HD - what is it going to cost me?

[8321]

Hi All,

There are bits and pieces of the answer I want in this section of the Forum but please could someone with hardware knowledge help. Its not about the Pounds, Dollars or Euros but rather what kit needs to be replaced/upgraded in order to produce and show HD AVs to their best advantage. What is the minimuim that needs to be done and what is the ultimate?

1. PTE can already generate HD shows as mp4 files, so no problem there. You just need to know that your jpegs may need to be cropped differently (16:9 instead of 4:3)
   
2. Display screen - does a standard SVGA need replacing (probably optional if you can live with 'squashed' display). If you are going to replace, is any HD-ready screen suitable or are there specific requirements?
   
3. Video card - apart from high speed, discussed at length here, is there any specific HD-related requirement?
   
4. Computer power supply may need upgrading to cope with the power requirements of the video card
   
5. Projector - same question as for display
   
6. You need an mp4 player - Quicktime seems to do the job for free
   
7. Anything else that needs upgrading in the chain from images to HD presentations?
   

Thanks

Jeff

[davegee]

Why MP4?

If you are playing from your computer the EXE file is better quality.

Regarding 1920x1080 monitor and graphics card - make sure that both are HDMI equipped.

Why Quick Time? EXE is better quality.

Regarding projection the only option for true HD is 1920x1080.

DG

[8321]

Thanks, Dave and Tom,

Dave - I seem to have missed something. Latest PTE has a create option for 'HD video for PC and Mac'. This seems to generate an mp4 file, with no option for exe. Are you saying 'Executable file for PC' produces HD?

Tom - I have benchmarked my video card with the link provided by Lin and my card is hopelessly inadequate, as I thought. Upgrading the card is one thing, if the motherboard can support it, but I am looking for all the implications like the screen (and projector) needing to be 'HD ready', or at least take input from the upgraded card.

Jeff

[davegee]

Hi Tom,

"Also some of us use alternate operating systems like Linux and h.264 allows us to view the slideshows in HD"

For NON-LINUX users - can you explain this?

DG

[davegee]

Thanks Tom.

DG