How many of us on the forum own/use an Sigma Xcard? [Archive]

SeeMoreDigital

10th January 2004, 16:09

I'm just interested!

Given that the Sigma Xcard offers the only available method of playing Mpeg4/AAC encodes stored in an MP4 container 'in hardware', I'm curious to learn about other peoples experiences with this card!

Cheers

EDIT: The phrase 'in hardware' added

SeeMoreDigital

12th January 2004, 18:59

Eeeeh gods!

Am I the only forum member with one of these cards. Suddenly I feel very alone!

Maybe I should have posted this question in the 'Hardware Players' section of the forum instead!

Cheers

sysKin

13th January 2004, 01:40

After them having shamlessly "borrowed" another GPL code (mplayer's subtitle code this time) I don't think people like them. At least I don't.

Radek

SeeMoreDigital

13th January 2004, 13:37

Originally posted by sysKin
After them having shamlessly "borrowed" another GPL code (mplayer's subtitle code this time) I don't think people like them. At least I don't.

Radek I did'nt know that Sigma had plagiarised another's work again! The first incidence I'm aware of was when they used XviD code to create 'their version' of an Mpeg4 codec!

Anyway, I console myself in the knowledge that I bought my Xcard long before Sigma 'stooped' to such tactics!

That said, I wonder where the saying "imitation is the biggest form of flattery" comes from?

....... I suppose the phrase could have been invented by a thief. And hence forth, became his only genuinely devised creation for the world!

Cheers

13th January 2004, 13:40

KISS == Sigma?

Sirber

13th January 2004, 13:54

Tchut!!!

Sigma is taboo in Open Source community! ;)

Any proof about mplayer code?

SeeMoreDigital

13th January 2004, 15:07

Originally posted by Sirber
Tchut!!!

Sigma is taboo in Open Source community! ;)

Joking apart, if this was true it would be a shame, as the Sigma Xcard (with JovePlayer running as a front-end) is an excellent piece of kit!

I can even use it to view my new RV10 encodes (in RGB) on my plasma TV. As well as others codecs too!

Very nice...Cheers

Doom9

13th January 2004, 16:21

Joking apart, if this was true it would be a shame, as the Sigma Xcard (with JovePlayer running as a front-end) is an excellent piece of kit!IF I wanted, I have my TV-out on my GFX card. It works fine and doesn't require any special player. It also works with any remote control that can be used via a standard API. Oh, and it is not made by a company having tried to blatantly rip off XviD.

Given that the Sigma Xcard offers the only available method of playing Mpeg4/AAC encodes stored in an MP4 containerHmm... both Nero Showtime and any other media player I have on my computer have no problems with that... that's what mp4 parser and aac decoder filters are good for.

Face it, when the Xcard came out, it couldn't handle MPEG-4 ASP (in fact the chip still can't), didn't support DivX3 and that was that for most users. Nowadays who needs a special hardware card anyways? TV-out has become a standard feature.

Oh, and your constant talk about the Xcard is about to get as annoying as the constant hyping of a certain container format (used to be?).

Latexxx

13th January 2004, 16:44

SeeMoreDigital

13th January 2004, 17:23

Originally posted by Doom9
IF I wanted, I have my TV-out on my GFX card. It works fine and doesn't require any special player. It also works with any remote control that can be used via a standard API. Oh, and it is not made by a company having tried to blatantly rip off XviD. I take it you also don't like the Sigma Xcard then :( And another good thing that this card does have over an ordinary 'graphics card' with TV out is the ability to output RGB and/or component video signals to an TV!

Is the only reason why nobody likes this card (and Sigma) because they tried to rip off XviD code and pass it off as their own. All of which has now been resolved..... I hope!

Cheers

EDIT: I forgot to ask you Doom9. Did you manage to get hold of an Elta 8883 player?

