[mythtv-users] HDTV solution @1080i ???

[zoiks2004-ivtv at yahoo.com]

--- Andrew Close <aclose at gmail.com> wrote:

> On Tue, Apr 29, 2008 at 7:31 PM, 
> <zoiks2004-ivtv at yahoo.com> wrote:
> >
> >  --- Ma Begaj <derliebegott at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >  > 1. On Motherboard integrated 6195 Nvidia Chip
> >  > 2. Samsung LE-40F86
> >  > 3. DVI -> HDMI (1920x1080)
> >  >
> >  >
> >  > No problems at all.
> >
> >  Thanks, all, for the replies. Useful information.
> I
> >  think I've been overly pessimistic about the
> issues of
> >  the connection between graphics adapters and the
> >  television.
> >
> >  FWIW, this is the setup I'm currently aiming for:
> >
> >  1) Sharp Aquos LC-52D64U (52", 1080p 60Hz with
> >  FineMotion, 7 inputs including 1x VGA)
> >  2) Gigabyte GA P35-DS3L
> >  3) Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 (high performance, low
> power
> >  consumption)
> >  4) 3x Western Digital Caviar GP drives 750GB, in
> >  software RAID5 configuration (low power
> consumption,
> >  quiet, reasonable price for 750G drives)
> >  5) 2GB RAM
> >  6) Antec Sonata case model (original, spare from
> an
> >  old server of mine)
> >  7) nVidia Quadro NVS 285 based card (hand-me down
> >  PCI-E with only the VGA connector. I may replace
> this
> >  with a cheap $30 nvidia fanless card with DVI
> output)
> >  8) Hauppauge PVR 500 (current MythTV capture
> card)
> >  9) HDHomeRun tuning QAM from cable (or ATSC if I
> tell
> >  cable co to stick it)
> >
> >  In the longer term, I'd like to add the HD
> capture
> >  functionality that the Hauppauge USB HD PVR
> device
> >  could provide, but I'm going to wait for first
> >  impressions on driver feasibility.
> >
> >  I suppose if I'm lucky I'll be ready for my wife
> and I
> >  to watch the last BSG episode in high def using
> the
> >  Hauppauge device.
> 
> Zoiks,
> 
> i'm roughly in the same boat as you, and it's
> exciting. ;)
> i just purchased the Sony KDL-52XBR4 LCD and my new
> HD capable Myth
> hardware should be showing up today according to my
> Fed-Ex widget. :D
> 
> ASUS P5E-VM HDMI G35 w/ Intel C2Q Q9300 2.5G CPU & 4
> GB RAM
> think that'll have enough horsepower for H.264 HD?
> :D
> i know it's a tad overkill, but i'm planning on
> installing a full
> desktop on it instead of just my current slimmed
> down Myth only
> install.  you've got me on disk space.  i only
> picked up two Seagate
> 500GB HD's for it...
> 
> hopefully i'll find some time to get it up and
> running before the weekend.

Ikes I guess the quad core will help you out with that
desktop. I heard XFCE is a beast. :)

But seriously, I've now purchased and built the system
exactly as I described in lines 1-9. I had parts #6,
#7, and #8 already, and purchased the rest new. I've
got total 4 inputs, 2x PVR and 2x HDHR.

FWIW, I'm happy to report that everything is working
awesome(ly?). Some notes:

1) The Sharp Aquos played very well with the nVidia
Quadro NVS 285 with DVI out (-> HDMI via cable
converter - be careful to get a decent quality cable,
bad ones make lots of digital noise, whodathunk.) I
didn't have to do a thing, mythbuntu and the nvidia
drivers properly recognized the resolutions right away
and went straight for 1080p. HOWEVER, as I had
suspected before, it would not go full res if I used a
VGA cable. (I think it goes to 1300x900 or something
like that, can't remember exactly.) It did *not* use
the whole screen. Too bad, as it limits options, but I
can't really complain too much.

2) The visible portion of the screen is not 1920x1080
pixels. It ended up being roughly 1800x1000, the rest
non existent or behind the bezel. I *almost* feel
gipped, as I didn't expect that. Perhaps this is
normal practice in HDTV land?

3) The myth system is quieter than heck. Quieter than
my previous non-HD mythbox. But it burns more
e-tricity.

4) I was a little disappointed that there's no digital
audio input to the Aquos. At least not outside the
HDMI connection.

5) The Aquos has remarkable contrast. My wife is very
pleased with the setup now, though I have had a few
glitches here and there. ;)

6) With my dual core E8400 (3GHz Wolfdale with 6MB
shared cache) I'm running about 40% CPU at 1080i.
That's fine I'll take it, but I had thought for a bit
I'd be doing better than that.