[mythtv-users] tv-out quality problems

[Jesse Guardiani]

Michael Bochynski wrote:
> On Mon, 2005-10-24 at 13:41 -0400, Michael T. Dean wrote:
>>                 
>

[...]

>> IMHO, the PVR-350 is a waste of money (and I wasted money on one) in 
>> today's world.  It made sense when 720x480 MPEG-2 decoding strained 
>> general-purpose CPU's, but any processor that's worth using in a Myth 
>> box (1GHz or better) will barely notice the effort.  I'm using an NVIDIA 
>> card (and not using the TV out on my PVR-350) because it has so many 
>> advantages:
>>     - OpenGL support
>>     - Choice of resolution, overscan, etc. (allows you to choose the 
>> best combination of scaling, size, position, etc. for your needs)
>>     - Choice of outputs (i.e. built-in TV out, using VGA to a VGA to 
>> NTSC/PAL converter, using VGA/DVI to a monitor/digital TV, etc.)
>>     - If you get a 5200 or better, ability to support HDTV when you 
>> decide to switch
>>     - Is not a single-purpose device, so it continues to be useful even 
>> if you stop using Myth.  (OK, I don't think it's possible for someone to 
>> stop using Myth once they've started, but it's the principal of the matter.)
>>
>> And only one disadvantage:
>>     - Does not provide the placebo effect for users, so video quality is 
>> significantly worse.  ;)  (Which actually means you must learn how to 
>> configure it for good video quality.  With a PVR-350, you just need to 
>> learn how to configure it and you get good quality--the PVR-350 is an 
>> all or nothing configuration because it doesn't give you the options 
>> that I mentioned as a benefit above, so you can't configure it for 
>> poor-quality output.)
>>
>> OK, so the NVIDIA proprietary drivers are the real disadvantage, but 
>> they're much better than the ATI drivers, so if you've got to pick one, 
>> NVIDIA's the way to go.
>>
>> Mike
>>                 
>
> Mike,
>
> Thanks for suggestions. before spending any money I will play around 
> with settings.
>
> However, honestly, the advantages of NVIDIA card you presented are not 
> overwhelming. The MythTV box will be used for MythTV only, nothing 
> else, hence OpenGL does not matter, am I right? I don't even have, and 
> don't plan to have, a regular monitor/LCD at home which I could use :) 
> Signal (MythTV) goes to TV out only.
>


It matters. MythGame and MythMusic will make use of OpenGL.
Also, something he didn't mention is that the PVR 350 will not display 
your kernel boot, BIOS POST, or lilo/grub menus. The nvidia card WILL. 
That's a serious advantage, IMO.


>
> Right now I output TV to my receiver and then to TV. While HDTV is a 
> nice-to-have, i do not expect to have it in the next 6 - 12 month, 
> while I will watch TV in the next 6 - 12 months :) Hence having DVI, 
> HDTV and so on is not the highest priority. I will probably want to 
> add it,
>
> I am going solely after the  picture (TV) quality.
>


350 is the best, but I have a 350 and an nvidia FX 5200 too, and I use 
the 5200 for tv-out. I'm starting to think the 350s are a waste of money 
too.


> I do not mind proprietary drivers, since I hope I have my 
> compile-from-source times behind me, starting with the (very) early 
> Linux times.
>


Good quality on the 350 will require the 0.4.0 ivtv driver. You may or 
may not have to compile that from source depending on your distro.


> I know, however, that ATI (proprietary) drivers are worse than NVIDIA 
> ones. BTW, which NVIIDA card is worth looking at?
>


FX 5200 128M AGP is nice.


-- 
Jesse Guardiani
Programmer/Sys Admin
jesse at wingnet.net