Yeah, I noticed a 75-80% CPU usage playing a 720p QuickTime last night. The video was smooth, but the system was undeniably taxed. Will most of the decent DX 10 GPU's coming out be able to effectively output 1080p, or just the really high-end ones?
It's not the DX part of the GPU, it's the video part. The newer ATi/nVidia GPUs have support but your player has to take advantage of it. Ati's is called Avivo and I can't remember what nVidia's is called.
But truthfully watching BluRay, etc will be a pain on the PC cause you have to have an HDMI monitor and Vista. XP doesn't have the DRM stuff. You can play nonDRM, non BluRay/HDDVD content but I'd rather watch on a 32"+ monitor.
Yeah, I agree - Blu-Ray is best for TVs, not PCs. It's just that I'lll be getting a new widescreen monitor and figured I'd might as well get a video card fully capable of outputting all HD resolutions. The 640MB 8880's are a little pricey, but considering what you're getting and the expected usability (several years), it's not such a bad deal.
Just make sure that you get it with an HDMI conection or Vista will downgrade it (what a pain). That 640MB will definitely handle the task. It outputs 2560x2048.
If you stick with XP there may be some nonDRM stuff available. I found a few and it was WOWWWWW! and that was at 720p.