Is Directx 9.0 and Windows Media Encoder 9.0 really needed to capture with MMC 8.1? I mean, do they have any effect on the quality of the captured files or anything else?

I am not really sure about the effect on MMC8.1, but if ATI says it is needed, then it usually is necessary. I am sticking with MMC7.7 for now, I just don't like the idea of using directx9 yet, I still have too many bad memories from the older updates and compatibility. It is not the video card that worries me, it is my sound card and a few other devices and apps that worry me. It should be backwards compatible, but we all know how that usually goes.

So it is probably need. The new WMDSK is installed with MSP 7 and I have that already with no ill effects so far. Of course that has less to do with the rest of the system than Dx9.

I"ve Been useing DirectX9 since the Stable Version came out and Haven"t had a Single Problem Yet..It is Mandatory for MMC 8.1 but Windows Media 9 is not Mandatory unless you want to Capture in WMV Format...