Video card for PC PVR...

"Richard Crowley" <rcrowley RemoveThis @xpr7t.net> wrote in message
news:121s8bkd13f763@corp.supernews.com...
> "Ken Moiarty" wrote ...
>>I posted about this already but I guess my message was a bit too long
>>since nobody answered. I'll try again, being briefer this time. Does it
>>(or could it) make much difference what kind of video-card I'm using as
>>far as recording and replaying/viewing TV video on my PC is concerned
>>(e.g. in a "Myth TV" system or running "SageTV" or "Real TV", etc...)?
>>
>> TIA,
>> Ken
>>
>> PS: I'm not asking about TV-tuner/video-capture cards, which I already
>> have as separate from the video card.
>
> I would think that there might be some compatibility issues
> between the TV-tuner/capture hardware and the display
> hardware. Or if not outright issues, but some combinations
> which are known to "play nicely together".
>
> Your question is rather a generic one for which only generic
> answers are likely, and generic answers are rarely useful.

Okay... I've got an Hauppauge PVR-500 dual-tuner card plus a Creative
Videoblaster DVCR tuner card (both installed, for a total of 3 tuners).
Each works fine. No conflicts or anything with my current video card (an
NVIDIA based AGP-4X card). It's just that the current video card doesn't
have any TV-out ports, which I want so I'm in the market to get another new
video card that has this. One other thing I would also like to get out of a
new video card if possible is some way of making the TV-video picture
brighter when watching it on PC's monitor. (The brightness adjustment
control provided in my PVR/tuner software doesn't do anything for some
reason; possibly to do with my video card, but I don't know.) The monitor
itself is set to as bright as it will go (which is plenty bright for all my
other applications), but the TV-video often displays as very dark (with the
occasional program, inexplicably just too dark to enjoy watching). Would a
"higher-end" card (priced like, say $100 - $200 as opposed to a more basic
$50 - $100) be any more likely to provide the kind of control over such
adjustments as seems needed here? Also, does the amount of video memory
and/or the power of the card's GPU have any relevance here as the only
graphics applications I use are for still photo touchup (e.g. Photoshop,
etc.) I don't run any highly animated 3D-games, CAD, or any other such
vector-graphics intensive applications.

TIA,
Brad
 >> Stay informed about: Video card for PC PVR... 

"Spam Catcher" <spamhoneypot RemoveThis @rogers.com> wrote in message
news:Xns978BE9652FDC3usenethoneypotrogers@127.0.0.1...
> "Ken Moiarty" <kmoiarty35 RemoveThis @shaw.ca> wrote in
> news:121s43qpdq9kga6@news.supernews.com:
>
>> Does it (or
>> could it) make much difference what kind of video-card I'm using as
>> far as recording and replaying/viewing TV video on my PC is concerned
>> (e.g. in a "Myth TV" system or running "SageTV" or "Real TV", etc...)?
>
> Yes it does - certain card can have hardware accelerators to offload MPEG2
> decompression from the CPU.
>
>
>> PS: I'm not asking about TV-tuner/video-capture cards, which I
>> already have as separate from the video card.
>
> Do you have a MPEG2 encoding TV tuner? If not... I highly recommend one
> for
> a PVR.
>

Yes, my tuners have built-in hardware mpeg2 encoding. No hardware mpeg4
encoding though. And no hardware _decoding_ whatsoever (and not that its
needed, but might be nice for when having other applications 'multitasking'
in the background).

Ken
 >> Stay informed about: Video card for PC PVR... 

"Ken Moiarty" <kmoiarty35 DeleteThis @shaw.ca> wrote in message news:121s43qpdq9kga6@news.supernews.com...
> I posted about this already but I guess my message was a bit too long since
> nobody answered. I'll try again, being briefer this time. Does it (or
> could it) make much difference what kind of video-card I'm using as far as
> recording and replaying/viewing TV video on my PC is concerned (e.g. in a
> "Myth TV" system or running "SageTV" or "Real TV", etc...)?
>
> TIA,
> Ken
>
> PS: I'm not asking about TV-tuner/video-capture cards, which I already have
> as separate from the video card.

No not really. I get a slightly better (brighter, with better contrast)
overlay screen (which is where TV/video output is displayed on a
PC) with Nvidia cards compared to ATI. But other than that I
don't see any difference.
 >> Stay informed about: Video card for PC PVR... 

