NVIDIA posts H.264 HD video decode tool

Nvidia has posted software that allows certain GeForce graphics chips to decode video encoded using H.264 format. But it wants up to $49.95 for the Windows Media Player and Windows Media Center plug-in.

The PureVideo Decoder software allows systems containing a GeForce 7 series, GeForce 6 series - mobile and desktop - or nForce 6150 integrated GPU to accelerate H.264 in hardware. H.264 is part of the MPEG 4 standard, and is one of the codecs mandated by both the HD DVD and Blu-ray DIsc next-generation optical disc formats.

The Register - Nvidia posts H.264 HD video decode tool

Nvidia calls it 84.12 and it includes support for Geforce 7300 GS and 7300 LE GPUs. Nvidia made various Purevidio enhancements including support for high definition H.264 hardware decode acceleration on the Geforce 6 and 7 series of GPUs. This is the one that we have been waiting for as ATI has had such a driver since late December 2005. The driver has support for high definition MPEG 2 inverse telecine and spatial temporal de-interlacing.

the Inquirer - Nvidia releases H.264 driver