cpu requirements for hd

[mpegripper]

hey guys,

i noticed that sage 4 says you need at least a 3ghz processor for hd content. what about if you are using a socket 939 amd 64 bit. what do u need?

Thanks

[bhyman1]

I've played HD back successfully using A64 3000+ and 3200+ processors.

Those numbers are supposed to indicate what they are equivalent to in terms of an Intel chip. So a 3000+ would be 3.0Ghz and a 3200+ would be 3.2Ghz.

[paulbeers]

With a decent video card, you should be able to use less than a 3 gig proc too. I used a sempron 2800+ (1.6 gig) and was able to get flawless playback with a geforce 6600. It is what I currently use.

[Mike Young]

It also makes a difference what decoder you are using, my 2.4ghz /6800GT OC is pretty much unusable with the Sage Decoder, but is perfect with the Nvidia decoder. (CPU with Sage decoder 90-100% vs 50-60% with Nvidia)

mike/

[GbrNole]

i use an xp3000+ (2.06ghz) and a 6600gt - no problems!

[paulbeers]

I agree with Mike....codecs realllllyyy matter. I use Cyberlink codecs and no problems. I think the Nvidia ones are better (at least that seems to be the consensus), but unfortunately I haven't paid for them so I don't use them!

[jptaz]

I personally use NVDVD 2.55 (Old Nvidia Decoders) to playback sample 1080i Max bit rate samples on an AMD 2000+ with an FX 5200 using overlay mode and it only uses 50% CPU. On my AMND 3200+ with a 6600GT card it hardly hits 30% with overlay using the same old NVDVD codec.

Frankly I have tried different combininations of NVidia Drivers with the new PureVideo Decoders with my 6600GT and found it to be absolute CRAP. Even using Overlay I get playback problems with the Pure Video Decoders. The old NVDVD 2.55 Decoders can playback better than the new ones even using VMR9.

How did NVidia manage to make new decoders perform worse than the old ones on there own hardware with the recommended Driver level?

John

[naln]

Couple of things from my experience-

I run a sage server with AverHD card....its a XP2100 with 512DDR and 4 other capture cards plugged into it....(I cannot watch HD on it )

I was using routine IDE drives for sage- and had stutters and problems viewing HD on a client (AMD 64 XP3000+, 1G DDR, 6600GT)- then I put in SATA drives with striping- and viewing on the client is flawless.....and- nvidia codecs work best for me.

So I think you may not need much CPU HP for recording- but maybe significant for rendering- that said- I typically use about 20 to 25% CPU power while watching HD on my client setup.