"Richard Crowley" <rcrowley.RemoveThis@xpr7t.net> wrote in message news:121s8bkd13f763@corp.supernews.com...
> "Ken Moiarty" wrote ...
> >I posted about this already but I guess my message was a bit too long
> >since nobody answered. I'll try again, being briefer this time. Does
> >it (or could it) make much difference what kind of video-card I'm using
> >as far as recording and replaying/viewing TV video on my PC is
> >concerned (e.g. in a "Myth TV" system or running "SageTV" or "Real TV",
> >etc...)?
> >
> > TIA,
> > Ken
> >
> > PS: I'm not asking about TV-tuner/video-capture cards, which I
> > already have as separate from the video card.
>
> I would think that there might be some compatibility issues
> between the TV-tuner/capture hardware and the display
> hardware. Or if not outright issues, but some combinations
> which are known to "play nicely together".

Huh? Such as what?

> Your question is rather a generic one for which only generic
> answers are likely, and generic answers are rarely useful.

I've used PC TV tuner/capture cards for almost 10 years
and have never run into a single incompatibility. Even with
more esoteric video cards (S3, Matrox etc).
 >> Stay informed about: Video card for PC PVR... 

On Sun, 19 Mar 2006 21:10:31 -0800, "Ken Moiarty"
<kmoiarty35 DeleteThis @shaw.ca> wrote:

>
>"Spam Catcher" <spamhoneypot DeleteThis @rogers.com> wrote in message
>news:Xns978BE9652FDC3usenethoneypotrogers@127.0.0.1...
>> "Ken Moiarty" <kmoiarty35 DeleteThis @shaw.ca> wrote in
>> news:121s43qpdq9kga6@news.supernews.com:
>>
>>> Does it (or
>>> could it) make much difference what kind of video-card I'm using as
>>> far as recording and replaying/viewing TV video on my PC is concerned
>>> (e.g. in a "Myth TV" system or running "SageTV" or "Real TV", etc...)?
>>
>> Yes it does - certain card can have hardware accelerators to offload MPEG2
>> decompression from the CPU.
>>
>>
>>> PS: I'm not asking about TV-tuner/video-capture cards, which I
>>> already have as separate from the video card.
>>
>> Do you have a MPEG2 encoding TV tuner? If not... I highly recommend one
>> for
>> a PVR.
>>
>
>Yes, my tuners have built-in hardware mpeg2 encoding. No hardware mpeg4
>encoding though. And no hardware _decoding_ whatsoever (and not that its
>needed, but might be nice for when having other applications 'multitasking'
>in the background).


He might be thinking of the video card having the partial
MPEG decoding, as most of them do these days and have for a
few years.
 >> Stay informed about: Video card for PC PVR... 

On Sun, 19 Mar 2006 20:58:40 -0800, "Ken Moiarty"
<kmoiarty35.DeleteThis@shaw.ca> wrote:


>Okay... I've got an Hauppauge PVR-500 dual-tuner card plus a Creative
>Videoblaster DVCR tuner card (both installed, for a total of 3 tuners).
>Each works fine. No conflicts or anything with my current video card (an
>NVIDIA based AGP-4X card).

Are you using recent nVidia Detonator video drivers?

>It's just that the current video card doesn't
>have any TV-out ports, which I want so I'm in the market to get another new
>video card that has this. One other thing I would also like to get out of a
>new video card if possible is some way of making the TV-video picture
>brighter when watching it on PC's monitor. (The brightness adjustment
>control provided in my PVR/tuner software doesn't do anything for some
>reason; possibly to do with my video card, but I don't know.)

Working properly the tuner card uses the video card overlay
for onscreen images. The brightness, contrast, and other
image refinements should be in the video card "overlay"
settings of the nVidia Detonator drivers. Newer Detonators
have more adjustment capability (not really "that" new a
feature but very older nVidia cards with near original
drivers might not have so many adjustments due to the old
driver, not the card itself). Same for other brands, newer
drivers and the "full" driver package when there are
multiple versions of it (Sis drivers come to mind) rather
than the lite driver.


>The monitor
>itself is set to as bright as it will go (which is plenty bright for all my
>other applications), but the TV-video often displays as very dark (with the
>occasional program, inexplicably just too dark to enjoy watching). Would a
>"higher-end" card (priced like, say $100 - $200 as opposed to a more basic
>$50 - $100) be any more likely to provide the kind of control over such
>adjustments as seems needed here?

Check the things I mentioned already, any and all cards
should have no trouble adjusting brightness, it's a basic
feature not reserved for more expensive cards.

>Also, does the amount of video memory
>and/or the power of the card's GPU have any relevance here as the only
>graphics applications I use are for still photo touchup (e.g. Photoshop,
>etc.) I don't run any highly animated 3D-games, CAD, or any other such
>vector-graphics intensive applications.


