Video Card for 1080p videos

[handya]

hi,
i have some 1080p videos, and my current video card cannot handle them, does any one know some good cheap ones that can handle that video quality (pci-e)
cheers

[justafreak]

If you don't plan to game too much, I'd go with an NVidia 8600 GT or GTS

I bought the Leadtek PX8600GT 512MB Card for about 100 bucks a while back and it drive HD on my 50" Plasma just fine. I do BluRay, HD-DVD ASTC and I play HD Video's. IT also supports DVI-HDCP incase you plan to play HD Movies that require the Protected Pathway. You may find a better card at a better deal, but I can say I know this one is a great card, and it games great too. Just don't expect great DX10 from it.

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16814122033

[md2389]

Even a decent 7 series card would do the job. Most of the problem lies with the CPU being able to handle a video that size. It doesn't matter how great a video card you have if the processor running the system can't keep up. I'm running a dual core AMD Opteron 165 with 1GB of DDR400, and a Geforce 7900GS (256MB) and I can play HD content just fine.

[handya]

thanks for the advice,
thats the other thing im worried about is my cpu, the pc im running is just a cheap pc, something i got just for watching tv using media portal and open source media center, so i may have to upgrade the cpu as well, but i will get a card first and see how it handles,
thanks :)

[handya]

i just checked, im running a nvidia 7200gs 256mb ddr2 card,
but my cpu is intel celeron d 3.03ghz :S,
do you think than if i upgrade my cpu the card could handle it,
it can just play 1080p videos, its just abit choppy, and the sound is out of sink :S

[justafreak]

MD is correct. And yes you should upgrade that Celly. My older HTPC has issues on HD-DVD's sometimes and it was a P4 3.4HT. it played hard drive based videos fine at that resolution though. The Celeron is not much for multimedia, but you're video card should be fine....

Good eye pointing that out MD.

[1_1_1]

what I'd do is pull up task manager while playing a 1080p video and see if the CPU is pegged and (probobly won't affect it but see it the mem usage is also pegged)

on my P4 3.2HT w/ 2GB ram, a GeForce 6800U AGP, and an audigy
I'm able to play quicktime 1080P videos with audio in sync and smooth playback

(Ya a 3ish year old computer but is still runns great)
I'm just waiting on a good chipset w/ a good implementation

[handya]

the cpu is running between 80-100%, so i have orded a new cpu core 2 duo, and i will c where 2 go from there :)

[handya]

i have just upgraded my cpu to a 2.2ghz core 2 duo, :P, i can now play 1080p videos fanatically :) thanks for all your help :)

[md2389]

Glad to be of service. :)