Help with Blur,HDTV connect:)

[Methius]

Hello,
While surfing the internet, I came upon the site of htpcnews.com.
Upon advice I'm trying sagetv and have built a htpc with the setup:
AMD XP 2600+
512mb 400mhz RAM (Infineon)
PVR-250
Ati 9600 (non-pro, not SE) 256mb ram Svid connected to SDTV
160gb HD

Now my Qs:
While watching recordings/Livetv on Sagetv i get slight blurring in high motion scenes.
I have the PowerDVD decoder enabled with Overlay.
I have NVDVD installed (from a former Nvidia card) but which decoder is it? The Nvidia Video Decoder? (Quality is as good as PDVD, but it puts out in 16:9, I get horizontal black bars)

I want to get the same/better quality than TV cable, so should I get the X-Card or go soft-decoding?
(DVD's work perfectly, so maybe there is another prob??)

Another Q:
I have an Sony Trinitron 100Hz SDTV at the mom, when I upgrade to HDTV (in the near future) what addons should I get? Adi HDTV dongle?
I heard that isn't compatible in Europe (Netherlands where I live) so what should I get then?

Sorry for my incorrect spelling, but I'm typing this in a hurry and I'm dutch .

Thanks in advance
M

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by Methius

While watching recordings/Livetv on Sagetv i get slight blurring in high motion scenes.
...
(DVD's work perfectly, so maybe there is another prob??)

I think the first thing to try would be to bump up the recording quality setting in Setup -> Detailed Setup -> Multimedia. I higher quality setting should help with those faster motion scenes.

- Andy

[Methius]

Thanks for the quick responce,
but it still is less than tv image.

What can I do 'bout it?
For the best output, should I get an hardware decoder card?

And which one should I get? (that can still output windows etc, so PVR350 & Xcard are out of the Q I think)

Thx in advance (again )

[kny3twalker]

http://www.sigmadesigns.com/products...am4000_faq.htm

it will display the desktop

[gplasky]

Not to the TV.

From the FAQ:
Will the NetStream 4000 display the desktop to the TV?

No. The NetStream 4000 will display only decoded video to the TV or overlay the video onto a VGA monitor. The NetStream 4000 does not scan convert the desktop and output it to the TV.

And it will only output one or the other:
Can the NetStream 4000 display both the VGA and TV outputs, simultaneously?

No. The NetStream 4000 will output to either the VGA or TV.

So the only way to get the desktop is on a VGA monitor and if you do that you can't output to the TV.

Gerry

[Methius]

That's a shame..
Seems there are no MPEG decoders available that could function without a graphics card (read: put out Windows Desktop/SageTV).

[kny3twalker]

Sorry I gave the wrong link
it is a Netstream 2000TV that can but sigma has removed it from the website
everytime I click on info for the card
the website sends me back to the home page
sorry about the confusion but that card should be able to do it
Netstream 2000TV

different than the Netstream 2000 or 4000

What should I do when I hook up a television set to NetStream 2000 and want to see the Windows desktop?


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


This is possible using a special version of NetStream 2 called NetStream 2T. This is not available in NetStream 2000. A new board, the NetStream 2000TV allows you to do it.

http://www.sigmadesigns.com/products...tstream2.htm#8

[Methius]

So if I understand correctly, this card does:
- Windows output, etc (Sagetv display, etc)
- MPEG decoding (hardware)
- Audio out

To make it short,I would get the exact same thing what I have now, only with better output, hardware MPEG decoding AND future HDTV Support?

(so no more screwing around with decoders, etc, just perfect output?)

The only downsides:
- Price $$$$$$$
- Can I get it in Europe (Netherlands?)

Anyone have any experience with this card?

Thanks for all the info

[Crowdx42]

Wow,, does this card output to the desktop OR tv OR does it output the desktop to the the tv output?? i.e. does it really output the OSD to TV or does it just output playback to the desktop and so then the normal video card outputs to the tv?

Patrick

[stanger89]

It's definitely passthrough, although it looks like it will take VGA input and output it as 480i/p Composite, S-Video, RGB, or YUV.

FWIW, if anyone wants to look at the manual:
http://driver.ru/gf.php?file_id=10480&sid=1410126898
Had to go to some Russian site to get it since Sigma seems to... never mind, if you can't say something nice...

[Methius]

Dammit, this card costs about $480 (384€) where I live....
Is there no more affordable card? :-/
The Xcard is just what I seek, only the desktop/OSD thing is missing...

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by stanger89

FWIW, if anyone wants to look at the manual:
http://driver.ru/gf.php?file_id=10480&sid=1410126898
Had to go to some Russian site to get it

I got sent to the main Russian site. If you want what looks like the same site in English, try here. The link to the manual seems to change, so just look for the "Download File" link at the bottom... at least that's what I had to do.

- Andy

[stanger89]

Funny I just clicked my link and it started up Acrobat. Who knows...