[S. Stogel]

I know the question looks like I should use the search function, but my question is kind of specific. A friend of mine who is not at all into AV stuff just bought a Sony 43-inch HDTV-ready 4x3 TV. The one going for $1700-$2000 all over the place. Anyway, I think it can resolve 480p or 1080i, not 720p.


He doesn't even have a dvd player. He watched DVDs on his computer going from the computer to the tv via S-video. My question is what all does he need to get better picture from his computer. I know nothing about htpc's so what does he need to turn his computer and dvd rom into an htpc?


I'm guessing he needs some kind of software to manipulate the resolution? Maybe a special cable (rgb to I don't know what)? Is that pretty much it? Also, can you use HTPCs to line double other sources (like DirecTV)? Thanks for any help.


Steve

 

[Morbius]

Steve,


If he is watching DVDs on his computer, then he has a software DVD player. The most used software DVD players

are WinDVD, PowerDVD, and some card-specific players like the ATI players.


He should have an RGB output on the video card - and use that instead of S-video.


The resolution is manipulated via Powerstrip.


Yes - it is the norm for HTPCs to "line double" or deinterlace - since most computer displays are progressive

scan rather than interlaced.


Dr. Gregory Greenman

Physicist

 

[JasonX]

He needs a VGA to component video transcoder. Do a search for "transcoder" and read, read, read . With the right resolution and timings set up in Powerstrip it should look as good as a progressive-scan DVD standalone unit.


Setting up the resolutions is a bit laborious, but kinda fun, since you can see exactly what reolutions the set supports. 720p is probably a no-go, but things like 486xsomething and other oddball resolutions might work and be useful. If he doesn't like to tweak stuff, he should probably just buy a standalone player.


In answer to your topic question: HTPCs can (and frequently do) do everything a regular computer can do, along with video scaling, TV/HDTV tuning, feeding digital music and 5.1 audio to a decoder, along with a host of other things that are still being fiddled around with. They're loads of fun.


Jason

 

[Alec]

Check out Malata PDVD-N996
http://www.avdeals.com/malatan996.htm
http://www.nerd-out.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=17


VGA output, PAL/NTSC, all regions, DVD-Audio, MP3, SVCD playback

 

[S. Stogel]

Thanks for the help, guys.


Steve