No, the amount of video memory has no relevance in this 2D
space, you only need enough for the resolution your monitor
uses regardless of the PVR/tv/etc uses. The GPU similarly
has little use in this role, it's not "processing" anything
with the exception of the MPEG decoding assistance and the
captures from the PVR aren't nearly high enough resolution
that it would need be atypically strong at that task. Even
generic Intel integrated video would be sufficient for this
use, providing the driver supplies the tweaks you need for
aforementioned items such as brightness and contrast.
 >> Stay informed about: Video card for PC PVR... 

On Mon, 20 Mar 2006 10:09:23 -0700, John C
<jdcrox@bresnandotnet> wrote:

>On Sun, 19 Mar 2006 18:16:26 -0800, "Ken Moiarty" <kmoiarty35 DeleteThis @shaw.ca>
>wrote:
>
>>I posted about this already but I guess my message was a bit too long since
>>nobody answered. I'll try again, being briefer this time. Does it (or
>>could it) make much difference what kind of video-card I'm using as far as
>>recording and replaying/viewing TV video on my PC is concerned (e.g. in a
>>"Myth TV" system or running "SageTV" or "Real TV", etc...)?
>>
>>TIA,
>>Ken
>>
>>PS: I'm not asking about TV-tuner/video-capture cards, which I already have
>>as separate from the video card.
>>
>The current favorite if you are not into heavy gaming with your HTPC
>is the Nvidia 6600GT. Available for around $100. The better bundles
>include component cables as well as s-video and composite outputs.
>John


Wouldn't that be if you ARE into heavy gaming? Makes no
sense otherwise.
 >> Stay informed about: Video card for PC PVR... 

On Sun, 19 Mar 2006 20:58:40 -0800, "Ken Moiarty" <kmoiarty35 RemoveThis @shaw.ca>
wrote:

>
>"Richard Crowley" <rcrowley RemoveThis @xpr7t.net> wrote in message
>news:121s8bkd13f763@corp.supernews.com...
>> "Ken Moiarty" wrote ...
>>>I posted about this already but I guess my message was a bit too long
>>>since nobody answered. I'll try again, being briefer this time. Does it
>>>(or could it) make much difference what kind of video-card I'm using as
>>>far as recording and replaying/viewing TV video on my PC is concerned
>>>(e.g. in a "Myth TV" system or running "SageTV" or "Real TV", etc...)?
>>>
>>> TIA,
>>> Ken
>>>
>>> PS: I'm not asking about TV-tuner/video-capture cards, which I already
>>> have as separate from the video card.
>>
>> I would think that there might be some compatibility issues
>> between the TV-tuner/capture hardware and the display
>> hardware. Or if not outright issues, but some combinations
>> which are known to "play nicely together".
>>
>> Your question is rather a generic one for which only generic
>> answers are likely, and generic answers are rarely useful.
>
>Okay... I've got an Hauppauge PVR-500 dual-tuner card plus a Creative
>Videoblaster DVCR tuner card (both installed, for a total of 3 tuners).
>Each works fine. No conflicts or anything with my current video card (an
>NVIDIA based AGP-4X card). It's just that the current video card doesn't
>have any TV-out ports, which I want so I'm in the market to get another new
>video card that has this. One other thing I would also like to get out of a
>new video card if possible is some way of making the TV-video picture
>brighter when watching it on PC's monitor. (The brightness adjustment
>control provided in my PVR/tuner software doesn't do anything for some
>reason; possibly to do with my video card, but I don't know.) The monitor
>itself is set to as bright as it will go (which is plenty bright for all my
>other applications), but the TV-video often displays as very dark (with the
>occasional program, inexplicably just too dark to enjoy watching). Would a
>"higher-end" card (priced like, say $100 - $200 as opposed to a more basic
>$50 - $100) be any more likely to provide the kind of control over such
>adjustments as seems needed here? Also, does the amount of video memory
>and/or the power of the card's GPU have any relevance here as the only
>graphics applications I use are for still photo touchup (e.g. Photoshop,
>etc.) I don't run any highly animated 3D-games, CAD, or any other such
>vector-graphics intensive applications.
>
>TIA,
>Brad
>
I have an All in Wonder card that might be about right for you. I
only used it for about 3 weeks because I decided I wanted a huskier
card for games. It was pulled from a machine and sold to me by
mwave.com with the original box, some nice software, all the stuff it
comes with new. I have reassembled the packaging as I received it.

