FYI: ATI Avivo & Nvidia PureVideo comparison!!

[LandShark]

I really think it's a good read for any HTPC owner.

http://www.tomshardware.com/2006/12/18/ati-avivo-and-nvidia-purevideo-dissected/index.html

Note:
I'm not sure which driver version they used to test, but Nvidia does has noise reduction and sharpening setting from Foreware9x.xx and up. and I read somewhere that it did a lot better than the test's w/out.

also, I'm a HTPC user that had used both card and decoder. from my experience, ATI Avivo does the scrolling test much better than Nvidia's Purevideo + NVDecoder!

well, at the very least, be sure you had turned on the hardware acceleration and setup the decoder/player properly!! it could make day and night difference!! (just like the new Dvix codec that has full screen deblocking and sharpen which make a very noticeable difference in picture quality....given your HTPC/CPU could handle it!!)

[nd4spdbh2]

intresting article i just skimmed it... BTW where is this Dvix codec you speak of?

i currently have a HTPC running a 6600gt AGP with purevideo platnium and picture quality is AMAZING!!!..

btw that test comparing a 7600gt to a x1900xt... :eh?:

[Wicked Klown]

The codec comes with Divx 6.4 (http://www.divx.com)

[Shell]

btw that test comparing a 7600gt to a x1900xt... :eh?:
They're not benching FPS y'no, so the quality between the 7000 and X1000 lines with AVIVO and PureVideo were under a fair fight.

AVIVO is a hell of a lot better from what I've seen, I've compared my friend's X1600XT and my X1900, against my other friend's 7900GT and the Quality difference is quite obvious at 1900x1080.

Also, lol! You had to pay!

[nd4spdbh2]

lol i didnt have to pay :p it was given to me by a friend :eh?:

btw that codec does it just run in the background? can i use it with purevideo or does it have the same options?

[LandShark]

intresting article i just skimmed it... BTW where is this Dvix codec you speak of?

i currently have a HTPC running a 6600gt AGP with purevideo platnium and picture quality is AMAZING!!!..

btw that test comparing a 7600gt to a x1900xt... :eh?:
my old HTPC was using a 6600GT + PureVideo Decoder too. now I'm using X1900XT + PureVideo Decoder (the decoder can work on any video card, just only nvidia's card has the advance hardware function). so I can testify that at least in srcolling text (e.g. CNN or ESPN Sportcenter's horizontal scroll text, or most asian tv series' vertical scroll text at the end of the show), ati does a better job than nivida.

also, remember that nvidia's purevideo performance is almost 100% dependent on sheer GPU clock speed, REGARDLESS model and pipeline!! therefore, a 7600GS card could do a better job than a 7900GT card IN purevideo performance!!
lol i didnt have to pay :p it was given to me by a friend :eh?:

btw that codec does it just run in the background? can i use it with purevideo or does it have the same options?
codec is just that when certain type of media file (file format) is play, the (whatever) player will call for the right codec for that particular file. so, when you play a divx/avi file, it will used the divx codec. and in the codec's setting, you can enable full screen deblocking + sharpening, it does make a noticeable different especially when you look close! however, on my old HTPC, P4 3.2ghz, I can't use any of these advance post processing function w/out dropping frame or shuttering!! and that's one of the main reason (for advance picture post processing = better picture quality) I build a new HTPC.

[kovboi]

my old HTPC was using a 6600GT + PureVideo Decoder too. now I'm using X1900XT + PureVideo Decoder (the decoder can work on any video card, just only nvidia's card has the advance hardware function). so I can testify that at least in srcolling text (e.g. CNN or ESPN Sportcenter's horizontal scroll text, or most asian tv series' vertical scroll text at the end of the show), ati does a better job than nivida.
this is an interesting discussion. i don't remember where, exactly, but when i started researching my htpc build last spring the buzz seemed to be that purevideo was better in terms of picture quality. were you using the same tv tuner card (and driver) in each case? i haven't compared ati to nvidia on my own htpc, though i've been pretty happy with the combination of hauppauge 150-pvr + geforce 6200 agp (84.21 drivers) + purevideo (version 1.85 retail, i think). then again, i read a lot and my eyesight is starting to go... :p

[Phrenetical]

can someone tell me what avivo and pure video are and what they are supposed to do?

i run my htpc with a radeon 9000 pro2 , it runs everything awesome even hdtv.

[shard]

Says that the story was removed....

But I am also very interested in wich is better becuase I am planning on moving some of my older hardware into a HTPC for frontroom duties.

[PhysX]

storty removed.

[LandShark]

ATI & Nvidia vs Standalone DVD player picture quality!! (http://www.hardware.info/en-US/articles/am9nY2pqZA/ATI_and_nVidia_crush_highend_DVD_players/1)

it is another good read about ATI & Nvidia's technology and picture quality! you'll be surprised how good they actually are!!

and you can see there, the UPDATE at the end, Nvidia's 90series driver does included noise reduction and sharpening slider as I've mentioned at the top.

[LandShark]

Tom's seem to republish the article again!! http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/01/09/avivo-vs-purevideo/index.html

it seems pretty much the same but looks like they do use the latest 9x.xx forceware driver to enable noise reduction and sharpening on nvidia card. therefore, the score from nvidia bounce back to match (and over) ati's. however, honestly 5 points difference, and especially it's on sharpening/detail, most people could hardly tell the difference unlike deinterlace or scroll text that one can easily pick up.

[nd4spdbh2]

well all i can say is purevideo is doing me good... ya just gotta pair it up with say MPC and FFDSHOW for it to really shine.:beer:

[Phrenetical]

;) MPC ftw

[nd4spdbh2]

;) MPC ftw


gonna have to agree... definetly one of THE BEST programs i have used... its FREE and has TONS of crazy options.

[Phrenetical]

i know, but why doesnt it have a random option for the playlist, its never had one and you would think it would be something they would add in the first instance.

so annoying, guess everything has a downside lol...

[LandShark]

and here's another article regarding the HQV benchmark on GeForce 7 series card (http://www.missingremote.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=907&Itemid=166). :cool:

[Evilsizer]

links for MPC and FFDSHOW since i have no clue what either stands for. googling mcp just get me swiftech pumps and NV chipsets.

[thegreek]

I think MPC stands for media player classic?

As for FFDSHOW, try searching for some guides and use their settings as a starting point and tweak from there. I use FFDSHOW with zoom player.

[LandShark]

links for MPC and FFDSHOW since i have no clue what either stands for. googling mcp just get me swiftech pumps and NV chipsets.
yes, it stands for Media Player Classic and it's FREE.

and here's the post of FFDShow's link and guides. http://www.ocforums.com/showpost.php?p=4854488&postcount=7

[Mr. Roboto]

Does anyone know if a 9600XT will support AVIVO?

[Evilsizer]

Does anyone know if a 9600XT will support AVIVO?
it wont its only the x1 line x1300 or above...

ati cards for this feature look better IMO then the nv line... manily cause i can get the avivo with dvd player software for what was it 29.99. where as from nv i have to spend 49.99 to get the features i want and its not even the player.

[Mr. Roboto]

damn that was fast.

oh well, thanks then. I was hoping to awap out my noisy 6600gt for my silent 9600xt and use AVIVI, but looks like no dice.