[mythtv-users] FX 5500 nvidia card vs. PVR-350 card for output to TV?

[Scot L. Harris]

On Sat, 2005-03-19 at 14:29, Ian Trider wrote:
> The quality with PVR-350 output is undoubtedly superior.
> 
> The actual MPEG decoding is done in hardware, so there is no
> unnecessary scaling (normal video cards actually rescale the image
> regardless of what you do since they output an image that has some
> amount of border to compensate for overscan) and the interlaced video
> image is preserved, so it is smoother.
> 

When the cable company provides a good signal the output does look
pretty good.  :)

> However, you may not want to do it.  There are still a number of
> Outstanding Issues (TM) with pvr-350 output.. mostly with the IVTV
> driver, which is still in a very raw state.
> 

> Ocassionally you will find that the output will simply lock and fail
> to display anything until you restart.  Also, there are a lot of
> issues in MythTV with it; for example, the screen will go black until
> you press a button when exiting the EPG (or when you bring it up while
> the channel number is still fading out after changing channel).  You
> also cannot output anything other than MPEG-2 video, and have it work
> properly, since outputting anything else requires the use of the
> card's on-screen display, which is a dumb framebuffer not really
> designed for video speeds.
> 

Have not seen the locking problem.  I have seen the guide cause the
screen to go black until the go button is pressed or some thing else is
done that causes the picture to come back.

Also when you go to the channel guide it overlays the current picture. 
I believe there is an option that allows you to set the transparency
which may help.  But if I remember correctly during the testing to the
monitor the picture was placed in a PIP with the guide below it.  That
would be preferable which is why I asked about using the Svideo out on
the monitor card.  

So far I have been unable to get DMA to work on the DVD drive so its
play back is not acceptable.  I understand there may be issues with
using xine or mplayer.  I expect that is because for those it has to
overlay the output using X11 instead of going through the PVR-350's
decoder.

> Also, be aware that the size of everything (other than recorded video)
> will be very slightly distorted, as X11 operates directly at normal TV
> resolution (720x480 resolution, with a pixel aspect ratio of 1.1 --
> slightly non-square pixels). This is something you will be very aware
> of if you want to display photos.
> 

I have also noticed that music still goes out the computers audio ports
and not over the PVR-350's audio channels.  I suspect the same would
happen when trying to play a video or use xine or myplayer to play a
DVD.  That would not be very good.

I have to say though that over all I am pleased.  I am starting to look
for a second encoder card, probably a PVR-250, so that some of the
conflicts in the recording menus will be taken care of.  



-- 
Scot L. Harris
webid at cfl.rr.com

I am firm.  You are obstinate.  He is a pig-headed fool.
		-- Katharine Whitehorn