EnF

23rd May 2004, 00:56

Am I the only forum member with one of these cards. Suddenly I feel very alone!
Well, you are not alone. I have an XCard from Sigma and I'm very happy with it. I still remember back in 1999 when I got the RealMagic H+ and watched my first DVD. Astonishing quality... which leads me to a second quote:

IF I wanted, I have my TV-out on my GFX card. It works fine and doesn't require any special player. It also works with any remote control that can be used via a standard API.
I've chosen XCard for the quality of the image. It is, IMO, far superior to any TV-out interface I've seen.

DAvenger

23rd May 2004, 08:41

I am going to get one soon and make RadLight support it ;)

SeeMoreDigital

23rd May 2004, 10:01

I think it's great when an old thread (especially one of mine) comes back to life!

EnF,

Yes, I too was upgraded from an Hollywood+ card. I think it's worth pointing out to and future prospective up-graders that the two cards work very differently when it comes to displaying the image on an PC screen (ie: there's no player GUI on the Xcards screen) as everything is controlled via the remote.

Personally I don't use the PC screen at all for viewing video, everything is pumped to a large display via component video connection.

DAvenger,

How exactly are you thinking of supporting it. Will it be a similar thing to JovePlayer's new beta (http://www.8dim.com/jp303beta.htm)?

Cheers

DAvenger

23rd May 2004, 11:18

Well, I have yet to see what this card is capable of. I suppose there is a DirectShow filter which allows to control/work with the card directly. In that case the implementation would be quite simple task.

In the first phase I would like to be able to decode DivX videos using the onboard HW dec. (you can already choose a specific SW dec in RL).

Then, we will see. Depends on how I will like the card. It's pretty cheap though (around $99 + postal fee).

SeeMoreDigital

23rd May 2004, 11:50

Originally posted by DAvenger
Well, I have yet to see what this card is capable of. I suppose there is a DirectShow filter which allows to control/work with the card directly. In that case the implementation would be quite simple task. Well what I can tell you is, Sigma distributes the software for the card into two parts, drivers and application.

It is possible to run the Xcard without installing Sigma's 'application' software, I've done it already by using JovePlayer (after having installed the Sigma 'drivers').

The only downer to doing this is... Sigma's remote control .exe file is in the 'application' folder. So you end up having to install both parts anyway!

Cheers

mauro_ita

23rd May 2004, 13:03

You're not alone! I am a proud owner of an X-Card. I'm pleased with the sharp picture that I get on my tv set (a Panasonic 29-inch, PAL-50Hz/PAL-60Hz). I've connected the digital audio out to a Cambridge Soundworks AC3 and use it also for DVD's.

The encoder history is a shame IMHO, but the chipset is really a good performer.

Tried Jove Player in the past, I'm curious to see how it has been improved (6 months have passed since).

Cheers,
Mauro

SeeMoreDigital

23rd May 2004, 13:15

Originally posted by mauro_ita
Tried Jove Player in the past, I'm curious to see how it has been improved (6 months have passed since). Hi mauro_ita,

You have got to try the new JovePlayer 3.0 beta version (http://www.8dim.com/jp303beta.htm) now!

It will play almost anything (depending on the speed of your PC), even DVB streams if you have a card installed.

Cheers

Soulhunter

23rd May 2004, 16:49

Maybe I buy one too for my HTPC (building it since February...) !!!

Bye

moonwatcher

17th September 2004, 22:41

i have one, its been laying in the box ever since i bought it (i pre ordered it before it hit the market), but at the time, it could not provide an analog output as good as the matrox G450, so i boxed it.

maybe i should try it again, I see there is some new interest in it.

SeeMoreDigital

18th September 2004, 08:09

Originally posted by moonwatcher
I have one, its been laying in the box ever since i bought it (i pre ordered it before it hit the market)Jeez, that means you had one of these cards longer than me!

Originally posted by moonwatcher
...but at the time, it could not provide an analog output as good as the matrox G450, so i boxed it. That may well have been true with the first driver release!

Install the 2.1 drivers (http://www.sigmadesigns.com/support/download_xcard_win2000_xp.htm) and I'm sure you'll change your mind. Or better still connect via RGB scart - if you are able to!

