[neopolaris]

I have scoured the posts in the HTPC forums and am still quite confused. I don't expect my possible HTPC to be perfect but am still wondering if I can have readable text and decent usability for my family. I'm not worried about tinkering with stuff and I enjoy tweaking.

Now, we love our Wega. I realize it has limitations but can it do "alright" in a HTPC environment? I do not expect full screen "everything" and black bars do not bother me at all. They ONLY bug me when I go to someone else's house-they usually have their black level cranked.


1: I realize it has limitations but can it do "alright" in a HTPC environment?


2: I'm OK with using Powerstrip, are the available resolutions decent or will they be small in comparison to the full size of the set? IE: too small to use.


3: Should I use my GeForce3 or my 8500? I do not have any component adapter for the 8500. Discovering that there was such a thing has renewed my interest in a possible HTPC solution. I just have bare cards.

Things that we would like to do:

I'd like to use something like myHTPC

Watch High Quality DVD content

Music, music, music

Look at our family pics and digital8 movies

Tivoweb

callerID

any popular/current PC games would be a HUGE bonus to me

Internet surfing at a reasonably readable size would be sweet also


We currently look at our family pics with the Xbox Music Mixer. We also have about 300 mp3 files on it divided into 100 Soundtracks (Xbox limit).

I've burnt CD's of our digital8 movies for viewing on our DVD player. It was kinda a PITA. I would like to just have just raw footage on a burnt CD for archiving and then just watch the movie off the hard drive.

Components:

36"XBR400

STR-DE545 A/V Receiver

DVP-NS715P DVD player

SVR-2000 30hr Tivo (adding Tivonet soon)

Polk Audio 5.1 surround sound speakers, Infinity Sub

Xbox

VL-900 learning remote for all of the above.

64MB GeForce3ti200, 128MB ti200, 64MB Radeon 8500(nonLE/V/Pro)

2x80GB, 3x40GB hard drives

Pioneer IDE DVD

SB Live, Hercules Fortissimo III 7.1

older Aimslab tv/fm/video capture card. Video Highway Xtreme is the name.


Thank you so much for any type of closure on this. I'd like to have a better idea before I buy a $40 ATI VGA->Component adapter.


neopolaris

 

[neopolaris]

I tried the TV-out feature yesterday. Um, it was pretty ugly. Will the component video adapter for my 8500 at least make it look clearer?


Anyone?

 

[neopolaris]

anyone?

 

[captain insano]

if you are using Svideo now, then a component adapter or a transcoder will look night and day difference.


I could not even read the text using Svideo out to an HDTV, but added a transcoder and the dvdpicture and desktop screen was great.

 

[Nox]

I have a 9800 All-in-wonder with the component video out. I've played with it on my tursty old Toshiba TW40X81 (40" widscreen rptv) and, just for kicks, on my Sharp M20x projector.


As far as clarity, it does a nice job actually. It's far better than the composite or s-video out on the cards. It allows you to do 480i, 480p, 720p and 1080i output. It offers good colors too which are adjustable in the display properties. It's definately not as good as running DVI or RGB to the TV, but it was definately clear. All the fonts were legible on screen, for example.


There are limitations though. There is a lot of overscan. The latest software (at least for the Radeon line) does have a feature that will fit the image, but it only works in 480p (at least for me, anyway).


The other resolutions work in a "pan and scan" way. Example: When displaying a Windows desktop as you move the arrow around the screen, the screen will move as needed to view the portions of the destop that doesn't fit on the viewable screen.


DVD movies can only be viewed in 480p or 480i due to Macrovision. I had adjusted my projector to accommodate 720p thinking it'd make a decent upscaler, but no DVD software player would allow me to run the movies unless I changed resolution.


Don't get me wrong, the fact that Ati marketed this component video output is great...unfortunately, it turned out to be a hassle for me. I'm really a plug-n-play guy deep down.

 

[neopolaris]

Hey, I really appreciate the info fellas. I'm very anxious to buy the component adapter-but I wanted to make sure it would make a fairly significant dif. Would I have better luck just spending more and going with a transcoder?

 

[neopolaris]

OK, I found the Cliff notes

I didn't realize it was so throughly reviewed.

 

[jvincent]

Nox,


To get the most out of your AIW via component you need to run powerstrip to fix the timing / overscan. That will let you run an 856x480P desktop with virtually no overscan.


Also, for DVD playback you should use either AnyDVD or DVDidle to strip macrovision and playback at 1776x1000i or 1920x1080i.


I have the same TV and you will be amazed at the difference.


I'd suggest cracking a beer (or two) and reading through the custom resolution thread that's stickied at the top of this forum. There are also some more recent (and shorter) dongle related threads. Try searching on Toshiba and dongle and you'll find them.