[kwisher]

I am in the need of either a mobo or video card that has HD component outputs. My current TV does not have DVI, VGA, or HDMI. It only has Svideo, standard component, HD component and a proprietary Mitsubishi HDI.


Any suggestions are much appreciated.


TIA

 

[CT_Wiebe]

A number of video cards (with Nvidia or ATI chipsets, from a large number of manufacturers) have component output capability (using an adapter cable, normally included). When they do, it will be stated in their brochures and manuals (but not always in their spec sheets). That capability has no relation to price either (component output capability is available in almost all price ranges).

 

[Rgb]

Does your Mits TV accept 720p or only 1080i over component?

 

[Rgb]

Here is a low cost choice-
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814121240


with a MIR and includes HDTV component cable.


I have never tried component out on Linux- I use VGA (RGB) and DVI/HDMI. Most current HDTV's on the market (panels and RP's) include VGA and at least one DVi and/or HDMI input. HDMI and DVi are interchangeable in most cases, requiring only a gender changer adapter for a few dollars.


Someone might want to chime in if they've used analog 720p or 1080i component out in Linux.

 

[kwisher]

Rgb,


How ironic that your suggestion is the same video card I have in my desktop machine.


Now on to other suggestions for my Myth backend/frontend system.


I would like to buy a mobo that has as many PCI expansion slots as possible. I eventually want to have RAID 1 or 5 ?? (redundancy for backup). How is Linux for supporting onboard Raid controllers?


I just ordered (2) Kworld 115 cards yesterday, so they will fill 2 PCI slots. If the mobo does not have onboard raid then I will need an adapter card.


This system will also be serving as my home file server for music, pictures and video (home movies and ripped DVD's). I am not a big movie collector so I will not be storing a lot of ripped DVD's or recorded stuff. Comcast does not offer many HD channels in the package I am paying for now and I do not plan on adding more HD (I'm trying to reduce my cable bill). I know once I get my Myth system working that I can get rid of Comcast's DVR box. Will I still need a converter box from them? They do have a non-DVR digital box.


TIA for any suggestions.

 

[slowbiscuit]

You can replace a Comcast DVR with a Myth box only for channels sent in the clear on QAM. That will mean all of your local channels and very little else (in HD). You can still get all your old analog channels too, but I'm not sure how good the Kworld support is for them in Myth. I only use the Kworld for the clear QAM HD channels.


You might want to look into getting a Comcast HD-only box (i.e., no DVR) so you can record the encrypted channels on your Myth box via Firewire. They charge $6.99 a month for one here. I was doing that for a while but it was a little flaky so I bought a Tivo HD to go with my dual-tuner Myth box. It has it's own quirks, but mostly works, is way better than the Comcast DVR, and gets all the channels I pay for.

 

[waterhead]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Rgb /forum/post/14183340


Here is a low cost choice-
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814121240


with a MIR and includes HDTV component cable.


I have never tried component out on Linux- I use VGA (RGB) and DVI/HDMI. Most current HDTV's on the market (panels and RP's) include VGA and at least one DVi and/or HDMI input. HDMI and DVi are interchangeable in most cases, requiring only a gender canger adapter for a few dollars.


Someone might want to chime in if they've used analog 720p or 1080i component out in Linux.

That component out adapter looks as if it is plugged into a S-Video port. Correct me if I'm wrong (and I know you will

), but S-Video is incapable of carrying HD. I have used a DVI to component adapter like this one:
http://www.mwave.com/mwave/viewspec....0&RSKU=AA34760

It has switches on it for different output resolutions. I am not currently using it, so not sure of the functionality of it.


I know, component is analog too.


As for HDTV's having a DVI input. I recently purchased a 19" HDTV for the kitchen. I wanted one with a DVI input, for my MythTV built with an ASUS Pundit. There was not even one set with a DVI input, so I settled for VGA. Larger HDTV's may have more input options.

Quote:
Originally Posted by kwisher /forum/post/14184002


I would like to buy a mobo that has as many PCI expansion slots as possible. I eventually want to have RAID 1 or 5 ?? (redundancy for backup). How is Linux for supporting onboard Raid controllers?

I was using one of these in a Fedora Linux installation
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...Tpk=SIL%2b0680

I removed it when I put a better graphics card in, and it was right next to it. I didn't want it blocking the cooling of my fanless AGP card. I didn't really need it, so I didn't bother moving it to another slot.

 

[Troubleshooter]

The connector looks like a svideo port but it's a mini-din port that outputs component, composite and svideo with the dongle plugged into it. I had zero issues using component out with an nvidia card in the past...Really easy to get going at 1080i or 720p. Never got 1080p over component to work though.


-Trouble

 

[CT_Wiebe]

I was under the impression that 1080p would only work with a digital signal (DVI or HDMI).

 

[Rgb]



Quote:
Originally Posted by CT_Wiebe /forum/post/14188320


I was under the impression that 1080p would only work with a digital signal (DVI or HDMI).

