1080p Blu-ray output from PC?

[sploo]

Hope this is the right forum...

I'm just about to take my first plunge into HD, and should shortly be getting a 1080p capable plasma TV.

I want to put together a PC to play Blu-ray discs and was about to buy an ATI 3870 based card (http://www.sapphiretech.com/us/products/products_overview.php?gpid=217&grp=3) . However, I noticed that the spec sheet (linked on the right of the page) indicates that the supported HDMI modes from the card are 480p, 720p and 1080i.

I thought that 1080p over HDMI/DVI from a modern gfx card would be pretty standard. Is there something I've misunderstood? Should I be concerned?

 

[gus6464]

Hope this is the right forum...

I'm just about to take my first plunge into HD, and should shortly be getting a 1080p capable plasma TV.

I want to put together a PC to play Blu-ray discs and was about to buy an ATI 3870 based card (http://www.sapphiretech.com/us/products/products_overview.php?gpid=217&grp=3) . However, I noticed that the spec sheet (linked on the right of the page) indicates that the supported HDMI modes from the card are 480p, 720p and 1080i.

I thought that 1080p over HDMI/DVI from a modern gfx card would be pretty standard. Is there something I've misunderstood? Should I be concerned?

Read my response in the video games section about the video card. Basically don't get the Radeon but I did recommend a better one for around the same price. Also whatever you do go with 4gb of ram for high def content. I assume you will be putting windows vista in the machine? If you do get the 64bit version of whichever one you choose. Nice choice on the Gigabyte P45 btw.

 

[jnmfox]

Hope this is the right forum...

I'm just about to take my first plunge into HD, and should shortly be getting a 1080p capable plasma TV.

I want to put together a PC to play Blu-ray discs and was about to buy an ATI 3870 based card (http://www.sapphiretech.com/us/products/products_overview.php?gpid=217&grp=3) . However, I noticed that the spec sheet (linked on the right of the page) indicates that the supported HDMI modes from the card are 480p, 720p and 1080i.

I thought that 1080p over HDMI/DVI from a modern gfx card would be pretty standard. Is there something I've misunderstood? Should I be concerned?

I would recomend jumping up to the ATI/AMD 4850. It is the only currrent card that will do 8-channel LPCM over HDMI.
http://anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3338&p=2

Plus it will be much better at playing games, it has been a long time since you could get this much performance for $200.
http://anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3341

One other option is to invest in a PS3. I considered using my PC for a Blu-Ray player, I used to use my PC for an HD DVR, but wanted the simplicity of the PS3.

 

[sploo]

gus6464 - thanks for the reply. I'll respond on the games forum.

jnmfox - thanks for the info. I was considering a PS3, but we've just had some basic HD channels launched on a free satellite service here in the UK. There's not much on it right now, but I'm expecting it to expand. I was planning on getting a suitable DVB card, and using the PC as a DVR as well as a Blu-ray player. Plus if I got a PS3 I'd be tempted to buy games, and I just don't have the time to play 'em .