DVD decoding quality on G400max?

[Sean Bires]

I just ordered the G400max a few days ago (I don't have it yet), and I just recently found this page (which would be www.murc.ws). I couldn't find any info on the DVD-playback quality of the G400max. I didn't look to hard though...

I have an first-generation DVD decoder card (which can't be good...), but the G400max claims it can do DVD decoding also. A friend of mine warns that it is not actual DVD hardware decoding, but software acceleration DVD playback. Which is better? Should I keep my old MPEG decoder card, or will the G400max have better DVD-playback quality?

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-Sean Bires

the 'net gets slower by the day, I swear...

[paulcs]

It depends on your needs and your resources. I've found that software solutions provide better monitor output, while decoder boards are better with TV's.

Probably, your most important consideration should be your processor speed. If you have a relatively slow processor, you should stick with the decoder.

Now, if I tell you the bare minimum for software DVD playback is a PII 400 MHz, someone will post that they have a CPU powered by a gerbil on a treadmill, and his/her software DVD solution runs fine. It gives you a ballpark figure, however, so if you have a PIII 500, you should be fine.

Paul
paulcs@flashcom.net

[This message has been edited by paulcs (edited 30 January 2000).]

[athlet]

Now, if I tell you the bare minimum for software DVD playback is a PII 400 MHz, someone will post that they have a CPU powered by a gerbil on a treadmill, and his/her software DVD solution runs fine

LMAO

[Dobber]

Actually its a hyper active guinea pig and I'm getting 22 WRPM (wheel revolutions per minute) with all detail turned on

[Himself]

I know the arguments for both sides keep coming around like a rodent wheel.

From what I recall and off the top of my head.

DVD decoder pros:

1. Your cpu might be fast enough, but a decoder means your cpu can do other things. Situation, you are on the internet, someone is in another room watching a DVD on the TV.

2. If DVD games ever show up in reality, hardware means your game might be playable, think 1GHz+ if you want to play a game without hardware DVD.

3. If your sound card doesn't have SPDIF out, the Hollywood Plus and others do.

4. If you don't have TV out, or if you do but it's not dual head, then a decoder card is a better solution, let's you use your computer while playing DVDs, giving you some use for the increased free cpu time.

5. Proper PAL/NTSC TV output with the H+, reported issues with jittering from some folks using dual head.

6. As good or better video out quality as dual head apparently, much better than your typical TV out on video cards.

7. Compatibility with application like PC[Un]Friendly is more widespead.

Cons:

1. Have to use one player, like it or not. No competition in player features like software decoding of sound for 4 speaker sound cards, skinned interfaces etc. The H+ has stereo out, not 5.1 from the analog jack, and Sigma removed the 6 channel wave output solution from the latest drivers and people in the Sigma support news server complained about sound quality with it anyway.

2. Monitor playback is not as good, for the H+ you have to use a passthrough cable if you want that.

3. Takes up a PCI slot.

4. Inflexible, you have to buy a new card to upgrade features instead of downloading a software update.

5. Macrovision that can't be disabled.

6. Price, you can buy PowerDVD 2.5 for $20 CDN, decoder cards are $100 CDN.

7. Your video card DVD acceleration gets unused. [Doesn't apply with most video cards. Does with these, Ati Rage 128 series/Savage S4/GeForce 256]

[Brian R.]

Another issue is that the MAX will have a much better looking output than first generation decoder cards. I have a CL Dxr3 decoder (Hollywood +) and a G400 MAX. I previously used the CL card because the MAX had a jitter problem with DVD playback. Ever since I started useing Intervideo WinDVD with the MAX, I threw the decoder card away. The DVD with the MAX is at least as good as the CL card. The pass-through cable significantly degrades the monitor appearance at higher resolutions. I had to move the monitor cables around every time I wanted to play a movie since I wouldn't leave the CL card pass-through cable connected when not playing a movie.

My advice is don't use the additional card and just find software for the MAX you like. I believe most people have had good luck with the Cinemaster player that comes with it. As I said, the WinDVD player is superior in my system.

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600 MHz PIII @ 660 Mhz (2.05 V) w/Alpha P3-125 heatsink/fan, ABIT BE6-2, 128 MB Siemens PC100 SDRAM, G400 MAX, Diamond V2 SLI, CL SB Live with Sennheiser HD-600 headphones, Sennheiser DSP360 Dolby processor, and Shure FP22 headphone amplifier, Adaptec AHA2940 w/uw SCSI, IBM 9ZX 9.1GB 10K UW SCSI HD, WDE 4360 4.3GB 7.2k UW SCSI HD, Pioneer 303s SCSI DVD, Win98SE, in a modified Supermicro SC750A case with PCP&C Silencer 275W PS, and a partridge in a pear tree.