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573 Posts
My spiffy new AccessDTV card came, and I installed it tonight. My config:
AMD XP2000+
Leadtek nForce2 Mobo
256MB PC2100
IOMagic PVR Vidcap/Tuner card (I feed my DirecTV into this for DScaler)
AccessDTV card
Radeon 9000
This is feeding a Panasonic LC75u projector - that's equivalent to a 1024x768 monitor. I'm NOT running Powerstrip because I don't seem to need it.
The install went ok (gotta say the docs are a bit sparse), and the little antenna works a LOT better than I had expected it would. I haven't upgraded the software off the web; the latest version up there without that scary "Beta" word in front of it is 2.4, which is what came with the card.
But - I've got some weird problems:
1) You know how you can pick 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1440i (no overlay) and 1080p (no overlay)? Well, all of them except 720p work. But - all of them except 480p "blink". That means the screen goes black for a second or two before coming back. I've got good signal (about 6-7 pips below "good" on the meter), so not sure what's going on here.
2) 720p works with no "blink", and I'd like to run in this ALL the time, but for some reason the colors screw up when I switch to this mode in full screen - for a split second, full screen comes up, but then it immediately "blinks" and turns this wild psychedelic pink color. Um...this might be recent - I could SWEAR it wasn't doing this the first hour I was messing with the card setting it up (?). When I flip back to overlay mode, THAT comes up (desktop to) for a split second in that weird pink color before "blinking" and returning to normal.
3) Can somebody explain that "Source" and "Destination" setting to me (Fullscreen, Curtain, Letterbox)? It doesn't seem to change anything in overlay or fullscreen mode! Frequently, I'll have a black border all the way around the screen (top/bottom AND sides) in fullscreen mode. ER came on tonight, and I know that's broadcast in HiDef mode, and I assumed it was 16:9. This means I figured I'd get a letterboxed image on the screen in fullscreen. Instead, I get a full 4:3. I flipped back and forth between full and overlay - overlay IS in 16:9 mode. But I don't think the sides of the picture are getting cut off when I go fullscreen 4:3...
4) This one I think I know the answer to - is there anyway to get AC3 from this card via my motherboard's SPDIF out? Otherwise, I'm sort of hosed - my Denon 1082 only has a single Coax input, and since I play DVD's through my HTPC also, I'll have to get some sort of Coax switchbox, or else one of those pricey Coax-to-Optical gizmos (my 1082 DOES have 3 optical inputs). I'm betting the answer is "No", though.
What it boils down to - I was hoping to get a 1024x576 picture on the 16:9 stuff, and the full 1024x768 for 4:3 stuff. I figure I should never see vertical black bars on my screen - just letterboxing for non 4:3 material. Should I get the Beta (RC2) of v2003.6?
One last note - the picture (between blinks, anyway) in everything but 480p is FANTASTIC! It's going to be REALLY tough going back to watching DirecTV through my old IOMagic card and DScaler. 480p looks great too; just a bit too blocky.
--KS
AMD XP2000+
Leadtek nForce2 Mobo
256MB PC2100
IOMagic PVR Vidcap/Tuner card (I feed my DirecTV into this for DScaler)
AccessDTV card
Radeon 9000
This is feeding a Panasonic LC75u projector - that's equivalent to a 1024x768 monitor. I'm NOT running Powerstrip because I don't seem to need it.
The install went ok (gotta say the docs are a bit sparse), and the little antenna works a LOT better than I had expected it would. I haven't upgraded the software off the web; the latest version up there without that scary "Beta" word in front of it is 2.4, which is what came with the card.
But - I've got some weird problems:
1) You know how you can pick 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1440i (no overlay) and 1080p (no overlay)? Well, all of them except 720p work. But - all of them except 480p "blink". That means the screen goes black for a second or two before coming back. I've got good signal (about 6-7 pips below "good" on the meter), so not sure what's going on here.
2) 720p works with no "blink", and I'd like to run in this ALL the time, but for some reason the colors screw up when I switch to this mode in full screen - for a split second, full screen comes up, but then it immediately "blinks" and turns this wild psychedelic pink color. Um...this might be recent - I could SWEAR it wasn't doing this the first hour I was messing with the card setting it up (?). When I flip back to overlay mode, THAT comes up (desktop to) for a split second in that weird pink color before "blinking" and returning to normal.
3) Can somebody explain that "Source" and "Destination" setting to me (Fullscreen, Curtain, Letterbox)? It doesn't seem to change anything in overlay or fullscreen mode! Frequently, I'll have a black border all the way around the screen (top/bottom AND sides) in fullscreen mode. ER came on tonight, and I know that's broadcast in HiDef mode, and I assumed it was 16:9. This means I figured I'd get a letterboxed image on the screen in fullscreen. Instead, I get a full 4:3. I flipped back and forth between full and overlay - overlay IS in 16:9 mode. But I don't think the sides of the picture are getting cut off when I go fullscreen 4:3...
4) This one I think I know the answer to - is there anyway to get AC3 from this card via my motherboard's SPDIF out? Otherwise, I'm sort of hosed - my Denon 1082 only has a single Coax input, and since I play DVD's through my HTPC also, I'll have to get some sort of Coax switchbox, or else one of those pricey Coax-to-Optical gizmos (my 1082 DOES have 3 optical inputs). I'm betting the answer is "No", though.
What it boils down to - I was hoping to get a 1024x576 picture on the 16:9 stuff, and the full 1024x768 for 4:3 stuff. I figure I should never see vertical black bars on my screen - just letterboxing for non 4:3 material. Should I get the Beta (RC2) of v2003.6?
One last note - the picture (between blinks, anyway) in everything but 480p is FANTASTIC! It's going to be REALLY tough going back to watching DirecTV through my old IOMagic card and DScaler. 480p looks great too; just a bit too blocky.
--KS