[Mitesh]

Right first thing first.
Below in my signature my graphics card and my monitor can be seen.
I downloaded some HD trailers off the Microsoft website and played them in Windows Media Player 10. First I tried the Terminator 2 Ultra edition trailer in HD however I noticed no difference.

1)Or am I just being dumb and not noticing the difference?

This is what the PCPRO computer magazine says 'It's worth noting however that the H.264 codec (the new HD video standard) isn't currently free. You can buy it from ATI for around $15, or choose Cyberlink's MPEG-4 AVC Pack for $25............. Bear in mind that while many cards are touted as HDTV ready, their HDCP chips aren't enabled (and can't be user enabled) so won't play any HDCP protected content.'

2) So what does this all mean?

3) Do I have to buy the ATI H.264 and then will HD play back (even though the HD trailers worked fine but did not look any diffrent to normal TV), or is the chip actually not enabled therfore meaning I cannot play HD content?

Apparently all computer monitors are capable of displaying HD 720 (whatever that means) I know there is 720 and 1080 but I cannot understand the diffrences.

4) So is it true that all monitors are capable of displaying HD 720 even if they are not labelled as HD ready such as my iiyama?

5) I live in the UK so how on earth would I get the H.264 codec?

I have no HD hardware at all except maybe the X1900 XT. Not sure about software but Microsoft say that Windows Media Player 9 supports HD so i'm guessing 10 does as well?

This HD is mind bogglingly confusing especially when it is mixed with computers!

Edited by Mitesh, 03 July 2006 - 01:01 PM.

[Advertisements]

Heres a wikipedia take on the H 264 codec.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H.264

I think you would have better luck using apples quicktime to play files using that codec. I personally don't like quicktime so i won't install it but that is your choice.

On the question of HD 720 wikipedia says this.

High-definition signals require a high-definition television or computer monitor in order to be viewed. High-definition video generally has an aspect ratio of 16:9 (1.78:1). The aspect ratio of regular widescreen film shot today is typically 1.85:1 or 2.40:1. Standard-definition television (SDTV) has a 4:3 (1.33:1) aspect ratio. Most new monitors can display 1280/1024 or 1600/1200 which is higher than the HD tv's of 1080 or 720.

SRX660

[SRX660]

Heres a wikipedia take on the H 264 codec.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H.264

I think you would have better luck using apples quicktime to play files using that codec. I personally don't like quicktime so i won't install it but that is your choice.

On the question of HD 720 wikipedia says this.

High-definition signals require a high-definition television or computer monitor in order to be viewed. High-definition video generally has an aspect ratio of 16:9 (1.78:1). The aspect ratio of regular widescreen film shot today is typically 1.85:1 or 2.40:1. Standard-definition television (SDTV) has a 4:3 (1.33:1) aspect ratio. Most new monitors can display 1280/1024 or 1600/1200 which is higher than the HD tv's of 1080 or 720.

SRX660

[Mitesh]

So say if I force enabled HD 720 via ATI Catalyst Control Center would it work? It says if the screen oes not support it then do not apply it as it may permanently damage the screen.
And yes I do not like apple quicktime either.
I think Windows MP 10 does support it and I have DIVX 6.2.5 so that I htink has a H.264 decoder.........

[SRX660]

No, most LCD monitors are not HD ready. If you really want to record HD movies, or play HD movies you need a monitor that has a very fast responce time, 8 Ms or less. If you go to the lcd makers websites you will notice that they will specify that some of their monitors are HD capable. Most LCD monitors responce times are in the 12Ms to 20Ms range.

SRX660

[Mitesh]

Dnt really want to buy a new screen and mine has a 10msec response time.
However I cannot understand why it would say that most LCD screens can support 720.
And what about my question about forcing it???

[SRX660]

All i can say here is if you do try forcing it and the screen goes blank the cost may be more than the price of a HD ready monitor. Your choice but i do not recommend it.

SRX660

[warriorscot]

720 is basically a resolution(also a rendering method but on a PC it will pick the right one for the monitor not worht bothering.

720 is the number of horizontal lines across the screen 1080 also lines the resolution on a 720 ready TV are 1360something by 768 your monitor will probably be 1280 by 1024 so allready the resolution is better than HD, any file at that resolution played with the proper codecs will just scale the image to fit if you forced it in catalyst control you in theory will loose a fair but of screen and it would look widescreen, i dont have problems with HD resolution footage, HD itself is different if its pure HD source as it has hardware level DRM doesnt have to have it depending on the files but the way they are trying to do it it does your card does have the proper hardware to play it anyway so no worries if you get an HDDVD drive.

Response time you are fine most HDTVs stat 8ms but there is no standard and thats an optimistic number from the fastest type of repsonses test if you test something else for response time it would be higher, you are fine.

1080 is a high res its 1080 horizontal lines, on lcd its 1920 across or something around that pretty high res a 1280 screen would have to scale down but the computer would do that automatically. a 1600x1200 would have an overall higher res but its a different shape so some scaling happens.

HD is more a gimmick if you are used to games and PCs youve had HD for a long while, there is other things lumped into this near mythical standard of HD buts its basically just higher resolutions for video that better fits what modern hardware is capable of, and some better sound as well but thats less of a biggy, some hardware DRM but the way thats going it might get toned down or stripped out.

Basically on a PC you should be able to get all your high res stuff going if you have the codec, but you can get high res avis that are HD quality if you want, alot of HD is bull no company can agree what it is or should be with another.