Part 4: Avivo HD Vs. PureVideo HD

[Crabstick]

Thanks for the review.
Anyway, as some readers have already commented, could we finally see some real difference in HD postprocessing when using HT2 and HT3 processors?

Everybody claims that usging Phenom with 780G will enable more memory bandwidth for the GPU and it can do more stuff with the image. Could THG finally review this situation and post the results. What is the real image quality difference?

I have 780G and Athlon X2 and I really could use better deinterlacing options when watching live SD TV (at 1920x1080). Question is, is it worth upgrading to Phenom or should I just buy new (better) graphics card.

 

[cleeve]

I'm going to try and address the C&Q issue, the Phenom issue, and the new 9200 chipset in an update soon, folks.

 

[cleeve]

I meant 9400. Typo!

 

[darthwhit]

A couple of things.
780G does have hybrid power and is able to power down a discreet graphics card if it isn't in use provided it is a newer model (2400HD or newer).
Second it does make a difference on what CPU you use, not because of the CPU but because of the 3.0 Hypertransport. If you have a triple core Phenom it will perform significantly better at 1080i and other interlaced material. Since most tv programs are 1080i this is very important.
Third sideport memory makes no noticeable difference. It needs 256 so even if it has 128 sideport memory it isn't enough to do the job and has to use the main system memory anyways.

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

[citation][nom]yottabit[/nom]And I doubt a board that is being marketed for HTPC solutions is going to have a DVI port in place of an HDMI port and lose all that functionality. [/citation]

The point is you don't lose that functionality. If it were DVI like the DVI outputs on an ATi HD4xxx series card you have both options in one connector. Not limited to 5.1/2LPCM (none of them are 2.1), and can do full 8 channel DDTruHD and DTS-HD-MA, which Intel still can't even through HDMI.

If you have a choice of just one that one covers all options.

 

[Guest]

good article but seems that video tests are software decoded, not with dxva (directx video acceleration)

 

[baffoni]

[citation][nom]Cleeve[/nom][/citation]

I have the GA-MA78GM-S2H's slightly beefier brother the GA-MA78GPM-DS2H - the boards are nearly identical except this has sideport DDR3 RAM. It most definitely plays back protected BluRay. I've only Netflixed one as a test, but I can't imagine they'd have any unprotected....

[citation][nom]Cleeve[/nom][/citation]

I think the point is that if you have HDMI onboard with DVI adapter, you lose nothing; if you have DVI with HDMI adapter, you lose the ability to hookup your output with one digital cable, which can help tame that electronic spiders web in the back of most computers and media centers.

 

[cleeve]

[citation][nom]Anonymous [/nom]good article but seems that video tests are software decoded, not with dxva (directx video acceleration)[/citation]

Nope, video tests were hardware decoded for sure. Without hardware decoding, even VC1 will skip like crazy on a Sempron 3200+.

 

[jimmyt1988]

Hi all, Azreal is actually right.

There is a known error with ATI cards in 4800 series with 1080p and DX10 resolutions.

It seems that when DX10 is enabled, the resolution flicks to 1080i due to DX10's poor work around.

To put it simply, we are waiting on ATI to bring out a new driver but 8.11 beta does not fix the problem aswell.. For people having similar problems, visit:

http://www.rage3d.com/BOARD/showthread.php?p=1335679162&posted=1#post1335679162

Nvidia on the other hand have successfully made their cards work correctly. well done nvidia. (hits head on table and bites on HD4870 X2, i do despise ati drivers. lol