Buying a new video card? READ THIS.

This article sums it up...and it sucks for everyone who bought a video card or monitor recently that doesn't have HDCP and wants to watch videos with their PC.

http://www.firingsquad.com/hardwar [...] d_roundup/

http://www.slysoft.com/en/anydvdhd.html

WTF is this HD crap?

"Allows you to watch movies over a digital display connection, without HDCP compliant graphics card and HDCP compliant display. No need to buy an expensive monitor. Sweet!"

Wow. Think it really works? You know what I think? I think they think people can't tell a difference between true HD and upscaled analog. You don't honestly think that's true HD do you? Looks like a software upscaler to me.

The bottleneck is the mainboard bus. I think it's 400 or 500mhz with up to 800mhz. But the P4 I have is 400mhz I believe. The X1650 I'm looking at is perfect, but a quiet 7900GS for a lil more would be a lot better.

AnyDVD is just a background decrypter, it works with other software.

What was the program you were using with it, I've had no problems with this and CloneDVD2.

Hey mpilch, is a 7600GS better than an X1650? Close call right?

One thing looks clear to me, I should either get the x1650 or lower (which has HDMI connector built in) or go with an 8800GTS. Those cards are wicked for the price.

http://www.slysoft.com/en/download.html

The two I mentioned above, AnyDVD & CloneDVD, That's all I use for DVD's. Tried a few different ones in the past, but they were the best and easiest.
They'll come out with more and better features over time, I've been using them for about 2 or more years now, so have friends & family.

X1650XT would be my choice for the graphics.

Sweet. How much is that f'n software gonna run me though? I eventually want to go rackmount and put all my systems in one box, but it's expensive. I'll use one rack (3 or 4U) as a file storage/print server too with Windows Home Server (due later this year) and then raid-5 so I won't lose anything. Until then I'll be jostling a raid-1 with my dual 160gig WD's.

The X1650 is over $100 though, and it's gotta be a fanless one for silence. I'd suffer through the noise for awhile if I bought an 8800. Another question I have is...which version of Vista would work best with an HTPC or should I just go with XP MCE? The card I choose would have to be Vista supported, and I doubt that's an easy find to add into the equation.

Honestly? That was a bit insulting...
Now you're just no help at all...
Sigh.

I'm already way ahead of you on both research...you're late with the links...and I wanted knowledge, not links. :-)

This is the reference you are looking for regarding the current list of HDCP ready cards:

http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1071342

BTW, Mpilch is a 7900 fanboy (sorry, Mpilch, no ill-will intended). When it comes to video performance, the X1950Pro has it all over any of the 7900's. In fact, it has been tested to be more on a par with the 7950GT. Also beware that there is a difference between HDCP ready, or certified, and a card advertised as HDCP or HDCP compatible. Read the list. As far as HDMI is concerned, you shouldn't be worried about that. The standard is going to be revised in the future, and if you must have the connection you can get a DVI to HDMI converter, or an add-in card.

More about HD content playback, here:

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2886

Happy reading.

Okay... I hear your weepy voice. Here's my recommendation:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814161062

very quiet, powerful, overclockable, HDCP ready, gameable, did I say quiet?, under $200, etc., etc. So quit yer snivelin'.

forget that cpu

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/v [...] yback.html

I'm just saying that for some hd content your cpu won't be enough

Actually you punk twit...
I read real user reviews on NewEgg, a number of which said it was loud. After just looking at the $hitty price I quickly dismissed your option. I picked up a brand new Sapphire X1950GT for $145 and a nice big old fanless Thermaltake cooler for another $30. I don't care if it's limited, I plan on going ITX eventually anyway and have two other systems I can drop it in. The X1900 AIW card I already own and bought for $209 off ZipZoom is being sold for around $300 still online, so I might just swap it out. My X1900 doesn't have HDCP and is only an analog tuner that doesn't have Vista or XP x64 support (which is what I'm running).

The cooler I bought:
http://www.thermaltakeusa.com/2005 [...] s1214a.htm
Odd. They changed their website since last night. :-P I think it's out of production now. Anyway, I love that cooler. We'll see how great it is once it gets here though.