[mythtv-users] Plans for front & back end Myth boxes

Tortise tortise at paradise.net.nz
Mon Aug 9 20:00:47 UTC 2010


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jessica Perry Hekman" <jphekman at arborius.net>
To: "Discussion about mythtv" <mythtv-users at mythtv.org>
Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2010 4:02 AM
Subject: Re: [mythtv-users] Plans for front & back end Myth boxes


On Mon, Aug 09, 2010 at 11:39:51AM +1200, Tortise wrote:

> Actually I've read the rest of your earlier thread and the good
> advice that's in there.   Scrub the above, I forgot about the 512M
> Video RAM requirement and it seems you only have half height bays,
> so I'd use, for example, a
> http://www.sparkle.com.tw/product_detail.asp?id=82&sub_id=311 which
> I expect includes the half height brackets.  (I have the PCI 9400GT
> equiv and it came with the brackets, also one of those would work
> for you too!)  You'd need to get something like this too 
> http://cgi.ebay.com/Original-nVidia-YPbPr-Component-S-Video-HDTV-Adapter-/200484560406?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0

>I'm not exactly sure what you are suggesting -- that I get this second
nvidia card,

Yes that would do fine, also the one Eric Sharkey recommended has the half height brackets, no fan and seemes a very good price.  It 
is however only 256M, I understand 512M is still required so, unless Eric confirms 256M is ok, I'd pass on it.

Indeed the definition of your PC monitor is seldom talked about however maybe a consideration, if you have or want a high definition 
PC monitor then the RAM is relevant for that too.  If your monitor is <= 1280 x 1024 then 512M video card is in my view a minimium, 
if you want to run higher definitions then there are 1024M cards around, I'd buy one of those.  (e.g. 
http://www.sparkle.com.tw/product_detail.asp?id=87&sub_id=317 ) As Eric suggests the brand is probably not that important, ticking 
the requirement boxes is.

>install it in my current desktop,

yes

>and then the new card gets used with my computer monitor,

preferably but can use old VGA still also!

> and the old card (on the motherboard, has s-video out) gets used with the TV?

no.

Computer monitor (VGA presumed) can be connected to either card, with the exception if you wish to watch Mythtv on the Computer 
Monitor also at some stage then one would be best to connect to the new NVIDIA.  (Indeed you'd have two VGA outs and could connect 
two VGA monitors, as well as your TV and it would probably all work quite fine!  a bit of xorg.conf work would be necessary, but 
once done you'd forget it)

> You suggest getting an nVidia YPbPr Component S-Video HDTV Adapter as well, which makes me think maybe the new card would be for 
> use with the TV?

Correct.

The new video chip in the new card is required to run mythtv on whatever, in your original scenario, you can connect your TV to the 
card via the breakout cable I gave you on ebay using either of 1) composite cable, 2) S-Video or 3) component.  (In ascending order 
of quality)  I'd use a compoisite cable to start and see how that went.  Once you had it working and wanted to explore improving the 
quality then you could try fiddling with S-Video or Component cables.

One more thing to check is the power supply wattage in your PC.  From memory it should be at least 300W, 450W is ample.  (As I 
recall someone else has reported doing something similar and it was ok so probably ok)




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