bump still looking for some info
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Quick question about htpc and hdtv
When I hook my htpc up to my standard TV I can't read text hardly at all (as I figured). DVD and avi movies are no better than what I can get out of my stand alone dvd player. I am outputting from s-video on my gforce2mx card. I pretty much expect all of these things, though maybe I would get better picture on an ati.
When I run my sat (dishnetwork basic sat reciever) into my haupage wintv card (old card) through regular coaxial cable and use dscaler to watch tv.. the quality really isn't that much better than my tv. Actualyl there are some artifect umm horizontal lines that shimmy around the screen somewhat. When I change the resolution in dscaler istelf, it doesnt make any difference in pq. I am a dscaler n00b I am afraid.
I am currently budgeting to buy a 32" standard TV soon (have been thinking about it for awhile), but after recent experimentations with PQ on standard tv's.. only thing I think that I will get out of my htpc is just central file storage instead of having to pop in a new dvd all the time. Based on this, I am thinking about buying a low end HDTV set instead. Probably the bare bones samsung 27" 4:3 display (though I really want 32" at least, lol). I have a hard time justifing the cost to my wife who really doesnt care about PQ all that much.
Questions:
1) If I purchase an HDTV set and a newer ATI card with dvi out.. then use the dvi-composite adapter and send that to the HDTV.. will text be readable just as it is on my montior (I figure I will have to use something like powerstrip though I am n00b with that)?
2)Will messing with refresh rates with powerstrip make PQ better on a standard tv, or is that really only something to use with HDTV?
3)Is my bad PQ with dscaler because of the old tv tuner card with regular coaxial cable input?
4)If I upgrade to a new tv tuner card (prob nothing like myhd or something since I don't recieve and hdtv programming atm.. or maybe myhd would be fine anyways?) will the PQ be better at least on my computer monitor, or do I need actual digital programming (might need to upgrade my reciever or go with digital cable.. prob go with digital cable)?
I mostly plan on using this at first for watching stored DVD's off my hard drive. I do not have an unlimited budget.. well with the wifes hand on the purse strings it is fairly limited, heh.. but PQ does matter to me. If HDTV makes enough difference.. especially if it has clear text with a computer inputted into it, I think I can sell her on it.
So overall.. is it worth it? And as another selling point, is didgital cable->dscaler on htpc->dvi to component output on an ati card->hdtv set a huge improvement on my regular dish network sat reciever into the svideo input on my 20" rca flatscreen?
Help me sell her on it
EDIT: I may have said composite instead of component a few times.. I really mix those up, and honestly do not know the difference. From what I can see that tv only has component input.. if that makes a difference.
2nd Edit: Link to the tv: http://www.bestbuy.com/detail.asp?e=...t=24&scat=1470
When I run my sat (dishnetwork basic sat reciever) into my haupage wintv card (old card) through regular coaxial cable and use dscaler to watch tv.. the quality really isn't that much better than my tv. Actualyl there are some artifect umm horizontal lines that shimmy around the screen somewhat. When I change the resolution in dscaler istelf, it doesnt make any difference in pq. I am a dscaler n00b I am afraid.
I am currently budgeting to buy a 32" standard TV soon (have been thinking about it for awhile), but after recent experimentations with PQ on standard tv's.. only thing I think that I will get out of my htpc is just central file storage instead of having to pop in a new dvd all the time. Based on this, I am thinking about buying a low end HDTV set instead. Probably the bare bones samsung 27" 4:3 display (though I really want 32" at least, lol). I have a hard time justifing the cost to my wife who really doesnt care about PQ all that much.
Questions:
1) If I purchase an HDTV set and a newer ATI card with dvi out.. then use the dvi-composite adapter and send that to the HDTV.. will text be readable just as it is on my montior (I figure I will have to use something like powerstrip though I am n00b with that)?
2)Will messing with refresh rates with powerstrip make PQ better on a standard tv, or is that really only something to use with HDTV?
3)Is my bad PQ with dscaler because of the old tv tuner card with regular coaxial cable input?
4)If I upgrade to a new tv tuner card (prob nothing like myhd or something since I don't recieve and hdtv programming atm.. or maybe myhd would be fine anyways?) will the PQ be better at least on my computer monitor, or do I need actual digital programming (might need to upgrade my reciever or go with digital cable.. prob go with digital cable)?
I mostly plan on using this at first for watching stored DVD's off my hard drive. I do not have an unlimited budget.. well with the wifes hand on the purse strings it is fairly limited, heh.. but PQ does matter to me. If HDTV makes enough difference.. especially if it has clear text with a computer inputted into it, I think I can sell her on it.
So overall.. is it worth it? And as another selling point, is didgital cable->dscaler on htpc->dvi to component output on an ati card->hdtv set a huge improvement on my regular dish network sat reciever into the svideo input on my 20" rca flatscreen?
Help me sell her on it
EDIT: I may have said composite instead of component a few times.. I really mix those up, and honestly do not know the difference. From what I can see that tv only has component input.. if that makes a difference.
2nd Edit: Link to the tv: http://www.bestbuy.com/detail.asp?e=...t=24&scat=1470
