HDCP video card for HD on my TV?

[scubaslim]

Do I need a video card that is HDCP to be able to watch HD streaming on my HDTV? Currently I have a 512MB GeForce 8400 GS hooked up to my HDTV via DVI, and when I stream ESPN3 or NBA broadband, it looks like garbage.

 

[jaguarskx]

HDCP is only required if you are watching copy protected content like a Blu-Ray movie.

Kinda difficult to understand what you mean by "garbage".

Does the video look fine when there is no movement like when the player are all standing around?

During gameplay when the camera is moving around to follow the players you will definitely see some pixelation and blurring especially when you focus on the audience in the background. The problem is basically due to real-time compression. All video coming thru the internet, cable TV, dish TV, etc has to be compressed otherwise they take up way too much bandwidth.

 

[scubaslim]

by garbage, I mean it looks like I'm watching in 480i. When I hit the recall button on my TV, it says it's showing in 720p, but there's no way what I'm seeing is HD.

It must be some other issue, but I don't know what. Here's the rundown of what I have...
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
AMD Phenom II X4 925
4.0GB Dual-Channel DDR2
BIOSTAR MCP6P M2+
512MB GeForce 8400 GS
8 Mbps internet

I have dual displays (LCD Monitor by VGA and 52" Panasonic LCD TV by a 25' DVI cable w/HDMI converter) set at 1280x720. Windows 7 and/or nVidia won't let me set the resolution to anything else when in dual display mode. I have tried it in single display mode on the TV at a higher resolution and it still looks bad. Previously I had the TV hooked up by the VGA and it looked bad then too (TV said it was 480p).

Oh and I know the picture can look better because I often watch ESPN3 on a different big screen HDTV via PlayOn and even though its only 480p, it looks much better.

Any and all ideas would be great. Thanks!

 

[scubaslim]

Best answer selected by scubaslim.

 

[Mousemonkey]

This topic has been closed by Mousemonkey