Watch DVD's on 20" Cinema Display -What video memory, memory, processor speed needed?

[DazedNConfusedX]

Hi,

I am going to get a 15" PB and a 20" Cinema Display. I want to be able to watch DVD's full screen on the 20" CD w/o seeing pixelation or any other unexpected visual problems.

The Apple Store told me in order to do this, I have to get the 15" PB w/ 1.5G processor and Superdrive so that, from there, I can upgrade furthermore to 128M of video memory. They said this would be necessary to see DVD's full screen on the 20" CD w/o any visual abnormalities.

Do you know if this is true? I really only need the lower end 15" PB - 1.33G and Combo Drive. That's a $500 difference between the lower end and higher end 15". The backlighted keyboard feature of the higher end 15" seems cool, but I probably don't need the extra 20G HD or the SD just yet. Besides, I've read other posts that said you could probably get an overall better external DVD burner instead of getting the SD.

Can the 1.33G still support 128M video memory? What other affordable (yet elegant) solutions is there to my wish for watchin DVD's full screen on my 20" CD? (BTW - if you have tips on also watching TV on the 20" CD, then please provide it! )

Thanks in advance for you feedback.

 

[dabirdwell]

Our dual 867 seems fine with the 20"

Awesome, even. And we have the older Radeon 9000 with 64MB VRAM. Seems like a new PowerBook should be able to drive it fine.

Incidentally, I also have a 15" 1.25 GHz PowerBook, but have never bought the adapter to make it drive the 20" Cinema.

 

[Sabbath]

I've watched DVDs on my 20" cinema display with a 12" 1GHz PB which means nvidia fx5200 and 32Mb I don't watch DVDs on it that often but I don't remember any picture quality problems. I would expect the 1.33 PB to be fine with the ATI Mobility 9700, and remember by closing the lid and waking the PB from sleep you can just use the external display putting all the resources to it. Although be sure to open up the PB after waking it up so it doesn't get too hot.

 

[DazedNConfusedX]

What about running two displays @ same time?

Thanks for your feedback so far.

What about if I want to run both the 15" PB's display and the 20" Cinema Display simultaneously? Will getting the 128M video mem. definitely be better than sticking w/ the 64M one?

 

[jsw]

My best advice is to go to your local Apple Store and bring a DVD and let them show you how it looks. They'll be showing you on non-upgraded systems (need B.T.O. to get the upgrades, can't get them from the brink-and-mortar Apple Stores). My guess is that it'll look just fine.

 

[Grimace]

Apple wants you to buy the Superdrive model b/c it's more expensive (and the Vid RAM can be upgraded.)

HOWEVER, you can always take OFF the superdrive option in BTO and save ~$180.

 

[LeeTom]

I think this is a pretty ridiculous claim by a greedy salesperson. I run a 1.25GHz Powerbook on a 20" Cinema Display with NO problems whatsoever, and my wife runs a 1GHz Titanium Powerbook on a 22" Cinema Display with NO PROBLEMS whatsoever. We watch DVDs on her monitor almost every night.

Lee Tom

 

[Sabbath]

Thanks for your feedback so far.

What about if I want to run both the 15" PB's display and the 20" Cinema Display simultaneously? Will getting the 128M video mem. definitely be better than sticking w/ the 64M one?

I think you will be fine with the 15" and two displays. You will get an advantage from the extra vram as it is split equally between the two displays regardless of size and what is happening on the respective screens. Hence with 64Mb you would have 32Mb for each screen which should be enough but I feel you may well benefit from having 64Mb per screen. However if you are thinking of going for the 1.33 PB then it is a big chunk of money to get the 128Mb vram due to having to get the 1.5PB instead. So it may not be worth the sizeable extra cost for a small improvement. Also I believe when watching a dvd full screen you can't use the other screen it is just black out, so not using the powerbook screen whilst watching a dvd will not hinder you unless you are watching the dvd in a window.

As for TV you can do it with eyetv (be sure to get a firewire version, usb doesn't have enough bandwidth) but I have heard it gets pixelated at fullscreen on a 20", you may well be better just buying a TV.

 

[iGary]

I watch movies (DVD's) all the time on my machine (listed below) with a 64 mb video card.

No problems.