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lemnarm · 2013-09-03, 17:15

Hi everyone,

I recently finished building a new HTPC , based on Intel Pentium Dual Core G2030 ivy. Initially I planned to also add a Radeon HD 5450 that I allready have but I have noticed that it plays 1080p just perfect with the integrated card, so now I am wondering if there is any reason for me to add the radeon at all.

Would I get a better picture quality if I use the dedicated GPU ? (I couldn'd find any clear answer regarding this ... if there is one) As I said performance wise it's perfect as it is right now , HD audio and everything but I can't really tell about picture quality ...

Thanks
Mircea

**Harro** · 2013-09-03, 18:58

"If it isn't broke don't touch" so goes the old saying. If you can not see a reason for installing another card then don't do it. I would think the picture quality will be the same and adding another card will only increase power usage.

theredguy · 2013-09-03, 19:28

Agreed. It can be tough to get things to look perfect. If you are already there, just leave it alone.

milli · 2013-09-03, 20:02

Intel graphics has issues used with dxva causing artifacts/banding in some HD videos. If you have such videos then radeon would help.

Richard39 · 2013-09-03, 20:09

u got told this is your previous thread

lemnarm · 2013-09-04, 07:23

I have opened this thread because is entirely a different matter (in the thread you are are mentioning we were discussing performance). It is clear (and I have stated that at the beginning of this thread) that Intel HD is more than able to play 1080p but I am trying to figure out if a dedicated GPU will do a better job when picture quality is concerned.

Which is a more delicate subject ofcourse ... Smile

And can't find any clear tests / reviews that would treat that matter.

Thanks

**fritsch** · 2013-09-04, 08:00

If you don't see it with _your_ eyes, than it is not worth for even looking at such tests.

jammyb · 2013-09-04, 10:38

How can the picture change? It's not transcoding Huh

ezechiel1917 · 2013-09-04, 11:17

I wouldn't mind CPU decoding for playback, but at least to me nVidia VDPAU renderer looks substantially better than software decoding. Not sure why, but software decoding seems to have little bit washed out colors and less sharp picture when compared to VDPAU.

nickr · (This post was last modified: 2013-09-04, 11:41 by nickr.)

I'd have to agree that nvidia does produce a beautiful picture. I presently have an ION2 machine side by side with an Intel Celeron 1037U. I intend to compare them on some 1080p rips. Will report back.

The Celeron is certainly faster through the menus than the Atom CPU in the ION machine. But the menus are in the end secondary to playback picture.

(2013-09-04, 10:38)jammyb Wrote: How can the picture change? It's not transcoding

The picture is created by the the software/hardware combination decoding and rendering an encoded video.

**A-Swiss** · 2013-09-04, 12:30

(2013-09-03, 20:02)milli Wrote: Intel graphics has issues used with dxva causing artifacts/banding in some HD videos. If you have such videos then radeon would help.

The Intel Issue will be fixed with the next version of driver... Some users reported, that the issues are already gone with the latest beta driver from Intel.
Last good for my Intel HD4000 / 9.17.10.2932 dated 12.12.2012

See also http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=170817

**bossanova808** · 2013-09-04, 12:50

As a professional photographer I am very sensitive to picture quality. Nvidia Linux is good, but ATI on windows (with all the processing crap turned off) is I think the best. I spent hours evaluating this precise issue.

meridius · 2013-09-04, 13:59

(2013-09-03, 20:02)milli Wrote: Intel graphics has issues used with dxva causing artifacts/banding in some HD videos. If you have such videos then radeon would help.

is this the same for the i3-4330 that uses the 4600 gfx chip ?

thanks

jammyb · (This post was last modified: 2013-09-04, 16:35 by jammyb.)

(2013-09-04, 13:59)meridius Wrote:
(2013-09-03, 20:02)milli Wrote: Intel graphics has issues used with dxva causing artifacts/banding in some HD videos. If you have such videos then radeon would help.

is this the same for the i3-4330 that uses the 4600 gfx chip ?

thanks

Haswell is unaffected by this bug.

(2013-09-04, 12:30)A-Swiss Wrote:
(2013-09-03, 20:02)milli Wrote: Intel graphics has issues used with dxva causing artifacts/banding in some HD videos. If you have such videos then radeon would help.

The Intel Issue will be fixed with the next version of driver... Some users reported, that the issues are already gone with the latest beta driver from Intel.
Last good for my Intel HD4000 / 9.17.10.2932 dated 12.12.2012

See also http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=170817

That's way old. anyone tried these? - 9.18.10.3165 [11th June 2013]

How does one install this into openELEC?

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_...pe=Drivers

nmt1978 · (This post was last modified: 2013-09-04, 17:34 by nmt1978.)

I had used HTPC + video card Geforce 9500 + XBMC to wach movies for years on TV.
Earlier this year i bought my first projector (Optoma HD20). I have had no problem with picture quality until that day when i brought an oppo 103 from my friend.
I had time to compare the picture quality between that HTPC and oppo and realized that oppo produced a substantial better picture quality which I can see it very clearly through my eyes
I love XBMC of course, then i kept my HTPC but routed it video signal through HDMI input of oppo and output from oppo to projector. Picture quality has been significally improved.

So, if PQ is really your concern, AND IF YOU USE PROJECTOR, i strongly recommend you to buy an oppo and do my way. You can use whether Intel HD or a decent video card.