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Author Topic: HD Output to HD-Ready TV  (Read 3709 times)
Fuzzygum
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« on: November 08, 2004, 11:23:36 AM »
I am planning to build a computer to use as a PVR with my new HD-Ready TV and over-the-air digital broadcasts.  Please let me know if anything I say is wrong.  I think I may have some basic misconceptions about how TV Tuner and Graphics cards work.  I don't have any parts yet, so I'm just trying to get it all worked out on paper.  The only two issues I have (I think) are that I still need to convince my soon to be wife to let me screw with the TV, and that I don't understand how the TV output will work on any of the cards I can buy.  Assuming I convince the other half to let me do this, my current plan is to get the pcHDTV-3000 (assuming they don't sell out, they were just slashdoted) and hook up the coax cable from my antenna in order to capture over-the-air broadcasts.  I understand that this is one of the few ways to get an over-the-air HD signal onto your computer using a Linux OS.

With this alone, I don't think there is any way of getting the picture to my TV.  I also don't think the pcHDTV cards do any decoding.  So I plan to get another graphics card that can both (1) do the decoding in order to take the strain off of the motherboard's processer, and (2) output to my new TV in HD resolution.  Are there any cards that can do this?  With a Linux OS?  Also, what's the likelyhood of me blowing up my TV while trying to set this up?  I have been assuming that if I have a graphics card that can output HD resolution to my TV, then my TV will simply operate as my computer's monitor (not only in function, but also that applications and icons will be clearly viewable).  I've read that this is usually a problem because normal (non-HD) TV's don't have the resolution to make words and icons appear clearly.  So, with an HD-ready TV and HD output from a graphics card, when I start xine, or run the special version of xine that is supposed to come with the pcHDTV-3000, it will be just like watching it on a normal desktop.  This is true, right?

From there, does anyone know if there will be any problems using MythTV with this setup?  i.e. are there any graphics cards that do what I want that are also compatible with MythTV?  If I assume that there are no compatibility problems, then MythTV should be able to display the HD resolution.  Is this true?  Would I have to somehow integrate the "special" version of xine, provided by pcHDTV,  into MythTV?  I appreciate any help or references that anyone can give.
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smokeyalien
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« Reply #1 on: November 11, 2004, 05:48:31 PM »
Ok lets start at the beginning.  when we get to the end we'll stop.

1) The over the air HDTV card for Linux is a good card and is fully suported under MythTv as plug and play.  More power to you.

2) Get a separate (AGP) graphics card that is supported heavily in Linux with an mpg decoder chip onboard (stay away from ATI since doesn't work in Myth very well) to reduce the strain on the board

3) In order to get an HDTV type picture that isn't blocky and washed onto your HDTV you will need a transcoder brick that will take your VGA signal (also called RGB) and convert it/maintain it as an HD signal through component(Y-Pr-Pb)/VGA.  Message me for more on this piece.

Bright Wire
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Fuzzygum
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« Reply #2 on: November 12, 2004, 02:54:05 PM »
Quote
Ok lets start at the beginning.  when we get to the end we'll stop.

1) The over the air HDTV card for Linux is a good card and is fully suported under MythTv as plug and play.  More power to you.


Great, I love power.

Quote
2) Get a separate (AGP) graphics card that is supported heavily in Linux with an mpg decoder chip onboard (stay away from ATI since doesn't work in Myth very well) to reduce the strain on the board


Ok, I apologize for my ignorance on this, but I guess ATI means any card that is made by ATI Technologies Inc?  I've heard that there are other brands of cards that use the same technology or something.  I guess these should be out, too?  Are they clearly labeled?

Also, what does AGP mean?

Quote
3) In order to get an HDTV type picture that isn't blocky and washed onto your HDTV you will need a transcoder brick that will take your VGA signal (also called RGB) and convert it/maintain it as an HD signal through component(Y-Pr-Pb)/VGA.  Message me for more on this piece.


I can't believe this is the only way to get the signal to my TV.  After going through the transcoder will it really display in HD resolution?  And that thing is gonna run me around $100 isn't it?
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smokeyalien
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« Reply #3 on: November 12, 2004, 05:58:32 PM »
Ok when I say ATI I am referring to ALL of their products (made by them or anyone else like sapphire or asus).  The problem in MythTV is that the part of their software that is running the video (XPlayer I think, but can't remember) does not work for spit with ATI stuff or it work in "interesting ways".  You are best off just getting a nice cheap geforce4 mx AGP card (with DVI for future upTV upgrades) for $20 or so to do this.

Note: I use an AGP Nvidia Geforce MX 420 with DVI and S-video out

AGP is the Advanced Graphics Peripheral slot on your motherboard.  This is the one slot on most modern motherboards that is usually orange, blue or brown and sits between your cpu and the regular PCI slots.  This is what you plug your high end video card into.

Note: The TV capture cards, including the HDTV one you are looking at, are all PCI cards so don't worry about taking up slots.

As for getting a "true" HD picture on your screen you are forced to one of 2 "affordable choices.  If you were using Windows ou could get an ATI radeon card which has the sort of transcoder dongle.  Since you use Linux this option is basically dead to you.  You will need to get a transcoder brick which tends to go for around $125.  Now you can easily live without the HD picture for some time (i.e. until the next big paycheck) but once you get the transcoder it will turn your graphics card output (which is rgb otherwise known as s-video/composite) into component/HD signal (high progressive scan).

Note: I use S-video out on my 51" HD big screen and it looks better than my analog cable signal but not as good as HD/digital would.  Plays my movies fine though.

Feel free to email me if you have any more questions.

Smokeyalien at gmail
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« Reply #4 on: January 04, 2005, 06:03:43 PM »
Is this an exampoe of what you are talking about?

http://www.ati.com/products/hdtvadapter/index.html
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ejk
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« Reply #5 on: January 04, 2005, 06:19:26 PM »
What inputs do you have on your new TV?

Some of the new HDTVs actually have Video card friendly VGA and DVI inputs. You might even have an HDMI input that you can use with a DVI adapter.
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t00ld00d
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« Reply #6 on: January 04, 2005, 08:51:17 PM »
My Nvidia that will be going into the pvr machine this weekend has a DVI output, and my HDTV has DVI in. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to output at HD resolutions through it. The TV also has a VGA input and I can definitely run HD resolution through that port, mainly trying the DVI to see if there's a difference in picture quality. Unfortunately I have no way to capture HD since I'm on satellite :(
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