X-Card just ordered

[stanger89]

Originally posted by salsbst
Is the 350's "no DVDs" limitation a macrovision and/or CSS thing? If you can find a way to defeat macrovision and CSS is this still a limitation?

The primary reason is CSS, but there is no AC3 support either. Some have had success by stripping DVDs "movie only." I'm not sure if you can use the 350 to decode video and your soundcard to output AC3 or not though.

[SHS]

VIP = Video Interface Port
Summary
Many digital video devices require access to the graphics display adapter’s frame buffer memory to allow advanced feature support such as Video conferencing, DVD playback, and enhanced TV support. VESA VIP is a dedicated physical connection between a graphics adapter and one or more 3rd party hardware devices, such as MPEG-2 or HDTV decoders, video digitizers, video encoders, etc. With a dedicated connection, devices supplying video data do not have to compete with other data movement on the current industry standard PCI bus.

Only card that work ATI Rage/Rage Pro and nVidia RIVA though GF2 and if really there are a few GF3 out there with VIP.
Look like this
VIP 26pin header

ATI VIP with AMC 26/40pin header which mean it dual mode port.

[Crowdx42]

So is this a correct summing up. When I am watching tv "live" sage will be rendering through my video card onto the tv? And only when I playback something recorded will I get any benefit from the X-Card?
Correct?
Patrick

[SHS]

LiveTV is also benefit from the X-Card as well

[stanger89]

LiveTV is actually recorded just like anything else, only it is just played back immediatly (~1sec delay), it is handled just like any other recording except you can't FFW past what has been recorded (ie into the future).

[Crowdx42]

Ok, how can live TV benefit? Does Sage use the hardware to decode? Also if I swap to set something to record, then I am back onto the main video card? So a manual switch via remote on TV or Home Theater remote?
There is no autochange between the inputs?
List of channels and recordings can only be displayed on video card
MPEG2 and MPEG4 movies play back on X-Card when input on tv is switch to the X-Card?
Is that the way it works?
Patrick

[Opus4]

Originally posted by Crowdx42
Ok, how can live TV benefit? Does Sage use the hardware to decode?

Here's a summary of what is going on:

Everything SageTV records is saved directly to a file. When you watch a previously recorded show, you are playing back the recording from a file. When you watch Live TV, you are playing back a recording from a file. The 250 has nothing to do with the output to your TV other than the fact that it is used to save the show to a file.

HOW you play it back depends on your video system.

Video card only: ALL of SageTV's output (video, interface) goes through the video card's TV out by whatever manner a particular card has to be set for TV out. You can also output the Windows desktop to the TV.

Hauppauge 350: (I don't have one, so if I say something wrong, I'm sure it will be corrected by someone else) As of version 2, ALL of SageTV's output can go through the 350 to your TV. The 350 cannot output your Windows desktop. You could also use your video card's TV out to view the desktop, if you have a 2nd input on your TV. You will then need to set your TV to watch the input you wantL 350 or video card. If your video card ONLY goes to your monitor, then it obviously won't display on your TV. Encrypted DVDs will have to be played through your video card.

xcard: (I have one) Currently, ONLY the SageTV video goes out through the xcard to your TV. The SageTV interface and playback-OSD ONLY go through your video card. The Windows desktop does not display through the xcard. You could also connect your video card to your TV, see comments for the 350. DVD playback goes through the xcard, but not using SageTV -- use a separate DVD player.

The xcard & 350 both have their advantages & disadvantages, but if you really want to use a p2-350, I think you will need to use one of them. (Again, I use a p2-400 w/2 tuners, so it all works on a slow system -- but only because of hardware encoding AND decoding.)

Did I miss anything?

Question for SHS: which output card were you referring to regarding the VIP connection? [Edit: duh, xcard. Never mind.]

- Andy

[Crowdx42]

So when you flick through channels that works ok through the X-Card, only when you go to look at the channel guide do you end up switching the tv input over to the video card and then selecting what you want.
When you surf, do you watch just on the vid card and only when you settle on something do you switch to the X-Card input? Does sage assign the file you are playing back on the X-Card or do you have to manually select the file you want to watch?
Sorry for all the questions but I have gotten very confused with how the X-card works. Originally I thought the X-Card was used as a hardware decoder and outputted everything through it's output. With the S-Video input on the X-Card, cna one not output the Sage GUI there?
Patrick

[SHS]

Was you ref to this <If rigth I'm 100% sure can do this with VIP and reg Video card> Opus4?.
An Example on what I mean take the Xcard VIP output connection with a 26 Wire Ribbon Cable to the nVidia GF2 VIP input connection then take the nVidia GF2 S/Video output to TV set.

