Powerbook G4/550: Enough to play back Divx video?

[enrico7300]

I have pieces of an obliterated (the case anyway) Powerbook G4/550 that I want to make into a so-so media center for my TV. Is the 550 Mhz G4 fast enough to decode DivX video (at 1366 x 768)? Is it worth my time to assemble the PB guts into a new case?

TIA

Enrico

[Jimmypoo]

How big do you want to display them?

I think the biggest key would be whether DivX uses Altivec or not. If it does not (I don't know), then I wouldn't hold out a lot of hope. It's amazing what my Pismo cannot display --re: videos that an iPod can display, in screens larger than I create for the Pismo!

[d0e]

is it a ti or pismo?

[Forrest]

For HD video - you'll need a 2 GHz G5 or Intel Mac.

[The Grim Ninja]

DivX playback is a variable. DivX can be encoded in a near infinite amount of sizes, compression ratios, enhancements, ect.


If the video files themselves are 1366x768, chances are they wouldn't be that great displayed on the TIbook, if it would even handle them. If you're going to playback files encoded at say 720x640 and have them scaled to 1366x768, that would probably work so long as the files are reasonably easy for the computer to decode.

DivX = Video = Altivec. Either way, some processing will receive a boost from the G4.

550 = TiBook

HD will playback on G4s. I used to do 1080i on my MDD. It may drop a few frames, but it's still beautiful and smooth. I had a Radeon 9600 XT or 9600 Pro PC/Mac card to do it.

Opinion: If you're capable enough to assemble a powerbook into a new case... sell the parts on ebay and buy a 40GB AppleTV, take the HD out and install all the extras to allow DivX, ect.

[enrico7300]

It's a Titanium w/ vga out. case smashed. I would like to play back handbrake ripped videos, so i guess the resolution that matters is 720 x 480 at least, then it get upscaled (is that the right term?) during VLC playback.

[enrico7300]

I have all the internal parts but the case is crappy. The charging light on the power adapter comes on but it won't boot up. My neighbor who gave me the PB said it worked fine except for the infamous broken hinge problem that fubared his video, so maybe the boot problem is a simple battery/cable or some other fix?

[blusubaru]

If you're using handbrake, then you're talking about mpg4 videos, NOT divx. Why playback in VLC? Just install the Front Row patch and get a cheap remote.

[hal]

point of reference... my pismo 400/1gb couldn't play OWC's upgrade video downloaded to the desktop well (for mac mini intel) even after a restart and nothing else running.

[BigGuynRusty]

[quote blusubaru]If you're using handbrake, then you're talking about mpg4 videos, NOT divx. Why playback in VLC? Just install the Front Row patch and get a cheap remote. HandBrake does beautiful DiVX!!

BGnR