Video Card suggestions for blu-ray

Table16 · 05-08-2009, 10:22 AM

I'm building a media center pc and am looking at graphics cards. What's the minimum I'm going to need to play blu-rays at 720/1080p? As well as processor? I just want to make sure I get the right hardware to play blu-rays. Thanks.

csc2000e · 05-10-2009, 03:06 PM

What kind of budget are you looking for?
I would recommend a 9400gt: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814121292
They should decode blu-ray quite nicely. I had an 8200 integrated motherboard(which is not nearly as good) and it ran HD content perfect. So this should work great. I don't know how well ATI cards perform for HD video but I'm sure they work great too.
As for the processor, it really depends. If you are pretty much going to be watching HD content on this computer, then much of the load of that stuff will be put on the graphics card. So your processor doesn't really need to be uber good or anything.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...Tpk=19-103-678
Something like this should work fine. If you have a larger budget, then I can recommend some other stuff, but this is what I would do if I was building an HTPC on a budget.

Table16 · 05-10-2009, 07:43 PM

Ok, that makes sense because I didn't know how processor or graphics card intensive HD content really is. Thanks for the reply.

05-08-2009, 10:22 AM	#1 (permalink)
Table16 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Dekalb, IL Posts: 35 OS: Windows 7 Ultimate x64, Vista SP2, Ubuntu 8	Video Card suggestions for blu-ray I'm building a media center pc and am looking at graphics cards. What's the minimum I'm going to need to play blu-rays at 720/1080p? As well as processor? I just want to make sure I get the right hardware to play blu-rays. Thanks.

05-10-2009, 03:06 PM	#2 (permalink)
csc2000e Registered User Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 340 OS: Vista Home Premium SP1 My System	Re: Video Card suggestions for blu-ray What kind of budget are you looking for? I would recommend a 9400gt: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814121292 They should decode blu-ray quite nicely. I had an 8200 integrated motherboard(which is not nearly as good) and it ran HD content perfect. So this should work great. I don't know how well ATI cards perform for HD video but I'm sure they work great too. As for the processor, it really depends. If you are pretty much going to be watching HD content on this computer, then much of the load of that stuff will be put on the graphics card. So your processor doesn't really need to be uber good or anything. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...Tpk=19-103-678 Something like this should work fine. If you have a larger budget, then I can recommend some other stuff, but this is what I would do if I was building an HTPC on a budget. __________________ These walls fall down around me but I will stand And though my body be burned away I will live

05-10-2009, 07:43 PM	#3 (permalink)
Table16 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Dekalb, IL Posts: 35 OS: Windows 7 Ultimate x64, Vista SP2, Ubuntu 8	Re: Video Card suggestions for blu-ray Ok, that makes sense because I didn't know how processor or graphics card intensive HD content really is. Thanks for the reply.