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Ken_F2 · Jul 29, 2002, 07:35 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />For users with high horsepower machines, MPEG4 and DIVX aren't a problem. For those without the deep wallets and resources necessary to buy one of these speedster machines, MPEG4 means bad video, artifacting, sync problems, and generally speaking a poor replay experience.

The folks over at Sigma Designs, makers of semiconductor products designed to bring seamless Windows Media and DivX playability to your DVD player have now introduced a consumer level add-in card that enables your PC to become a complete home theater controller. It supports both NTSC and PAL, is scalable up to HDTV resolution, handles all video and audio decoding including 5.1 and DTS, and supports DVD-Video, Superbit� DVD, Super VideoCD (SVCD), and VideoCD (VCD) 1.x, 2.0, DivX� video (version 4.02 or later), MPEG-4, MPEG-2 and MPEG-1 files. For enthusiasts, it also allows playing NTSC titles on PAL televisions and PAL titles on NTSC televisions without the need for expensive secondary conversion units.

Best of all it'll do this on a P200 - meaning your old dinosaur currently collecting dust in your closet now actually has a purpose in life.

And for the Tim Taylor's out there - IT HAS A REMOTE!

The price is going to shock you.

The X-card, complete with software, remote control, cables, accessories... $99 USD<hr /></blockquote>Here's the <a href="http://www.sigmadesigns.com/products/xcard.htm" target="_blank">web page</a>, the <a href="http://www.sigmadesigns.com/products/xcard_features_specifications.htm" target="_blank">specifications</a>, and the <a href="http://www.sigmadesigns.com/pdf_docs/xcard_brochure.pdf" target="_blank">product brochure in PDF format</a>.

Why can't we get something like this for the Mac? Those with old and outdated Macs seem to have trouble playing some DVD, QT6 / MPEG4, or DIVX files full screen, and this would eliminate that problem. It would also provide digital output for DD5.1 that Macs are currently lacking.

Ken_F2 · Jul 29, 2002, 07:42 PM

I meant to post this in the <a href="http://forums.macnn.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=9;t=002972" target="_blank">Multimedia, DV & Audio</a> forum. Please direct all responses there.