Mainstream Video Quality Shootout

[Arty]

Alan finally got around to publish his latest article, Mainstream Video Quality Shootout: ATI vs NVIDIA & XGI.

And for the lazy ones ()

"Our sources indicate that ATI is testing new drivers that will use more of the video hardware in the X1800 and the X800. The buzz we’re getting from our sources is that this new driver may bring ATI’s video performance into the triple digits in the HQV Benchmark!"

 

[Geo]

Y'know, I gave Alan's video work "specialty niche reporting of the year" for 2005, and it certainly was deserving. . .but it would be so much more satisfying if this piece was 7600 vs X1600.

I would have gladly waited another month, or two, for that. :sigh:

 

[Skrying]

Interesting, but the products used dont really make sense to me. I think a much better comparison would be 7800GT(X) X1800XL(XT) and the XGI product of your choice (dont know the lineup). Since the X800XL does not represent the most current video quality solution from ATi, and apparently the 6600GT does not either for Nvidia.

 

[Geo]

The word "mainstream" is your clue there --he was after a pricing thing for the comparison. Hence my sigh --we ought to be just about to see new mainstream parts (NV) or they are just becoming available (ATI).

 

[Skrying]

Then was it truely impossible to find an X1300? The range doesnt make sense to me, no matter how you slice it.

 

[Sxotty]

It was still a good read, and I have a 9600 in my htpc Ah well, I am somewhat dissapointed about the 6600 thing b/c my 6200 is of course unlocked and was sdestined for being the HTPC card later, but unfortunately the drivers won't allow pure video to function on a 6200 even if it is essentially a 6600 ah well...

 

[Geo]

Then was it truely impossible to find an X1300? The range doesnt make sense to me, no matter how you slice it.

Yes, well, X1300 is "low-end". Now, before you tell me how can the XGI card *not* be low-end at that price, I shall quickly exit stage left with my fingers in my ears going "la la la, I can't hear you!"

 

[Skrying]

It was still a good read, and I have a 9600 in my htpc Ah well, I am somewhat dissapointed about the 6600 thing b/c my 6200 is of course unlocked and was sdestined for being the HTPC card later, but unfortunately the drivers won't allow pure video to function on a 6200 even if it is essentially a 6600 ah well...

You sure? My 6800 is currently away at the BFG having something down or fixed or looked at or whatever they do on the RMA process, and all I have in my rig right now is a MX440 (and my other rig is torn down for upgrade time!) but I've always been confused about what is needed for pure video. I know there is a driver for it, or something like that, but isnt there another piece of not so free software that is required?

 

[Geo]

You sure? My 6800 is currently away at the BFG having something down or fixed or looked at or whatever they do on the RMA process, and all I have in my rig right now is a MX440 (and my other rig is torn down for upgrade time!) but I've always been confused about what is needed for pure video. I know there is a driver for it, or something like that, but isnt there another piece of not so free software that is required?

I believe they charge $10 for the decoder. That's my memory anyway. I also seem to recall there are Issues with 6800 and pure video.

Edit: Urrp! $19.95 for the cheapie, and up to $49.95 if you want some Dolby goodness. Tho there is a free 30 day trial if you want to see if you like it. And it was the GT/Ultra that have decode problems. They aren't accelerated for decode.

 

[Skrying]

Thank's Geo, that seems to be what I recall.

 

[Sxotty]

I thought it was $20.00, but it doesn't really matter.

On newer cards it uses the hardware to do stuff with the video, and they said that it will only function on a minimum of a 6600 due to the 6200 not having enough power. I got my 6200 with the idea of putting it in my htpc later and did not know that at the time it was a dissapointment especially since as I said it is unlocked, of course it was only $50.00 so that is still a cheap card and I cannot complain too much.
Here is Nvidias info, if you scroll down you will see what I mean, the 6200 pci-e does do some of the stuff, but it misses out on other bits that the rest of 6 series does. Basically I don't want to buy it (purevideo) and then see if it will work, I would rather know in advance...