[AirJunky]

Hey Patrick,
Gettin painful, huh. I went thru this recently too & I think your going to have to trust these guys a bit & make the leap. It looks like it's decided that with the slow CPU, you WILL need the hardware decoding. So the only other question to ask is do you want to play DVD or see the Sage OSD on your TV? If you want DVD, then the Xcard is the way to go. If you want the Sage OSD, then the PVR350. Most any video output via the video card is going to be pretty ugly compared to either of these decoders. Windows just doesn't display well on a TV...... well, a regular TV anyway. HD is another case altogether.
Once you get one of the cards & get it setup, you will be kickin yourself for not understanding.
Good luck!

[Opus4]

Originally posted by Crowdx42
So when you flick through channels that works ok through the X-Card, only when you go to look at the channel guide do you end up switching the tv input over to the video card and then selecting what you want.
When you surf, do you watch just on the vid card and only when you settle on something do you switch to the X-Card input? Does sage assign the file you are playing back on the X-Card or do you have to manually select the file you want to watch?

You choose the Sigma Xcard as your decoder in SageTV. Then, _every_ video it plays automatically shows up on the xcard output. _Every_ non-video bit of output in SageTV (UI, OSD) goes _only_ through your video card. Period. You watch the video on your TV; you view the UI via your video card, whether that card is connected to a monitor or to a 2nd input on your TV. I don't know if I can make it any clearer than that.

Originally I thought the X-Card was used as a hardware decoder and outputted everything through it's output.

Bingo, where everything = video only.

With the S-Video input on the X-Card, cna one not output the Sage GUI there?

_What_ svideo input on the xcard? There is only a passthrough option to send your video card's output throuh the xcard, add the video to that, & send it back to the monitor. From what I understand, the video isn't that great that way. It doesn't add the Windows desktop to the xcard's TV out.

- Andy

[Crowdx42]

I happen to have an old Diamond Multimedia Stealth 64 DRAM video card and I noticed that it has a 26 pin connector on it, will this card work? Problem I see with this is that there is no TV output on this card.
If I want to watch a show on the PVR 250 and record another show, I need 2 PVR 250 cards? Correct?
I have the PII 350 all setup and ready to go now, the playback on the screen is quite acceptable, I presume it will be more obvious when a second PVR 250 is added and the cpu has to transfer more data along with decoding.

[Opus4]

Originally posted by SHS
An Example on what I mean take the Xcard VIP output connection with a 26 Wire Ribbon Cable to the nVidia GF2 VIP input connection then take the nVidia GF2 S/Video output to TV set.

Hmmm... my server has an old GeForce 2... I may have to look into this to see what it is all about...

The result is different from the passthrough option, correct?

- Andy

[Opus4]

Originally posted by Crowdx42
If I want to watch a show on the PVR 250 and record another show, I need 2 PVR 250 cards? Correct?

Each card can only record 1 thing at a time.

I have the PII 350 all setup and ready to go now, the playback on the screen is quite acceptable

At what quality setting? If you are happy with the results (i.e.: the video quality is good enough & there is no jerkiness to the video), then stick with it for a while & see what you think.

- Andy

[Opus4]

I forgot this part:

Originally posted by Crowdx42
I happen to have an old Diamond Multimedia Stealth 64 DRAM video card and I noticed that it has a 26 pin connector on it, will this card work? Problem I see with this is that there is no TV output on this card.

I think you may have answered your own question.

- Andy

[Crowdx42]

Thanks for all the patience guys. Sorry for being a pain.
With the Hauppauge silver remote, can I start sage from a remote control button? Also when sage is asleep is this also possible?
Thanks again for all the help
Patrick

[SHS]

Yes Andy that rigth you can make you own VIP 26 Wire Ribbon Cable if just happing have old pair printer 25 sub-D bracket around which should have IDC and 26 Wire Flat Ribbon Cable or you could use and old floppy cable.
But Andy make sure you have this file ftp://ftp.sigmadesigns.com/Xcard/Rmvpe32.dll which enable the VIP on the Xcard.
copy it to windows\system or winnt\system32 or windows\system32 folder and reboot.

This what end with

[Crowdx42]

And this enables the GUI also of Sage to be shown? Or just the desktop? Any new video cards have the 26 pin on them?
Patrick

[Crowdx42]

A card I also have lying here is a Real Magic DVD card with a =n EM8300 chipset, no idea if it even works. Was given to me
Patrick

[SHS]

1st: Yes GUI and Desktop
Video cards have the 26 pin on them
ATI 3D Rage/Rage Pro PCI/AGP and be some other ATI but I don't have any VIP on them.
nVidia RIVA, TNT, TNT2, M64, GeForce2 and maybe GeForce3 a few did come with VIP very hard to find.
I have test all but GeForce3 becuase there very hard to get.
The screenshot showing with 26pin what you need there found on top of the graphics card and the graphics card only on need min of 4MB but I go for no less 8MB if all possable.

2nd: No being the REALmagic Hollywood Plus has no VIP so there for you use Passthough cable in order get windows mode which also bypass main graphics card frame buffer memory in order to do what you want to do and beside that it dosen't really work with DirectShow.