[mythtv-users] Does MythTV Obviate a DVD Player?

[BP]

John Smith wrote:
> If you have a MythTV box, is there any reason to
> get/have a stand-alone DVD player? I need to get a DVD
> player - the ones I was looking at had the Faroudja
> chip and were around $500. Does MythTV have all the
> functionality of these DVD players?
> 
> Thanks,
> John
> 

That's a very subjective question.  Functionally, you will get all the 
same features plus some extra control.  However, you stated you're 
looking at the Faroudja chipset and spending $500.  If, you have a good 
enough tv and you're able to tell the difference between the picture of 
a $500 Faroudja based player and a $100 player, you might not be happy 
with MythTV as your primary DVD player.  There's a lot of variables with 
getting a great picture out of a computer through your tv.  Some people 
claim to get very good pictures.  Others claim horrible luck.  It comes 
down to things such as what video card you use, what type of connection 
(svideo, composite, DVI, direct VGA, VGA to component converter, etc), 
your tv's abilities and how much time/patience you have to fiddle with X.

For me, my $120 five disk DVD player (component) provides a much better 
picture on my 50 inch HDTV than I have been able to get out of Myth 
(DVI).  If configuring X modelines interested me, I could possibly 
muster an equivalent picture.  It doesn't, however.  I'm very happy with 
MythTV as an advanced VCR/music library.  For now, it is not my movie 
library.