As far as I can tell it's in perfect condition. It is a model from a
year or two ago with the 9600 non-pro chipset and 128mb of memory, and
a donkey tail with a whole slew of video jacks that attaches to the
outside plate. I paid $100 and I'll take a haircut, but not too much.
Send me an email if you are interested. I'm in Washington state.

Charlie
 >> Stay informed about: Video card for PC PVR... 

No S-Video?

"Ken Moiarty" <kmoiarty35.RemoveThis@shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:121sdk1crnaim9a@news.supernews.com...
>
> "Richard Crowley" <rcrowley.RemoveThis@xpr7t.net> wrote in message
> news:121s8bkd13f763@corp.supernews.com...
> > "Ken Moiarty" wrote ...
> >>I posted about this already but I guess my message was a bit too long
> >>since nobody answered. I'll try again, being briefer this time. Does
it
> >>(or could it) make much difference what kind of video-card I'm using as
> >>far as recording and replaying/viewing TV video on my PC is concerned
> >>(e.g. in a "Myth TV" system or running "SageTV" or "Real TV", etc...)?
> >>
> >> TIA,
> >> Ken
> >>
> >> PS: I'm not asking about TV-tuner/video-capture cards, which I already
> >> have as separate from the video card.
> >
> > I would think that there might be some compatibility issues
> > between the TV-tuner/capture hardware and the display
> > hardware. Or if not outright issues, but some combinations
> > which are known to "play nicely together".
> >
> > Your question is rather a generic one for which only generic
> > answers are likely, and generic answers are rarely useful.
>
> Okay... I've got an Hauppauge PVR-500 dual-tuner card plus a Creative
> Videoblaster DVCR tuner card (both installed, for a total of 3 tuners).
> Each works fine. No conflicts or anything with my current video card (an
> NVIDIA based AGP-4X card). It's just that the current video card doesn't
> have any TV-out ports, which I want so I'm in the market to get another
new
> video card that has this. One other thing I would also like to get out of
a
> new video card if possible is some way of making the TV-video picture
> brighter when watching it on PC's monitor. (The brightness adjustment
> control provided in my PVR/tuner software doesn't do anything for some
> reason; possibly to do with my video card, but I don't know.) The monitor
> itself is set to as bright as it will go (which is plenty bright for all
my
> other applications), but the TV-video often displays as very dark (with
the
> occasional program, inexplicably just too dark to enjoy watching). Would
a
> "higher-end" card (priced like, say $100 - $200 as opposed to a more basic
> $50 - $100) be any more likely to provide the kind of control over such
> adjustments as seems needed here? Also, does the amount of video memory
> and/or the power of the card's GPU have any relevance here as the only
> graphics applications I use are for still photo touchup (e.g. Photoshop,
> etc.) I don't run any highly animated 3D-games, CAD, or any other such
> vector-graphics intensive applications.
>
> TIA,
> Brad
>
>
 >> Stay informed about: Video card for PC PVR... 

"kony" <spam RemoveThis @spam.com> wrote in message
news:6uss125gikavsnhoj4eh57rfp1f6pigdtr@4ax.com...
> On Sun, 19 Mar 2006 20:58:40 -0800, "Ken Moiarty"
> <kmoiarty35 RemoveThis @shaw.ca> wrote:
>
>
>>Okay... I've got an Hauppauge PVR-500 dual-tuner card plus a Creative
>>Videoblaster DVCR tuner card (both installed, for a total of 3 tuners).
>>Each works fine. No conflicts or anything with my current video card (an
>>NVIDIA based AGP-4X card).
>
> Are you using recent nVidia Detonator video drivers?
>

Most recent nVidia video driver... yes. NVidia "Detonator" video driver...
no. This is my video card model: NVIDIA GeForce2 MX/MX 400. But I have to
explain that before reading your message I searched the web for a video
driver update, found one and downloaded it. The previous driver date is
2002. The newer driver (called VIVO, if that's of any significance) was
released in 2005. I've just installed it. Since then I've checked my SageTV
image adjustment controls, and found that this has done the trick as the
controls now respond to my inputs, and I'm now able to brighten the TV-video
image.


