torentcouple
08-13-2007, 08:43 PM
Hi everyone, I’m hoping I can get some advice. I know this is not the average question on this forum, but I really need to post this on a bittorrent forum, since I am trying to figure out what video card to get to play only TV torrented files and some movie torrented files through my old PC on my new 40” 1080p television (coming through the mail soon, I’m soooo excited!) I know this is long, but if some kind souls can bear with me, I could really use some help!
Me and my wife are heavy torrent-ers. We don’t own cable or satellite but we still watch at least 3-4 TV shows downloaded through Bittorrent a day on a weekday alone, usually a mix of downloaded TV shows and movies on the weekends. It’s too many to burn them on DVDs to play on the new TV all the time.
The problem is that I’ve talked to two different professionals as well as posting on the Avsforum and I can’t explain where I’m getting HDTV content, because I’m getting it through torrent sites and I don’t want to admit that.
So I’m confusing them, because all they know is that I’m not tuning HDTV cable or satellite through the computer, nor playing games, nor will my computer ever support Blu-Ray or HD DVD but I’m insisting on getting a video card that will be able to send HDTV using the full abilities of a 40” 1080p monitor, while still being able to switch back and forth between the TV and my “normal” monitor.
So I’m getting two different responses: Some people are saying that I need a 256 MB dual output card with HDTV out (yes there are AGP cards like that). This would require a new 350Watt 18A on the +12V rail power supply for my computer, but cards like this are only around $100, and the power supply would be under $50, but I hate to get stuff I don’t need.
The other camp of people are telling me I don’t need a card that powerful at all, to just get an older model of card that doesn’t require a new power supply or put out HDTV specifically, just something that just supports the dual monitors and the high resolution of the TV and nothing else.
So here’s where I am hoping you guys can help me because anywhere else I can’t explain how I’m getting these files or any of the bittorrent specific issues that affect my decision of what to get.
I know that sites with HDTV and 1080p files are starting to crop up, and since I plan on keeping the computer for at least a few more years, there will probably be lots more like that available through bittorrent sites.
At the same time, I live in an isolated area so my download and esp. upload speeds are incredibly slow, and I only have a Dell Dimension 4600 with 512 RAM and a 80Gig hard drive and a AGP video slot so those huge files might be hard for me to get. (We keep very good ratios despite the slow upload speeds, it just takes more patience and strategy.)
I don't have any upgrade plans at the moment, but who knows in the future?
So my question is, does it matter which way I go? That depends on the torrents that I’m getting. Are your average, easy to get torrent TV files going to benefit from a powerful 256MG HDTV card, or would they look just as good on the 40” HDTV with some kind of old dual monitor card that doesn’t have HDTV out but supports the high resolution? I have to think also about what type of P2P files might be available over the next few years.
Some of the TV files have HDTV in the tag, but I’m not sure if that just means it came from a HDTV source, or that the file itself is HDTV quality. Could someone please explain this?
My computer is essentially my cable box for all practical purposes since its where I get *all* of my TV, so I want to get the most out of my new TV.
Buying a new computer isn’t an option for me right now.
I’m just trying to figure out if any of the files that I’m downloading will benefit from a powerful card, or will a year or so down the line. What do you guys think?
Me and my wife are heavy torrent-ers. We don’t own cable or satellite but we still watch at least 3-4 TV shows downloaded through Bittorrent a day on a weekday alone, usually a mix of downloaded TV shows and movies on the weekends. It’s too many to burn them on DVDs to play on the new TV all the time.
The problem is that I’ve talked to two different professionals as well as posting on the Avsforum and I can’t explain where I’m getting HDTV content, because I’m getting it through torrent sites and I don’t want to admit that.
So I’m confusing them, because all they know is that I’m not tuning HDTV cable or satellite through the computer, nor playing games, nor will my computer ever support Blu-Ray or HD DVD but I’m insisting on getting a video card that will be able to send HDTV using the full abilities of a 40” 1080p monitor, while still being able to switch back and forth between the TV and my “normal” monitor.
So I’m getting two different responses: Some people are saying that I need a 256 MB dual output card with HDTV out (yes there are AGP cards like that). This would require a new 350Watt 18A on the +12V rail power supply for my computer, but cards like this are only around $100, and the power supply would be under $50, but I hate to get stuff I don’t need.
The other camp of people are telling me I don’t need a card that powerful at all, to just get an older model of card that doesn’t require a new power supply or put out HDTV specifically, just something that just supports the dual monitors and the high resolution of the TV and nothing else.
So here’s where I am hoping you guys can help me because anywhere else I can’t explain how I’m getting these files or any of the bittorrent specific issues that affect my decision of what to get.
I know that sites with HDTV and 1080p files are starting to crop up, and since I plan on keeping the computer for at least a few more years, there will probably be lots more like that available through bittorrent sites.
At the same time, I live in an isolated area so my download and esp. upload speeds are incredibly slow, and I only have a Dell Dimension 4600 with 512 RAM and a 80Gig hard drive and a AGP video slot so those huge files might be hard for me to get. (We keep very good ratios despite the slow upload speeds, it just takes more patience and strategy.)
I don't have any upgrade plans at the moment, but who knows in the future?
So my question is, does it matter which way I go? That depends on the torrents that I’m getting. Are your average, easy to get torrent TV files going to benefit from a powerful 256MG HDTV card, or would they look just as good on the 40” HDTV with some kind of old dual monitor card that doesn’t have HDTV out but supports the high resolution? I have to think also about what type of P2P files might be available over the next few years.
Some of the TV files have HDTV in the tag, but I’m not sure if that just means it came from a HDTV source, or that the file itself is HDTV quality. Could someone please explain this?
My computer is essentially my cable box for all practical purposes since its where I get *all* of my TV, so I want to get the most out of my new TV.
Buying a new computer isn’t an option for me right now.
I’m just trying to figure out if any of the files that I’m downloading will benefit from a powerful card, or will a year or so down the line. What do you guys think?