[mythtv-users] Good card for HD playback

[Mark Lehrer]

> I have seen a lot of discussion about the FX-5200 being a good card for
> SD playback, but what is a good card for HD playback?  The TV is a
> Samsung DLP and has DVI and Component available.  I have an LC11M case
> coming as a gift and would like to find a good but inexpensive setup for
> a myth frontend machine that will do HD.  Advise on a microatx
> motherboard and cpu would be good too.  Again this is just for playback
> - no tuner card will be in this box nor will there be much of (if any)
> hard drive.

Excellent choice of a case.  I have the LC11-300-B (same as yours but
with a 300 watt PS and no display on front).  Motherboards are tricky
for this case due to the requirement of slot placements.

I went with an Asus A8N-VM motherboard and an Athlon dual core x2 3800
CPU (not too expensive, about $300).  I highly recommend the dual core
CPU - I couldn't do proper HD playback with even a 3500+.  X and Myth
both try to use 100% of the cpu when you are playing back hi def with
2x deinterlacing, so it is the ideal dual core application.

This motherboard is not perfect, however.  It is quite new, so the
built-in video & sound have spotty support.  I put in a generic es1371
sound card and a 6600GT for now.  Alsa sort of works on the sound card
but you need the absolute latest version of the intel-snd module.  It
has an optional S/PDIF connector which you can get on Ebay for $10,
though I am not sure if it works at all yet.

The latest version of the Nvidia drivers support the integrated 6150
chip (which was designed for hi def TV applications).  But as I said,
the board is still new so I don't know if XV works at all.  You will
want to get an account on nvnews.net and follow this forum:
http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=14

Good luck,
Mark