Then visit TVedia (8dim.com) (formally JovePlayer) and download and install the 15day trial.

laserfan

8th December 2005, 17:48

Ah, the joy of the Internet--this thread's over a year old but AFAIK there's no rule here that I can't resurrect it!

I think SMD (I'm sure you'll find this post) that you still have your Xcard, and likely it is still flawed (in that there are apparently at least Xvid settings it can't cope with), but I note with interest that Sigma Designs is still selling it, so people must still be buying it!!!?!!

I own Pinnacle's boxes (1000B, 1000G, 200) with EM6551 and 8620 chips, and would love to have a PCI card, to test my encodes vs. dedicating a 1000 to that purpose (which I do now). But looking around a bit it seems that the Xcard isn't even as good as the 8551 chip--does not play multiple B-VOPs or Packed Bitstream or (whatever). So I guess even at $99US it'd be dumb to buy one now.

Is there anything new in the last year to render the Xcard "improved" in any respect? Is there any prospect that anyone might know here for a "new generation" of PCI card from Sigma or others?

SeeMoreDigital

8th December 2005, 18:33

laserfan

8th December 2005, 19:21

...Zensonic was kind enough to include me in their Z500 beta testing program...Hey, good for you--that sounds like fun and "right up your alley".

I guess I will sit tight on my interest in Xcard and try to wait until "the next big thing" comes along i.e. the next-gen chip beyond 8620.

Thanks--I somehow knew you were good for a reply! :cool:

EnF

13th December 2005, 16:49

Sigma "appear" to have dropped support for the Xcard, as there has been no new software since 19 December 2003.

As someone who prefers to generate MPEG-4/AAC streams and place them within the MP4 container, the Xcard was perfect for my requirements.

However, since Zensonic was kind enough to include me in their Z500 beta testing program, my affection for the Xcard gradually declined as the Z500's firmware improved.... to such a point where, last Saturday, I removed the Xcard from my PC altogether!

There's supposed to be a PCI card based around one of Sigma's high-def chip-sets but as far as I know it Linux based only and not very well supported.

Cheers

Lucky you! Z500 looks very promising.
I still have and use the XCard with great success.

This will be the next logical step for me too.
A HiDef networked player.

For an XCard user, replacing it with a non-HiDef standalone player is just not worth it.
It needs to be networked as well.

With all its hardware limitations and our struggle for better support, XCard won't be easy to replace...
I'm thinking as well at the added flexibility through JovePlayer (DVobSub, software decoding, etc.)

Cheers,
EnF

SeeMoreDigital

13th December 2005, 23:53

....For an XCard user, replacing it with a non-HiDef standalone player is just not worth it.
It needs to be networked as well. Well.... thankfully the Zensonic Z500 supports playback of high-def MPEG-1, 2 and 4 with pixel frame sizes up-to 1920x1080/88 video within AVI or MP4 (and even high-def WMV video within WMV or AVI).

Support for multi-channel AAC, WMA Pro, Vorbis and FLAC audio streams is also available, if you are into that kind of thing :)

As is anamorphic signalling for MPEG-4 streams in AVI and MP4. 1-warp-point GMC and Qpel....

Cheers

Hans Scheike

14th December 2005, 19:13

How in God's name did they manage to come up with that ugly design? And what's this hype about wireless networks, a standard cat5-cable can handle 100 mtrs without a repeater and I'll rather drill holes through my walls than looking at that stupid antenna sticking up.

Finally theres a player with decent spec's and what do they do, they put a drunk in charge of the design...

SeeMoreDigital

14th December 2005, 19:54

Finally theres a player with decent spec's and what do they do, they put a drunk in charge of the design...Sadly some of the available photo's don't really do the Z500 much justice..... It actually looks a lot better in real life. The front panel buttons are nothing like as blue as shown!

It's even scored highly on the old "wife approval factor" ;)

And I too, connect via "wired" ethernet....

Cheers

Olebrumm71

16th December 2005, 14:05

I also have an XCard and use it in combination with the TVedia software (previously known as Joveplayer) and I absolutely love it!

Best thing I have ever bought (well, maybe second after my PVR-350 capture card ).