Hi,
I am new to HTPC and have some minor problem in getting the thing to run as I want it to. I hope you may be able to help me.
My biggest problems are (1) the picture quality on the TV (PAL) in "computer mode" and (2) the noise.
(1) What is the correct resolution for (PAL) TV out? I am running in 800x600 which I know is too high for the TV. But running in a more PAL-like resolution is annoying. As I have the HTPC integrated with my HiFi I want to use the TV (B&O L25.2) as the only monitor.
As you can see from my HTPC configuration below, I use the Radeon 9000 128 Vivo. For some reason I have not been able to bring the S-Video out to work yet, but that is (probably/maybe) not the problem. When I show the PC desktop on the TV screen, the picture is terrible. I have problems reading letters, the desktop is rather flickering and the colors are smeared out a bit. When showing TV/MPEG-Video/DVD the picture is great except as explained below.
I have been told that I should get a low end GeForce card and that these can be forced to produce a "real" PAL output with the
www.tvtool.de. Does any of you have experiences with that?
Unfortunately I also have some interference of the cable TV caused by the computer. I run the cable-Tv "antenna" cable from the wall to a passive splitter and then to the HTPC and the TV respectively. When I watch normal TV and turn on the HTPC, I get interferences on the TV. By which component is this caused? The PSU seems most likely, right? If I deconnect or turn off the HTPC from the cable, everything is fine again.
(2) Well this is probably the most basic HTPC problem: Noise. I believe the most of my problem resides in the CPU cooler. The vendor told it would only produce 20dB and that it is temperature controlled. I don't think neither is correct. What is the most silent (payable) CPU cooler for a AMD 2000+? Alternatively what is the fastest CPU which allows for passive cooling?
Thanks for your time,
VRN (
[email protected]_)
Case/PSU: Dign 4se/D.Vine incl. VFD
MB: AsRock K7VT2
CPU: AMD Athlon XP 2000+
Cooler: Coolermaster CP-5 "Silence"
RAM: 512 MB Infenion 2700
Graphic: Sapphire Radeon 9000 128 ViVo Harddisk: Samsung 120GB, 5400 rpm.
DVD/CD: Combo Plextor PX-320A
TV/MPEG2: Hauppauge WIN-TV PVR-350
Sound: Creative Audigy 2
ISDN: Fritz! V. 2.0
IR Remote: UIRT2A + SONY RZ950
OS: Win 2000 SP3
To come:
Gyration Ultra Suite
SONY DRU500
