Requirements for playing AVCHD at DVinfo.net

Erik Bennett · March 5th, 2013, 07:33 PM

I have a Mack Truck desktop which has no trouble playing or editing AVCHD, but my netbook struggles playing 1080i .mts files and usually gives in.

I considered a laptop for editing on the move and was advised to get one with a non-integrated video card, as I was told the video card is the most important item in AVCHD playback.

Is the video card the most important item in AVCHD playback? I thought it was the amount of memory and the grunt of the processor - to do the decode.

What is the opinion of the Forum?

Thanks

Mark Rosenzweig · March 6th, 2013, 04:50 PM

"... was advised to get one with a non-integrated video card, as I was told the video card is the most important item in AVCHD playback."

This advice is half right. The graphics (video) card matters, but with the new Intel processors and *integrated* graphics playing AVCHD video is duck soup - they are hard-wired to play it. This includes the latest Atom processors as well as the iX series. You can go into any BestBuy store, bring your AVCHD video on a usb stick and play the video using Windows Media player completely smoothly. In the "old days", the integrated graphics was not good enough. No longer true. AS $349 laptop will play AVCHD movies with no problem.

Erik Bennett · March 9th, 2013, 07:01 PM

Good reply.
Thanks Mark

March 5th, 2013, 07:33 PM	#1
Erik Bennett New Boot Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 5	Requirements for playing AVCHD I have a Mack Truck desktop which has no trouble playing or editing AVCHD, but my netbook struggles playing 1080i .mts files and usually gives in. I considered a laptop for editing on the move and was advised to get one with a non-integrated video card, as I was told the video card is the most important item in AVCHD playback. Is the video card the most important item in AVCHD playback? I thought it was the amount of memory and the grunt of the processor - to do the decode. What is the opinion of the Forum? Thanks

March 6th, 2013, 04:50 PM	#2
Mark Rosenzweig Trustee Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: New Haven, CT Posts: 1,004	Re: Requirements for playing AVCHD "... was advised to get one with a non-integrated video card, as I was told the video card is the most important item in AVCHD playback." This advice is half right. The graphics (video) card matters, but with the new Intel processors and integrated graphics playing AVCHD video is duck soup - they are hard-wired to play it. This includes the latest Atom processors as well as the iX series. You can go into any BestBuy store, bring your AVCHD video on a usb stick and play the video using Windows Media player completely smoothly. In the "old days", the integrated graphics was not good enough. No longer true. AS $349 laptop will play AVCHD movies with no problem.

March 9th, 2013, 07:01 PM	#3
Erik Bennett New Boot Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 5	Re: Requirements for playing AVCHD Good reply. Thanks Mark