[mythtv-users] MythTV / HDTV: DVI vs S-Video Interface Suggestions

[Jeff Noxon]

I've been playing with it less than a week, and you're right, Myth is
amazing.

You'll get better color fidelity and resolution using DVI, followed by
component, followed by S-video from the PVR350.  But overall the picture
will look best coming from the PVR350's S-Video out.

The reason is that the PVR350 can output interlaced video.  If you use
component or DVI, regardless of whether it's progressive or interlaced on
the output, it will have to be _deinterlaced_ by mythtv first.  And you
gain some peculiar artifacts when that happens.  MythTV's deinterlacing
is relatively simple, and if you can bypass it you'll be better off.
I wish I'd spent the extra $50 and got the 350 instead of the 250.

I have the Audio Authority VGA to Component adapter, which I have used
with my old Windows-based HTPC & HDTV.  It does a great job (much
cheaper than the one at digital connection too!) but until MythTV
has deinterlacing capabilities on par with dscaler, save your money.
Since dscaler is open source (GPL), I suspect it will happen sooner or
later -- maybe you can help.

Most modern HDTV's have pretty good deinterlacing built in, with inverse
telecine, bob/weave, etc.  So: use S-Video and take advantage of that.

Also, who knows if the DVI on your TV will even work with the DVI output
from a PC...

Regards,

Jeff

On Fri, Oct 31, 2003 at 02:27:50PM -0600, George Heeres wrote:
> Been following the list for a couple weeks drooling to get started...
> but had to wait for the money tree to drop some new leaves...the 
> leaves have dropped...and I'm ready to buy the hardware for my HTPC!
> YEAH!!! :)  
> 
> Even though I don't have any first-hand experience with MythTV, what've 
> I read and seen for screenshots absolutely BLOWS my mind. MythTV Looks 
> to be an awesome product....my hats off to the developers and other 
> people working hard to make this happen. I hope to be able to 
> contribute back once I'm educated...
> That said...
> 
> My question to everyone, is what's the best way to interface with a
> HDTV.  The TV in question is a Sony KV34HS510 Widescreen HDTV, which 
> I'll be picking up this weekend (Saturday).
> 
> The TV has tons of inputs, including DVI and Component Video (YPrPb), 
> along with the standard composite and S-Video inputs. My question is 
> what's the best route to take for maximum picture quality/resolution:
> 
> Obviously there are the S-Video options:
> 
>   - TV-Out via NForce2 Chipset
>   - TV-Out via Some Other VGA Card (Recommendations?)
>   - TV-Out via PVR-350
>     From what I understand, this is the BEST S-Video option out
>     there using the alpha ivtv drivers.
> 
> Then there are straight VGA output options:
> 
>   - Use VGA to Component (Y-Pb-Pr) Output
>     Something like the one listed here:
>     
>     http://www.digitalconnection.com/products/video/kdvtca3.asp
> 
>     Anyone work with something like this? Quality? Resolutions?
>     Know of a comparable or similar product that might be cheaper
>     but just as good?  
> 
>   - Use DVI to DVI cable 
>     I could be wrong, but my guess is this will yield the BEST
>     results possible but I've read conflicting things regarding this. 
>     Some say yes, others say no. There's also the questions of 
>     DVI-I vs DVI-D cabling, etc. Anyone have direct experience with
>     this? Pointers? References? Links? Anything? 
> 
> Or am I missing something? Any other suggestions or advice is 
> appreciated. Positives, negatives? Anything...  I'm not new to
> computers and hardware, but I have 0 to no experience with 
> interfacing with TVs.
>   
> If this has already been addressed in a FAQ or other email hidden
> somewhere in the archives, please send a link/reference. 
> 
> Thanks!
> George