Results 1 to 7 of 7

Thread: Will this handle Blu-Ray?

  1. #1
    Senior Member da.Guvna's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Posts
    609
    Thanks
    39
    Thanked
    1 time in 1 post

    Talking Will this handle Blu-Ray?

    Ok, so I've got this bog-standard HP machine from 2005, on which I am currently running Vista Home Premium Media Centre:

    HP DC7600
    With the slight difference that it has 3Gb of mid-low-range DDR2 RAM installed.

    We use it for all our media stuff in the flat (recording Freeview (2 tuner cards), watching DVDs, listening to CDs/MP3s, streaming all this content to our xbox 360s) and it handles everything perfectly with no fuss.

    Rather than waste money on yet another box to sit under the telly, I thought I'd replace the current DVD drive with a blu-ray drive.

    The thing is, I'm not sure if this thing has the punch to run hi-def content.
    Our TV is only a 720p jobby (running off the VGA port), so it's the lower end of HD, but still....would this machine be a competent alternative to a dedicated blu-ray box? I'm guessing the onboard 945G Intel Xtreme graphics chipset would be the limiting factor here?
    Annoyingly, I can't put a beefier gfx card in due to the SFF nature of the case, and where it needs to fit.

    Cheers for any suggestions.

  2. #2
    finding nemo staffsMike's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    11,498
    Thanks
    197
    Thanked
    786 times in 733 posts
    • staffsMike's system
      • Motherboard:
      • evga 680i
      • CPU:
      • e6600
      • Memory:
      • geil ultra pc6400
      • Storage:
      • WD 320gb
      • Graphics card(s):
      • leadtek 8800 GTS 640mb
      • PSU:
      • ocz gameXstream 700w
      • Case:
      • akasa eclipse
      • Monitor(s):
      • dell 2007wfp and Lg L194WT
      • Internet:
      • pipex homecall

    Re: Will this handle Blu-Ray?

    720p will work nicely enough I should think, netbooks can handle that running similar hardware. 1080p will probably be a bridge too far.

  3. #3
    YUKIKAZE arthurleung's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Aberdeen
    Posts
    3,280
    Thanks
    8
    Thanked
    88 times in 83 posts
    • arthurleung's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus P5E (Rampage Formula 0902)
      • CPU:
      • Intel Core2Quad Q9550 3.6Ghz 1.2V
      • Memory:
      • A-Data DDR2-800 2x2GB CL4
      • Storage:
      • 4x1TB WD1000FYPS @ RAID5 3Ware 9500S-8 / 3x 1TB Samsung Ecogreen F2
      • Graphics card(s):
      • GeCube HD4870 512MB
      • PSU:
      • Corsair VX450
      • Case:
      • Antec P180
      • Operating System:
      • Windows Server 2008 Standard
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell Ultrasharp 2709W + 2001FP
      • Internet:
      • Be*Unlimited 20Mbps

    Re: Will this handle Blu-Ray?

    1080p it will definitely struggle, may be add a GPU that have blu-ray acceleration?
    Workstation 1: Intel i7 950 @ 3.8Ghz / X58 / 12GB DDR3-1600 / HD4870 512MB / Antec P180
    Workstation 2: Intel C2Q Q9550 @ 3.6Ghz / X38 / 4GB DDR2-800 / 8400GS 512MB / Open Air
    Workstation 3: Intel Xeon X3350 @ 3.2Ghz / P35 / 4GB DDR2-800 / HD4770 512MB / Shuttle SP35P2
    HTPC: AMD Athlon X4 620 @ 2.6Ghz / 780G / 4GB DDR2-1000 / Antec Mini P180 White
    Mobile Workstation: Intel C2D T8300 @ 2.4Ghz / GM965 / 3GB DDR2-667 / DELL Inspiron 1525 / 6+6+9 Cell Battery

    Display (Monitor): DELL Ultrasharp 2709W + DELL Ultrasharp 2001FP
    Display (Projector): Epson TW-3500 1080p
    Speakers: Creative Megaworks THX550 5.1
    Headphones: Etymotic hf2 / Ultimate Ears Triple.fi 10 Pro

    Storage: 8x2TB Hitachi @ DELL PERC 6/i RAID6 / 13TB Non-RAID Across 12 HDDs
    Consoles: PS3 Slim 120GB / Xbox 360 Arcade 20GB / PS2

  4. #4
    Senior Member da.Guvna's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Posts
    609
    Thanks
    39
    Thanked
    1 time in 1 post

    Re: Will this handle Blu-Ray?

