Minimum requirements for Hi-Def DVDs

[Comer]

Would the following be enough to run a Hi-Def DVD such as T2 with perfect smoothness (ie no dropped frames)

1. Pentium 4 2.8GHZ PC800
2. Sapphire Radeon 9200SE Atlantis 128MB AGP, ATI 9200SE, TV-Out, Retail
3. 512 MB DDR SDRAM PC400

Thinking about upgrading and I'm just trying to work out how much it would set me back

Thanks

Conor

 

[dgc]

Microsft rec spec is..

"Minimum Configuration
(for playing 720p video)
Microsoft Windows XP
Windows Media Player 9 Series
2.4 GHz Processor
384 MB of RAM
64 MB Video Card
DVD-ROM drive
1024 x 768 Screen Resolution
16-bit Sound Card
Speakers

Optimum Configuration
(for playing 1080p video with 5.1 surround sound)
Microsoft Windows XP
Windows Media Player 9 Series
3.0 GHz Processor
512 MB of RAM
128 MB Video Card
1920 x 1440 Screen Resolution
DirectX 9
DVD-ROM drive
24-bit 96 KHz Multichannel Sound Card
5.1 Surround Sound Speaker System

For either scenario, an AGP4x based NVIDIA or ATI video adapter card with at least 32 MB of RAM and the most recent OEM driver updates is also recommended. "


Hope this helps

 

[CrispyXUK]

Should be fine if you dry out your PC first

 

[Loafer316]

 

[KraGorn]

Originally posted by dgc
Microsft rec spec is..

Which is interesting since nVidia just announced their next chip will contain hardware support for WM9 decoding in hi-def, thereby offloading a large load off the processor .. presumably the same type of chip tech. that'll be in the consumer hidef DVD players, since you're not going to see a P4 in those.

 

[Comer]

Thanks for the very helpful replies (even you Crispy )

It would seem as though I should go for a 3gig processor then.

If I want to watch T2 Hi Def DVD must I use the supplied software

I have heard that it's very difficult to get this softeware authorised on this side of the pond and also that it won't output 5.1 through SPDIF. Is this true?

Can I use the latest windows media player and will this output 5.1 through SPDIF

Sorry for the stupid questions


Conor

 

[SeaneyC]

WMP will not output 5.1 through spdif on T2: Extreme because it is encoded as WMA Pro and not Dolby Digital or DTS (on this particular title, although it is possible to incorporate DD or DTS tracks into WM9 hi def video)

The only way you can get true 5.1 from this disc is by using 5.1 discrete analogue outputs on a sound card connected to the 5.1 input on your amp, or by using a realtime Dolby Digital encoder to convert the audio to a DD stream over S/PDIF. Currently the only consumer product to do this is the Soundstorm/Nforce sound chipset, which unfortunately for you, immediately rules out using the Intel chip.

Hope this helps you a bit, which clearly it won't!

 

[CrispyXUK]

Well I can run the 720p clips fine on my 2ghz

 

[Too Tall]

Hi,

I have a CRT projector and it will happily do DILA res. 1365x1024. But there's no way it will go up to 1920x1440. I'd like to play the T2 disc on it though. Does anyone know what will happen if I output the T2 disc at less than 1920x1440. Will it cause me problems?

Stuart.

 

[rhinoman]

My old xp2100+ with 512mb of ddr and a Radeon 9600 played some downloaded clips fine too.

 

[Too Tall]

Will a new Burton 3200+ play the T2 disc and other 720P stuff OK?

Everyone seams to go for P4s. Are they that much better for Hi-Def stuff?

 

[Baggy]

I use a Barton 2800 and it's fine for 720P.
The 3200 would be better if you plan to use 1080P.
Coral Reef has both 720P & 1080P.

 

[[email protected]]

Originally posted by Too Tall
Hi,

I have a CRT projector and it will happily do DILA res. 1365x1024. But there's no way it will go up to 1920x1440. I'd like to play the T2 disc on it though. Does anyone know what will happen if I output the T2 disc at less than 1920x1440. Will it cause me problems?

Stuart.

Well you can always give it a try.

You can download some WMVHD files here (only do this if you have broadband).

www.wmvhd.com

 

[Iain Shields]

Just wondering...

Is it possible to rip the T2 hi-def dvd to your hard drive and still play it?, with maybe dvdshrink or something like that?

Regards,
Iain.

 

[[email protected]]

Originally posted by Iain Shields
Just wondering...

Is it possible to rip the T2 hi-def dvd to your hard drive and still play it?, with maybe dvdshrink or something like that?

Regards,
Iain.

But why?

If you are just going to compress the film, why not start with the non hi def version to start with?

 

[Iain Shields]

Sorry, I mean't with no compression... just onto the hard drive for ease of use...

 

[[email protected]]

Originally posted by Iain Shields
Sorry, I mean't with no compression... just onto the hard drive for ease of use...

Well I am guessing (as I haven't got a HD DVD to hand) that it should just be a WMV file although I would expect it to be a big one.

How you get it off the DVD however is the challenge

 

[Kramer]

No problem getting it off the DVD, just right click & copy

MS do recommend (or did) copying to HDD for playback - older DVD drives not being fast enough etc.

Very same problem whether from disc or HDD - DRM. Licence required meaning US proxy etc..

I honestly can't see why there's so much fuss about this. It's just one movie (well, 2 incl. the Motown release).

MS probably won't push this kind of licence acquisition on future releases - they realise it's useless.

Recent HD-DVD (WM9) releases just need the original disc to run.

 

[Iain Shields]

Damn, I was hopeing than getting it onto the hard drive might get round the licence requirement, which is why I mentioned a ripping porgram as some of them can remove the things you don't want e.g, region coding, adverts etc... guess not

Is there a failsafe route to take to get the licence working? I've heard most people over our side of the pond have problems getting it going.

p.s. Just to keep the thread on track, my barton 2500 with 1 gig of memory has played all the hi-def clips I've thrown at it, and all through the Nforce2 onboard graphics aswell...

Regards,
Iain.