[mythtv-users] My HDTV woes

John P Poet jppoet at gmail.com
Sun Apr 2 22:29:07 UTC 2006


On 4/2/06, Mark Lehrer <mark at knm.org> wrote:
> So, here's some info on my setup:
>
> > Pentium 4 3.00GHz w/ hyperthreading (64bit chip, but 32bit install)
> > 1GB RAM
>
> This chip is nowhere near powerful enough to do HDTV.  Intel, in
> general, is pretty worthless.  I recommend getting an Athlon x2 3800 -
> that is the first chip I had that could do HDTV properly (my
> definition of properly is playing back 1080i content with 2x
> deinterlacing & at 1280x720).


Huh?  I have successfully displayed both 1080i and 720p HD material
with a 2.8GHz HT P4.  Never used XvMC, however, just Xv.


> I tried a 3.2 GHz P4 and an Athlon 3500+ before, and neither was good
> enough.
>
>
> > When I tune to an HD channel, it display, and the picture is great, but it
> > stutters BADLY. The mythfrontend log shows:
>
> Are you able to do it without Myth?  For example, can you grab a transport
> stream and play it back with VLC or mplayer?
>
>
> > I KNOW 3Ghz w/hyperthreading & XVMC should be able to handle HD.
>
> Not correct about the CPU.  Are you sure that your card can do XvMC?

3GHz is plenty, but you should try it with Xv, and *not* XvMC.  Also
make sure you are running nVidia driver version 7676, and nothing
newer.

Also, nvidia's interlaced output has been broken for a long time.  You
are better off using a 540p mode.  If you have the 540p mode setup
properly, and use BOB deint, then your TV will likely do "the right
thing".  Actually, since you say you have a plasma, is the native mode
really 1080i?  I though most plasmas where 1280x720p native?  You
should feed your TV whatever it's native display mode is.

Also make sure you have extra audio buffering turned on.

John

P.S. 3GHz is not enough to "time stretch" HD material, but should work
at 1x speeds just fine.


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