[brotherthx]

I'm a newbie when it comes to htpc, but I just bought a "VisionTek XTASY 5564 2d/3d accelerator". Basically, it's a Nvidia Gforce 2 MX400. It does the trick for games (although the colors aren't quite as good as my brother's Matrox G400), but is it up to a videophiles standards on the big screen? Any reviews out there? Just for reference, I have a Sony Vpl-vw10ht Front projector.....ANY COMMENTS WOULD BE GREAT!


H A P P Y H A L L O W E E N

 

[jimg]

In a word, yes. Especially if you set the vertical refresh for a multiple of the DVD's 24 frames per second. (i.e. 72 Hz.) Because frames aren't "split", this will be better than most of the DVD players out there.


Unfortunately, the color issue is more widespread and problematic since there are many more variables: i.e. starting from the DVD program material itself through all the video hardware to the type of screen that you're projecting on, to your eye's perception of the color spectrum.


Check the reviews of the latest DVD "calibration" discs and buy/rent one of them. By going through a first-level calibration you'll be getting both a good education and appreciation of video set-up.


Go for it.... (and share any tips/tricks you find.)

 

[brotherthx]

Thanks for the info....I just might keep this card then....

 

[imws]

Terrence try the Home Theater Computers forum.


The ATI Radeon LE is the card to have these days for HTPC.


I dumped a GeForce2 Ultra 64 in favor of the Radeon because of its outstanding results with DVD playback.

 

[FredB]

My recent purchase of Dell PC has a 32MB NVidia GeForce2 4X AGP Graphics Card. The monitor I have been using is a 19†flat screen ViewSonic A95f. Last weekend I decided to check its video performance with the Video Essential’s test DVD. The only test the PC system clearly failed was the black level test. In fact, “Pluge Stripes†were not visible at all. Later, I watched a couple of DVD’s (Man in Black and Cast Away) and actual viewing sessions confirmed the test findings: inadequate reproduction of black. Is it because of the crummy DVD transport that came with the computer? Is it the Graphic card or is it the monitor? Overall, video performance of the PC system is inferior to my Toshiba CN36X81 TV and Panasonic DVD combination. Are we to conclude that PC based high-end video is not quite there yet? If that’s the case why bother with HTPC at all?