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    Vista Home Basic or Premium and video cards question

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by frankieboy, Nov 30, 2007.

  1. frankieboy

    frankieboy Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hello,

    I want to watch DVDs and access itunes and store music. Do I need Home Premium as a minimum? And if I get Premium, do I need a dedicated 128mb graphic card? In other words, can I get away with a laptop with Vista Home Basic and an integrated graphic card and be able to watch DVDs and listen to music?

    Thanks
    Frankie
     
    frankieboy, Nov 30, 2007
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  2. Davi$765

    Davi$765 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Pretty much what you're doing is basic so a Home Basic is OK. However, to watch DVDs in Windows Media Player you would have to have Home Premium. But, say you buy a Dell, it comes with PowerDVD that you can use to play DVDs. Even if you buy Home Premium you can get away with an integrated graphics card (the intel x3100 as an example) would be enough for powering Aero and the stuff you mentioned.
     
    Davi$765, Nov 30, 2007
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  3. GrandAdmiral

    GrandAdmiral Notebook Evangelist

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    You may need Home Premium to get Media Centre features but most laptops with DVD-ROMs/Writers come with their own player software. Look for a comparison of features between the different versions of Vista. Premium comes with the Aero 'experience' as Microsoft puts it, which will chew resources if enabled. Luckily you can disable most, if not all of the Aero features so i'd say you should be able to get away with Home Basic. But why bother? I got Home Premium on my new laptop and went straight back to XP. Works like a dream.

    Grand Admiral
     
    GrandAdmiral, Nov 30, 2007
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  4. frankieboy

    frankieboy Notebook Enthusiast

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    Thanks for the replies

    Frankie
     
    frankieboy, Nov 30, 2007
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