    Ok cool.

    Can you recommend any half-height cards that will do the job? It's got a PCI-E slot.

    Cheers guys

  5. #5
    finding nemo staffsMike's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    11,498
    Thanks
    197
    Thanked
    786 times in 733 posts
    • staffsMike's system
      • Motherboard:
      • evga 680i
      • CPU:
      • e6600
      • Memory:
      • geil ultra pc6400
      • Storage:
      • WD 320gb
      • Graphics card(s):
      • leadtek 8800 GTS 640mb
      • PSU:
      • ocz gameXstream 700w
      • Case:
      • akasa eclipse
      • Monitor(s):
      • dell 2007wfp and Lg L194WT
      • Internet:
      • pipex homecall

    Re: Will this handle Blu-Ray?

    HD3450 will do nicely or an HD4350.

    A lot of them are half height but not all come with a half height bracket.

  6. #6
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Bedford/Leicester
    Posts
    535
    Thanks
    52
    Thanked
    45 times in 45 posts
    • Hawker1986's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Biostar Tpower X58A / Gigabyte X58A-UD5
      • CPU:
      • i7 950@4Ghz TRUE / i7 920@4Ghz H50-1
      • Memory:
      • 6GB Crucial Ballistix@1336mhz / 6GB Corsair XMS3@1528mhz
      • Storage:
      • 128GB G.Skill Falcon + 1.5TB + 2x400GB / Corsair Force 3 120GB SSD + 1.5TB + 500GB
      • Graphics card(s):
      • 5850@825/1150 / 5870@900/1300
      • PSU:
      • Enermax Liberty 620W / Corsair HX850
      • Case:
      • Antec P182 / Silverstone FT02B
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 7 x64 Ultimate / Windows 7 x64 Ultimate
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell E248WFP 24" / Benq G2420HDBL 24"
      • Internet:
      • 10mb Virgin Cable / 24mb Talk Talk ADSL

    Re: Will this handle Blu-Ray?

    Over at scan sapphire 4550 passive if youve got reasonable airflow, its 1/2 height and comes with a bracket.

    Hawker
    Media Centre: C2D E5300@3.6Ghz : Gigabyte G31M-ES2L : 2GB Crucial Ballistix DDR21066@1106mhz : Sapphire HD5450 : Haupaggue WinTV Nova-T 500 : Seasonic 380W : Corsair X32 32GB SSD : WD 250GB HDD : LG Blu-Ray/HDDVD ROM DVD-RW : Scythe Shuriken BIG Quiet : Lian-Li PC-C37 :
    WHS: Zotac 8200 M-ITX WIFI : AMD 4850e : 4GB G.Skill DDR21000 : 6x2TB : Scythe Shuriken Rev.B Quiet LP : Fractal Design Mini Array R2 :
    Laptop: Packard Bell EasyNote BG45-U-300 : 12" : Dual Core T2390 1.87Ghz : 2GB DDR2800 : Corsair X32 32GB SSD : Intel GMA X3100 :


  7. #7
    Senior Member da.Guvna's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Posts
    609
    Thanks
    39
    Thanked
    1 time in 1 post

    Re: Will this handle Blu-Ray?

    Just realised I forgot to reply to this!

    Cheers for the help guys!
    Airflow is a bit of an issue with this chassis, but I might be able to mod it with a drill and other power tools, mwahahaha!

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. Dual monitors, Blu Ray and HDCP
    By scorchio75 in forum Graphics Cards
    Replies: 24
    Last Post: 20-05-2009, 11:53 AM
  2. blu ray films to get?
    By mrpete in forum Consumer Electronics
    Replies: 17
    Last Post: 16-05-2008, 01:54 PM
  3. blu ray writer
    By seanmeads in forum PC Hardware and Components
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 04-03-2008, 10:57 PM
  4. Blu Ray or not
    By gio in forum PC Hardware and Components
    Replies: 20
    Last Post: 27-02-2008, 02:21 PM
  5. Blu Ray Players Outdated by October
    By Muttley69 in forum Consumer Electronics
    Replies: 12
    Last Post: 12-04-2007, 01:36 AM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •