[mythtv-users] Which video card to buy?

[mlists]

On Sat, 2007-10-06 at 07:52 -0500, George Mari wrote:
> Raphael wrote:
> [deleted]
> > 
> > Interesting, so a 5200 literally can't do 1080i? I'm slightly surprised; 
> > I would have assumed that between a 5200 and a 6200 there would be very 
> > little difference in mpeg2 decoding speed. But since Norm has a P4 
> > 3.2GHz and it can't play 1080i even though the processor is barely used, 
> >   it seems like it must be the graphics card.
> > I have a 5200 that can play 1080i with XVMC. Only problem is XVMC 
> > randomly causes my system to lock up, causing mythfrontend to need a 
> > restart, or worse the machine needs a hard reset. I haven't bothered to 
> > look into sorting that out yet.
> > 
> > Raphael
> 
> I have a GeForce 4 MX 4000 outputting 1080P over DVI.  I'm not even 
> using the latest drivers, as this card is no longer supported by them. 
> If it can do 1080P, I don't see how the 5200 can not.
> 
> Has the OP posted the contents of his/her Xorg.0.log?  My guess is the 
> 1080 mode lines are failing validation.  I had to turn off some of the 
> mode validation checks that the Nvidia driver goes through.  Check the 
> Xorg.0.log for why the modelines are failing validation and then check 
> the Nvidia readme file for details on which options turn off what in 
> relation to modeline validation.  I couldn't get above 720p before I did 
> this.


Ok as the OP I guess I should clarify :)  For whatever reason when I
select 1920x1080 (and _60 and _60_0) it won't display on the TV -- I see
half the screen over the full size of the screen.  

So from the sounds of things its not the video card but something else
-- I can display 1280x720 no problem with dvi/hdmi.

Here is my xorg.conf

Section "Monitor"

 ### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
        Identifier   "Monitor0"
        VendorName   "Unknown"
        ModelName    "DFP-0"
 ### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
#        HorizSync    30.0 - 91.0
#        VertRefresh  55.0 - 85.0
#        DisplaySize  580 320
EndSection

Section "Device"
        Identifier  "Videocard0"
        Driver      "nvidia"
        VendorName  "NVIDIA Corporation"
        BoardName   "GeForce FX 6200" 
        Option      "XvmcUsesTextures" "false"
        Option      "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "True"
        Option      "DisableGLXRootClipping" "True"
EndSection 

Section "Screen"
        Identifier "Screen0"
        Device     "Videocard0"
        Monitor    "Monitor0"
        DefaultDepth     24
        Option      "ExactModeTimingsDVI" "true" 
        Option      "UseEDID" "true"
        Option      "TwinView" "0"
        option "UseDPI" "100"
        Option      "ModeValidation" "DFP-0: NoDFPNativeResolutionCheck,
NoVertRefreshCheck, NoMaxPClkCheck, NoHorizSyncCheck,NoEdidMaxPClkCheck,
AllowInterlacedModes, NoMaxSizeCheck"
        SubSection "Display"
                Depth     24
                Modes    "1280x720_60_0" 
        EndSubSection
EndSection