[Oz-E]

Just a quick simple question for the folks that have been their and done it. I use a standard 32" TV, component/s-video inputs only. No Hi-Def or anything yet.


I want the features of a HTPC, not so much the added PQ like folks using PJ's.


So my question. Can I get reasonable quality out of a HTPC with a plain old 32" TV? As good a quality or slightly less?


I hooked up my laptop via s-video to myy TV the other day just for a quick look. Looked horrible on the desktop. Hoping I can do it wihtout shelling out for a better TV right now.


Cheers

 

[captain insano]

it will probably continue to look crappy. I have a 36" HDTV and tried just hooking up my htpc via svideo and the desktop screen was pretty much unreadable.


DVDs looked fair at best as there was fixed pattern noise (diagonal waves) across the whole screen.


I bought a transcoder and then hooked it up through the component inputs and it was night and day difference.


What features are you really interested in? DVD playback, timeshifting TV, music...


you could try it with a transcoder but those are ~$100+ and that could go toward a new TV

 

[Oz-E]

Thanks for the reply.


Pretty much all I want is...


A) A new Toy.

B) Timeshifting


I rarely have time to watch the shows I Like at the time their on so I'd love to be able to record them regulary every week.


But if I'ts going to be like watching a VHS tape straight after a DVD then Im not too interested. Pretty sure I cant get a Tivo in my area either.

 

[Oz-E]

Just been reading up on the XCard a bit. Since it offers component output without the need for the ATi Dongle would I get better PQ using this as my output rather than my video card?

 

[crix0r]

Hey Oz-E -


I would venture to say yes, since there would be no overlay or any other processing on the signal.. (From the ATI card or anything else) but I think I've read somewhere that the xcard has some issues with component out... Of course, I've been reading so much lately that I could have gotten the xcard and another product mixed up in my head


crix0r