 

[Jawed]

It seems to me that ATI has been resting on its laurels for years now. Pretty sad.

Jawed

 

[Skrying]

It seems to me that ATI has been resting on its laurels for years now. Pretty sad.

Jawed

AVIVO. The ATi card tested did not have it, so its not accurate representation of ATi's current video quality output.

 

[Jawed]

No, but with talk of improved video decoding coming to non-AVIVO cards, it seems to me that ATI has waited to get called-out on poor quality decoding before acting.

Jawed

 

[mrcorbo]

I thought it was $20.00, but it doesn't really matter.

On newer cards it uses the hardware to do stuff with the video, and they said that it will only function on a minimum of a 6600 due to the 6200 not having enough power. I got my 6200 with the idea of putting it in my htpc later and did not know that at the time it was a dissapointment especially since as I said it is unlocked, of course it was only $50.00 so that is still a cheap card and I cannot complain too much.
Here is Nvidias info, if you scroll down you will see what I mean, the 6200 pci-e does do some of the stuff, but it misses out on other bits that the rest of 6 series does. Basically I don't want to buy it (purevideo) and then see if it will work, I would rather know in advance...

Here's the killer about the page you referenced. It's wrong. See the PCI-e table? The capabilities of the 6800Ulta, 6800GT and 6800 vanilla are all incorrect as far as their support for WMV acceleration. The 6800U/GT PCIe are based on the NV40 chip like the AGP versions and so have the same broken VPP. The 6800 PCI-e is based on a different chip and actually has a fully functional VPP, so is MORE capable than the higher-end versions. Lots of heat on the AVS forum about this! All the AGP 6800s have a broken VPP and all the 6600s PCIe and AGP have a working one.

 

[Sxotty]

All the AGP 6800s have a broken VPP and all the 6600s PCIe and AGP have a working one.

Yeah but the pci-e 6200 has a working one as well (at least the first version that was the same chip as the 6600) and that is what is kiling me , I don't care about the other bit b/c it doesn't affect me. But the 6800GS should probably work as well.

 

[Murakami]

Here's the killer about the page you referenced. It's wrong. See the PCI-e table? The capabilities of the 6800Ulta, 6800GT and 6800 vanilla are all incorrect as far as their support for WMV acceleration. The 6800U/GT PCIe are based on the NV40 chip like the AGP versions and so have the same broken VPP. The 6800 PCI-e is based on a different chip and actually has a fully functional VPP, so is MORE capable than the higher-end versions. Lots of heat on the AVS forum about this! All the AGP 6800s have a broken VPP and all the 6600s PCIe and AGP have a working one.

Can you link something about that? I'm very interested (i own a 6800 GT PCI-E), i cannot believe that nVidia keep on lying...

 

[Arty]

Y'know, I gave Alan's video work "specialty niche reporting of the year" for 2005, and it certainly was deserving. . .but it would be so much more satisfying if this piece was 7600 vs X1600.

I would have gladly waited another month, or two, for that. :sigh:

I think when ATI releases those promised drivers, there will be a re-match. And if we're lucky we might have a 7600 by then. Wishing on both accounts ofcourse. :smile:

 

[Murakami]

Can you link something about that? I'm very interested (i own a 6800 GT PCI-E), i cannot believe that nVidia keep on lying...

No one?

 

[Deathlike2]

No one?

That's what a quick Google can do for you...

http://techreport.com/onearticle.x/7535
http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2305&p=11
http://www.overclockers.com/tips00681/

Remember that this (hardware flaw/bug) only applies to the NV40 (GeForce 6800GT/Ultra AGP) and NV45 (GeForce 6800GT/Ultra PCIe), NV41 (GeForce 6800) has fully function WMV9 decode acceleration.

Stuff in bold is what I added to what "this" is referencing.

NVidia didn't "lie".. but from reading their official response (and reading between the lines), you can extropolate that there is a hardware flaw. Like any company that has a flaw in their product.. it isn't "said" until a "later date".