GPU Matter for HTPC? Is it better than a Blu Ray Player for video?

[fuzzyreets]

Hi folks. I recently bought a GeForce GT610 card. Works great in my HTPC for playback of HD files and others through XBMC. Being somewhat of a videophile, I'm wondering if buying a better (more expensive) video card would give me more detail, black levels, etc. ALl things that videophile's look for. I still use my Panasonic DMP-BDT500 blu ray player to playback movies that I really care about but I'm wondering how a video card, mine or otherwise, stacks against my blu ray player which is on the higher end of blu ray players ($300+). Can anyone shed some light on these questions? Thanks.

 

[legokill101]

it shold be identical the only difrence might be the audio but that is assuming that you blurya play is good (most arent) and that your using good speakers

 

[daswilhelm]

gpus will only help with 3d acceleration, no effect on blacks or detail. some gpus have built in blue ray acceleration, but that only takes the task away from your cpu, doesnt help it look any better.

 

[jaguarskx]

"Higher end" cards can have better video playback out compared to the lowest / cheapest graphic cards because they include additional algorithms to improve the video output. By "higher end" I am not telling you to swap out a Radeon HD 6450 and stick a Radeon HD 6990 into a HTPC. Just a higher end mainstream graphics card like a Radeon HD 6670.

You can click the following link regard video playback quality of mainstream cards. This is from about 2 years ago.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/graphics/display/radeon-hd6670-hd6570-hd6450_4.html#sect0