What Video Card and TV Tuner Cards are required for my setup?

[darrennye]

Hi all...

I need help to understand what video card to purchase and what TV tuner cards to purchase, and how to properly connect several devices.

Here's the situation -- I plan on setting up a Windows XP Pro PC as a home media server (see complete specs below), connected to a Mitsubishi WS-65905 rear projection system. This setup will be used for:

1) Store and play my music and video files or view pictures (or transfer to ipod)
2) Running SageTV for recording both Standard Definition and High Definition via a Comcast Cable HD STB
3) Occassionally play games including online multiplayer (possibly when SageTV is not recording?)

The WS-65905 is a rather old 16:9 system. The back panel has connections for 480p (where my DVD and Xbox are currently connected) and 1080i (where the STB is currently connected).

The 1080i input on the WS-65905 can be set to either Component (Analog YPrPb) or RGBHV.

I am a Comcast Cable customer and have a Motorola HD STB, which is currently connected to the WS-65905's 1080i Component input. I am not sure exactly what model the Motorola HD STB is. However, it has USB and Ethernet connections on the back (I'm not sure what these would be for?) and a location for a 1394 firewire port, but it is not punched out.


So my first question is - what PCI-e/x16 video card would be best to use in the HTPC, to connect to the WS-65905?


I have read about three options that seem to be possible solutions:

1) Use any standard nVidia or ATI gamers card with a VGA output, and then use a VGA breakout cable (VGA connector on one end, and RGBHV connectors on the other) connected to the 1080i input. However, there was a note that most of these breakout cables have BNC connectors on them; I would need 5 BNC to RCA adapters to plug the cable into the TV.

2) Use any standard nVidia or ATI gamers card with a VGA output, and then use a VGA to Component transcoder such as:
http://www.palit.com.tw/en/products/vdo_dtv280.html
http://www.digitalconnection.com/Pro...Video/9a60.asp
http://www.digitalconnection.com/Pro...eo/kdvtca3.asp

3) Purchase an ATI Radeon gaming card that also has an HDTV Component Adapter.

I have a hunch that using an ATI card with an HDTV Component Adapter might be the safest/best way to go. Any comments or recommendations on the above options??

However, which card should I buy? I'm willing to spend $200 to $300 or so, maybe more. I rarely play PC games but I want that option.

As I understand it, I may need to use Powerstrip to customize the resolutions to get the HTPC output looking as good as possible on the WS-65905?


My next question, is can I record HD digital stations from the Motorola STB onto the HTPC, using the STB to tune the station?

I think the answer is yes, based on these threads:

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9288
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hreadid=403695
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/archi.../t-494402.html

Apparently this would be done via the IR control and Firewire ports on the Motorola STB. Thus, I would need to replace the STB with one that has a firewire port.


What I don't understand in the above scenario, would I need an HDTV Tuner Card from SageTV? Apparently the card below is only for OTA HD?

http://store.sagetv.com/Merchant2/me...tegory_Code=HD

Do I need ANY tuner card, if I'm receiving a data feed from the STB via firewire?


Assume the firewire connection does not work with my setup, then do I have any options for recording my HD programs from the STB?


Last question, since I only have one 1080i input in my WS-65905, I assume there is no point to buy a second Motorola HD STB for use with just the HTPC? Or is there some sort of A/B switch box that can be used for Component video?


Any help on the above would be greatly appreciated!!


Here's the PC I ordered (not including a video card):

Asus A8N32-SLI DELUXE Socket939/nForce4 SLI x16/RAID/2GbE Motherboard
AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core Processor 3800+*
DDR400 2GB Kingston Original MemoryDDR400
Western Digital Raptor 740GD 74GB SATA 10K rpm 8MB Hard Drive
Seagate 3500641AS 500GB SATAII 7200rpm 16MB NCQ Hard Drive
Plextor PX-740A-BP/BL 16x Dual Layer DVD+/-RW Drive
ASUS E616A DVD-ROM (Black), RetailDVD
Teac 1.44MB 3.5in Black Floppy Drive
ThermalTake VB8000BNS Bach Home Theater Case
Thermaltake W0023 Silent 560W SATA/PFC 24/20pin Power Supply
Microsoft Windows XP Pro W/SP2