Bitsreaming lossless audio is just about here...

[diogen]

... without costing an arm and a leg.

According to Anand
AnandTech: The Real Conroe Successor: Clarkdale & All You Need to Know about Westmere

Diogen.

 

[diogen]

That was Intel's solution. Most likely coming beginning next year.

There is another option coming around the time Windows 7 is released: the latest ATI 5-series video card.
ATI Radeon HD 5800, 5700 and 5600 Series Thread: Supporting HD Audio Bitstreaming! - AVS Forum

All cards in this series will support bitstreaming of lossless audio.
But only the fastest 58xx and 57xx (i.e. more expensive) will be released this year - Sept 22nd and Oct. 23rd, respectively.
The rest will show up Q1 2010.

And the rumoured prices of even the 57xx cards is very reasonable - $150 to $200.
[Rumour] ATI Radeon HD 5700 prices, release dates revealed | VR-Zone | Gadgets | PC Enthusiasts

In short, bitstreaming options of TrueHD and DTS-MA soundtracks on Blu-ray disks while playing on HTPC will be plentiful in the next 6 months.

Diogen.

 

[vurbano]

The only 5xxx card I see is http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10011252&prodlist=celebros for 400 BUCKS!!!!!!!

Buy the xonar for 120 and bitstream today..

 

[diogen]

The only 5xxx card I see is DIAMOND 5870PE51G Radeon HD 5870 1GB GDDR5 PCI Express x16 (2.0v) Video Card Retail at ZipZoomfly for 400 BUCKS!!!!!!!

That is the 5870, the only model available today.
The 57xx will show up with Win7 for less than half as much.

Buy the xonar for 120 and bitstream today..

Thanks. No, thanks...

Diogen.

 

[vurbano]

By that time there may be a 5xxx chip on a MB. Are the cards passive? I really do not want a fan on any cards. No thanks not for HTPC.

 

[diogen]

By that time there may be a 5xxx chip on a MB. Are the cards passive?

I think it will take another 6 months for a 5-series chip to show up onboard.
But I wouldn't be surprised if AMD/ATI show a variant of onboard HD4xxx chip that support bitstreaming.

The 53/55xx (Q1 2010) might have fanless versions. These ones probably not.

I like them onboard and fanless, too. I think Intel will be first with them.
The question is how good they will be - with Intel video you never know...

I'm not in a hurry.
Especially now when the problem has been solved in principle.

Diogen.

 

[vurbano]

ATI/AMD will have a motherboard with the 5XXX chip. Its ATI radeon technology anyway. The question is how will Intel/NVidia counter?

 

[diogen]

Slides leaked about the upcoming 57xx cards from AMD/ATI
Leaky slideware shows hd 5770 - The Inquirer

Confirmation they will be in the $130-$160 range and available in volume starting Oct. 13...

Diogen.

 

[vurbano]

Got any drivers for that bitstreaming yet? I keep watching but I havent seen it working yet.

 

[diogen]

I'm not up-to-date on this.
Waiting for the Intel onboard solution to try first...

Diogen.

 

[diogen]

I'm not up-to-date on this.
Waiting for the Intel onboard solution to try first...

Diogen.

 

[vurbano]

The 5770 and 5750 are supposed to be released tomorrow. You know I think a video card solution might be a lot better if you want to do any gaming. An on board chip is going to eat away at system memory. for those prices I just may try it. I got a desktop PC that could use the old cards.

 

[diogen]

You know I think a video card solution might be a lot better if you want to do any gaming.

No doubt about it. And that's exactly what I said here

I don't think it's a bad deal if you are a gamer...

I'm just not in that group.

Diogen.

 

[vurbano]

No doubt about it. And that's exactly what I said here
I'm just not in that group.

Diogen.

But a motherboard solution would use system memory. Isnt that slow for graphics? Im starting to think the vid card option is probably the best all around with 1gb dedicated. The 5700 series is looking really interesting, thanks for the heads up.

 

[diogen]

But a motherboard solution would use system memory. Isnt that slow for graphics?

It isn't slow now, with DDR2.
At least when playing from the hard drive.
It should be even less problematic with DDR3.

It will never beat an external video card solution.
But whether CPU utilization is 5% or 10% doesn't really matter.

Diogen.

 

[diogen]

Here is Anand update on the 57xx series
AnandTech: AMD?s Radeon HD 5770 & 5750: DirectX 11 for the Mainstream Crowd
and in the conclusion

The 5750 also whets our appetite for a great HTPC card with its excellent power characteristics and bitstreaming audio support. However it's at risk of being overkill for that market with its performance and still too-great thermals for a market that, seeing as how the HTPC doesn't need great performance and always could use lower thermals. A passively cooled 5750 in particular would make a good HTPC card, but we'd look at the Radeon HD 5600 series next year for our perfect HTPC card.

It might be really tempting: 40nm, DX11, Eyefinity. If they have it in low profile and fanless I'll get one just to try it...

Diogen.