI TVO PCI-E Graphics Card - Ebuyer

This has an aftermarket cooler too.

The HD3870 512mb is £130 delivered from Ebuyer:

PowerColor HD 3870 XT 512MB GDDR4 256bit Dual DVI PCI-E Graphics Card - Ebuyer

The HD38** series cards run cooler and consume less power since they are built using a 55nm process and have new power management features built in when compared to the previous generation ATI cards.

Also unlike the 8800GT the HDMI output includes 5.1 surround too as the HD38** series cards have an integrated HD audio unit!!

I have an HD3870 512mb and it is near silent.It has a dual slot cooler. You can very fan speeds manually using ATITool and even at 50% it is not very noisy IMHO.The HD3870 is around 10-20%
slower than a 8800GT 512mb for around 40 quid less making it better value IMHO.

[staffsMike]

Yep big fan of these new ATi Cards. Even with the performance loss against the new 8800's I will be getting an HD3850 soon (if I sell my current rig)

[Shmee150]

You can get the HD3850 512mb for £115 delivered from Ebuyer:

PowerColor HD 3850 Pro PCS 512MB GDDR3 256bit Dual DVI TVO PCI-E Graphics Card - Ebuyer

This has an aftermarket cooler too.

The HD3870 512mb is £130 delivered from Ebuyer:

PowerColor HD 3870 XT 512MB GDDR4 256bit Dual DVI PCI-E Graphics Card - Ebuyer

The HD38** series cards run cooler and consume less power since they are built using a 55nm process and have new power management features built in when compared to the previous generation ATI cards.

Also unlike the 8800GT the HDMI output includes 5.1 surround too as the HD38** series cards have an integrated HD audio unit!!

I have an HD3870 512mb and it is near silent.It has a dual slot cooler. You can very fan speeds manually using ATITool and even at 50% it is not very noisy IMHO.The HD3870 is around 10-20%
slower than a 8800GT 512mb for around 40 quid less making it better value IMHO.

Thank you very much for that, but can you confirm for me which cards are single slot? This is absolutely compulsory for me as there's literally only a single slot available for it. Looking at those links they look to have dual slots in the pictures, do you know further? This was the reason I compared the £100 ATi with the £180 nVidia, because I would presumably go for the "best" single-slot card.

Cheers,

Tim

[smellybumlove]

i was under the impression that ALL radeon HD cards have the ability to play HD files with less stress on the CPU.
i havent tried personally but i will plug in the 360 HD drive and give it ago on my HD2400 laptop.