![[H]ard|Forum](/styles/hardforum/xenforo/logo_dark.png){kind=logo}
Stereodude
2[H]4U
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2000
- Messages
- 3,285
Maybe you guys can help me out. I'm confused here...
nVidia has this nice PDF file on their site with recommendations how to build a HD HTPC. On page 2 they have a chart that recommends a graphics card with a core clock of 500MHz or better and state the minimum is 400MHz. They also say, "Most MPEG-2 and VC-1 encoded titles will playback on the MINIMUM GPU configuration, however some H.264 encoded titles are particularly challenging and will require the RECOMMENDED GPU configuration for smooth playback."
This brings me to my question. A HDCP 7900GS cost a little less than a HDCP 7600GT and there are more of them to choose from. The 7900GS has a 450MHz core, whereas the 7600GT has a 560MHz core.
From the chart on page 2 it would seem that the 7900GS might be a tad bit iffy for some Blu-Ray and HD-DVD playback. However, I find this hard to believe because the 7900GS has 256bit video memory as opposed to the 128bit on the 7600GT, and it has 20 pipelines instead of the 12 in the 7600GT.
Shouldn't 20 pipelines @ 450MHz with 256bit memory @1320MHz beat 12 pipelines @ 560Mhz with 128bit memory @1400MHz? I know they do for 3D games, but is H.264 decoding that different?
nVidia has this nice PDF file on their site with recommendations how to build a HD HTPC. On page 2 they have a chart that recommends a graphics card with a core clock of 500MHz or better and state the minimum is 400MHz. They also say, "Most MPEG-2 and VC-1 encoded titles will playback on the MINIMUM GPU configuration, however some H.264 encoded titles are particularly challenging and will require the RECOMMENDED GPU configuration for smooth playback."
This brings me to my question. A HDCP 7900GS cost a little less than a HDCP 7600GT and there are more of them to choose from. The 7900GS has a 450MHz core, whereas the 7600GT has a 560MHz core.
From the chart on page 2 it would seem that the 7900GS might be a tad bit iffy for some Blu-Ray and HD-DVD playback. However, I find this hard to believe because the 7900GS has 256bit video memory as opposed to the 128bit on the 7600GT, and it has 20 pipelines instead of the 12 in the 7600GT.
Shouldn't 20 pipelines @ 450MHz with 256bit memory @1320MHz beat 12 pipelines @ 560Mhz with 128bit memory @1400MHz? I know they do for 3D games, but is H.264 decoding that different?