Recomended Video/TV Out Card

[Redemption]

Building a standalone HTPC box.
Started out as a mythtv system, but there were so many tiny little annoyances. Decided on Sage.tv
Originally had a PVR350 and PVR250 until I read about the lack of OSD on the 350 and problems with the 350 and newer 250s in the same system. On top of the lack of complete DVD support for going through the PVR350's tv out.

What video card should I get that does TV out for recorded/live Sage TV shows as well as DVDs, it of course needs the ability to have the OSD (WAF issue)?

[KJake]

My nVidia MX460 does just fine at TV Out using Svideo. I use a 250 to capture TV. If I plug in the svideo while the computer is off and then turn it on, it uses the TV as a monitor. PQ gets better when you install the video card drivers, but it's nice to not have to pull out the CRT if I do a rebuild.

I should also note that I think I've seen more TV quality issues with the Sage Betas and VMR from people with ATI cards, but I could be wrong on that.

[Redemption]

Originally posted by KJake
My nVidia MX460 does just fine at TV Out using Svideo. I use a 250 to capture TV. If I plug in the svideo while the computer is off and then turn it on, it uses the TV as a monitor. PQ gets better when you install the video card drivers, but it's nice to not have to pull out the CRT if I do a rebuild.

I should also note that I think I've seen more TV quality issues with the Sage Betas and VMR from people with ATI cards, but I could be wrong on that.

Any issue with the OSD's or DVD movies (and their menus)?

[mlbdude]

If you want a cheap card, go for a nVidia 5200 or ATI 9200. Both offer great quality TV out and can be had for around $50.

[Redemption]

Originally posted by mlbdude
If you want a cheap card, go for a nVidia 5200 or ATI 9200. Both offer great quality TV out and can be had for around $50.

Cheap isn't a huge issue for me (though it'd be nice)
Biggest issue is the OSD for Sage, DVD movies and their menus, any known?

[KJake]

Originally posted by Redemption
Any issue with the OSD's or DVD movies (and their menus)?

None that I have ever noticed. A lot is relative to the software codec to end up using to watch TV as well as your TV in general...and cables

Matrox cards are also well known for their TV out quality...not so much on gaming though.

[KJake]

Originally posted by KJake
My nVidia MX460 does just fine...

That's a "Geforce4 MX460", not just any old MX460...I wouldn't want you to get a really old one...

[Redemption]

Originally posted by KJake
That's a "Geforce4 MX460", not just any old MX460...I wouldn't want you to get a really old one...

Was there a particular brand/model you went with?

[KJake]

Originally posted by Redemption
Was there a particular brand/model you went with?

My particular card is getting old and is retired now, but I went with Gigabyte at the time because the card supported 2 monitors (or a CRT and a TV) all with one card.

There are plenty of other manufacturers out there, PNY, ASUS, etc...

I really liked how my card performed at the time with games too, but it doesn't even touch what today's cards do.

[KJake]

I should also point you to this discussion too...http://forums.freytechnologies.com/f...&threadid=4295

They've been debating some things that might be of interest to you.

[Redemption]

That post makes me cry
Was seriously looking at an XCard (the hardware dvd and divx decoding just sounds yummy), but need the OSD on the TV without six different work arounds, otherwise the ReplayTV stays. (After working on PCs and servers for 10 hours a day, going home and fighting with hacks, tweaks and work arounds is less than appealing).

[KJake]

I hear that. That's why most of us just stick with a video card that does TV out without any worries. Yes, an all-in-one hardware solution would be nice, but you need to have a video card anyway in the computer, and TV out is becoming a standard option.

The Xcard may still be an option down the road as the 350 was able to get OSD working, but official support from Frey might be hard to get. I myself had a Hollywood Plus that I wanted to put to use. Eventually others in the forum got it working just as well as the Xcard, but no OSD obviously...so alas...no pure hardware enc/dec foolproof solution yet.

[KJake]

Found something else you'll want to consider when getting a card. Make sure it supports DX9. I don't think mine does officially, and Sage isn't doing anything that new, so maybe it's not a big deal.

http://forums.sage.tv/forums/showthr...1983#post31983

[KJake]

Hey, I used a card from MSI, not Gigabyte...

[ji0005]

To throw my 2 cents in... I went with a Fx5200, it looks good. I think a lot of video cards look good. The one thing I wish I would have thought of at the time was that my card has a fan instead of a heatsink so its noisy.

[KJake]

Yup, sound is a good consideration since most of these computers end up in our living rooms.

[Redemption]

Follow up
After having trouble tracking down one of the older MX cards, I snagged an Asus 9200 128 meg for $50 at the local mom 'n pop store.
I haven't attempted to use the TV Out portion yet as "she" was watching her soaps from today. Bad enough that I was monkying with the DCT 2000 channel plugin while Queer Eye for the Straight Guy was recording. (It's gonna be ugly when she gets home tonight).

[KJake]

Originally posted by Redemption
Follow up
... as "she" was watching her soaps from today. ...(It's gonna be ugly when she gets home tonight).

lol I love how many guys on this forum have to keep our wives/gf happy with the TV. Are we all that boring that we can't entertain them?

[Redemption]

Originally posted by KJake
lol I love how many guys on this forum have to keep our wives/gf happy with the TV. Are we all that boring that we can't entertain them?

Considering that we spend time posting on internet message boards about our television pcs, there is a high chance that we ARE that boring.

[Maladin]

I'm waiting for one of three things to happen.
1) SageTV supports XCard (oh please oh please)
2) JovePlayer adds "real" PVR support (talked about for v3.0, we'll see)
3) sub finishes GB PVR (sub r0X0rz, I know you can do it man!)
4) BeyondTV supports XCard (never gonna happen so I'm not really "waiting")

XCard or bust!