[mythtv-users] Graphics card recomendation

[Michael T. Dean]

On 09/01/06 19:50, Dylan Semler wrote:

>  On 8/31/06, Brad DerManouelian <myth at dermanouelian.com> wrote:
>
> > On Aug 31, 2006, at 1:29 PM, Dylan Semler wrote:
> >
> >> So.. you guys are saying I should go with the 5200? : )
> >
> > What's a 5200? Oh, right. I picked up a 6600-OC and have been
> > thrilled with it. My basic requirements was that is was nVidia and
> > had a dual-link DVI port on it. I would think a 5200 with dual-link
> > DVI would be just as good - but harder to find. Even if you aren't
> > going to use dual-link immediately, you will one day, I'm sure.
>
>  By Dual-link DVI port, you mean two DVI ports?

No.  Dual-link DVI means a single DVI connector (using all 24 pins on 
the digital side) behind which sit two TMSD transmitters (at least on 
the video out side--receivers for video in on the TV).  This is 
necessary because the only way to transmit a 1080p signal on a 
single-link DVI connection is by reducing the blanking interval and 
basically using all the available bandwidth for the data.  This 
typically over-taxes the (cheap) TMDS transmitters available in most 
video cards, and will only work with certain display technologies (such 
as LCD monitors), so if you want to drive 1080p (versus 1080i) via DVI, 
you really should use a dual-link DVI connection.

See http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/mythtv/users/173600#173600

>  If so, what's the big
>  drawback with those that have one VGA and one DVI. Most monitors
>  support both inputs and I've never been able to tell the difference
>  in picture quality between the two. At the very least, aren't there
>  VGA->DVI adapters that I could use?

You could go VGA to DVI-A (analog), but VGA (analog) to DVI-D (digital) 
is much more complex.  Regardless, VGA will work fine--assuming your TV 
accepts a VGA signal at the resolution you want.

Mike