...or analog VGA/RGB.


While analog component (YPbPr) generally was limited to 720p and 1080i on CE devices, I believe component can technically handle 1080p, at least the cabling. PC's can obviously output 1080p over analog component, the problem is, many CE display devices won't take 1080p over component, while most will take 1080p over VGA and DVI/HDMI.

 

[Troubleshooter]

Yeah I kind of figured over time that 1080p over component just couldn't be done. Didn't matter....That HTPC was retired and now I'm using a G35 based setup via hdmi....which absolutely blows due to to driver problems. Makes me want those nvidia drivers back

-Trouble

 

[kwisher]

To all,


Thanks for your suggestions and knowledge with this subject. I will be out of town till Thursday and would really like a few suggestions on a motherboard. I will go with Rgb"s recommendation on the video card. This should work for now with my current TV until I get a better one.


Am I dreaming to big on what I am wanting from this system according to my previous post?

 

[kwisher]

To all,


I'd really like some recommendations, please.


Thanks

 

[Rgb]

Don't know how many slots you need, but here are some choices:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813138111

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813130176

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128333

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813138109

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128014

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?p=MB-...2edeaca2c2a9d1

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=MB-MCP6PM2


The moral of the story for media PC mobo's- don't buy one with a fan on the board (nortbridge/etc). Stick with passive cooling out of the box.

 

[kwisher]

Rgb,


Much thanks for all the useful links, I really appreciate everyone's advise and recommendations on this forum. I believe I will go with the last NewEgg link you provided for my mobo and pair it with a Athlon 64 X2 4800+ 2.4ghz cpu.


Upon further investigation on the Kworld HD PCI-115 tuner cards I purchased, this card does not do any onboard decoding/encoding and any decoding/encoding is done with software and the CPU. Is this good or bad? Would I be better off with cards that did onboard decoding/encoding?


If software decoding/encoding is acceptable, will 1gb of ram be adequate?


TIA

 

[newlinux]



Quote:
Originally Posted by kwisher /forum/post/14220266


Rgb,


Much thanks for all the useful links, I really appreciate everyone's advise and recommendations on this forum. I believe I will go with the last NewEgg link you provided for my mobo and pair it with a Athlon 64 X2 4800+ 2.4ghz cpu.


Upon further investigation on the Kworld HD PCI-115 tuner cards I purchased, this card does not do any onboard decoding/encoding and any decoding/encoding is done with software and the CPU. Is this good or bad? Would I be better off with cards that did onboard decoding/encoding?


If software decoding/encoding is acceptable, will 1gb of ram be adequate?


TIA

For digital stations no encoding of the stream is necessary, the card simply captures the mpeg-2 stream. I don't know any cards that work with Linux that do digital decoding, and you'd probably want your video card and CPU to handle that anyway.


For analog recordings, yes you will be doing software decoding with that card, but that really isn't processor intensive by today's processor standards. A 700Mhz PIII can do it. 1GB is more than adequate for capturing digital streams and encoding analog streams and decoding both.

 

[Rgb]



Quote:
Originally Posted by kwisher /forum/post/14184002


Rgb,


How ironic that your suggestion is the same video card I have in my desktop machine.


.

I just remembered- 8000 series Nvidia cards don't support XvMC, IIRC,
http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=102221


so if that's important to you, you might want a 7000 series like

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814121256


newegg has a great return/exchange policy if needed.

 

[kwisher]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Rgb /forum/post/14221047


I just remembered- 8000 series Nvidia cards don't support XvMC, IIRC,
http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=102221


so if that's important to you, you might want a 7000 series like

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814121256


newegg has a great return/exchange policy if needed.

Thanks for the "heads-up". I think I will be safe and go with your second recommendation.

 

[waterhead]

One thing that I found to be important, when choosing a motherboard, is the number of internal USB headers. There are a number of things that can be attached this way, such as:


Remote Control Receiver (internal)

Front USB Port(s)

Front Memory Card Readers


I'm sure that I'm forgetting some, but that would be three, and most mobo's only have two. Some only have one.


The reason this stood out for me, was because I have a case where the MCE remote receiver is mounted internally. I had to route the connection out the back, and plug it into an external USB slot. I know that the MCE receiver has a USB plug on the end, but I'm sure that I could have modified it.


Here is the case that I ran into that situation with. See all of the front ports that need a connection, and let's not forget the MCE receiver.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811128022

 

[jimsiff]

If you're planning to use a 4800+, I would rather use a 7000 series board than an 8000 series. That way you could experiment with XvMC if you run into CPU load problems when viewing Live TV. I run a 5000+ Black Edition, overclocked to 3.2 GHz. It has similar performance to a 6000+, and still has problems with stuttering Live TV when using CPU intensive deinterlacers such as Yadif and GreedyHighMotion.


The 4800+ should do fine if you dial X and Myth in correctly, but If you can afford it, I'd consider a faster processor.