>>It's just that the current video card doesn't
>>have any TV-out ports, which I want so I'm in the market to get another
>>new
>>video card that has this. One other thing I would also like to get out of
>>a
>>new video card if possible is some way of making the TV-video picture
>>brighter when watching it on PC's monitor. (The brightness adjustment
>>control provided in my PVR/tuner software doesn't do anything for some
>>reason; possibly to do with my video card, but I don't know.)
>
> Working properly the tuner card uses the video card overlay
> for onscreen images. The brightness, contrast, and other
> image refinements should be in the video card "overlay"
> settings of the nVidia Detonator drivers. Newer Detonators
> have more adjustment capability (not really "that" new a
> feature but very older nVidia cards with near original
> drivers might not have so many adjustments due to the old
> driver, not the card itself). Same for other brands, newer
> drivers and the "full" driver package when there are
> multiple versions of it (Sis drivers come to mind) rather
> than the lite driver.
>
>
>>The monitor
>>itself is set to as bright as it will go (which is plenty bright for all
>>my
>>other applications), but the TV-video often displays as very dark (with
>>the
>>occasional program, inexplicably just too dark to enjoy watching). Would
>>a
>>"higher-end" card (priced like, say $100 - $200 as opposed to a more basic
>>$50 - $100) be any more likely to provide the kind of control over such
>>adjustments as seems needed here?
>
> Check the things I mentioned already, any and all cards
> should have no trouble adjusting brightness, it's a basic
> feature not reserved for more expensive cards.
>
>>Also, does the amount of video memory
>>and/or the power of the card's GPU have any relevance here as the only
>>graphics applications I use are for still photo touchup (e.g. Photoshop,
>>etc.) I don't run any highly animated 3D-games, CAD, or any other such
>>vector-graphics intensive applications.
>
>
> No, the amount of video memory has no relevance in this 2D
> space, you only need enough for the resolution your monitor
> uses regardless of the PVR/tv/etc uses. The GPU similarly
> has little use in this role, it's not "processing" anything
> with the exception of the MPEG decoding assistance and the
> captures from the PVR aren't nearly high enough resolution
> that it would need be atypically strong at that task. Even
> generic Intel integrated video would be sufficient for this
> use, providing the driver supplies the tweaks you need for
> aforementioned items such as brightness and contrast.

Okay, thanks for the info on this. BTW, I read in another forum today that
if I were to want "de-interlacing" enabled, I'd have to get a video card
that has a GPU capable of handling this function. An example of a video
card model availing enough GPU power was mentioned as being one of the later
ATI All-In-Wonder Radeon cards (I forget the exact model/designation given,
but one that would cost me $200 or more, I do recall realizing). Anyway,
since not even my new HDTV set displays non-interlaced (or at least not at
the full 1080 resolution I bought it for), I'm not sure one way or the other
whether I would miss anything by not having it in my PCHT setup. But I
might be tempted to consider buying the above more expensive video card if
somebody might pursuade me that such a minor 'sounding' enhancement as
de-interlacing might be something to appreciate when viewing video up close
on my *60 Hz CRT display (e.g. perhaps less eyestrain/fatigue from due to
reduction in perceivable 'flicker' maybe? but I don't know...).

Ken

* FYI: I can only use make use of my computer's CRT display as long as it's
set to a refresh rate of 60 Hz (no higher or lower). This due to stray
alternating-magnetic interference from the three-tower wide high-voltage
powerlines right at the edge of my yard, which causes the CRT screen to go
wavy if it's not refreshing at at the same frequency as the the high-voltage
AC current (60 Hz).
In case you find this incredible... I had to research this shortly
after moving here. It was only after I queried of an HVAC newsgroup was it
explained to me why the 60 Hz monitor refresh rate was the only setting I
could use...
The fluctuating magnetic field generated by these lines is strong enough
to generate current, though while not of very high amperage, is up to a
finger-zapping 100 volts or more (during peak hours) flowing down a single
wire which grounds an aluminum gutter, aluminum soffit and aluminum window
frames. I know this for a fact as I checked it once with an analog
voltmeter and was surprised by the resulting reading. Then I checked it a
second time, to confirm the accuracy of my analog voltmeter reading of
course, using my digital model (i.e. my fingers). This time the result came
to me as a significant 'shock' (in that it served only to confirm the
initial reading, that is). <g>
 >> Stay informed about: Video card for PC PVR... 

<Server Required Snip>

My question is where is the 60 Cycle (pardon the old term) interference
going exactly, if it is causing the deflection to screw up, then you
might want an LCD monitor, if it causing in the cable, then you are
stuck at a 60 Hz refresh.

Note: 60 Hz is 60 Cycles (per second) and I prefer to use the old
(American) term of Cycles when talking about low frequencies.
 >> Stay informed about: Video card for PC PVR... 

"Ken Moiarty" <kmoiarty35 DeleteThis @shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:121vephclp8nh94@news.supernews.com...
>
> "kony" <spam DeleteThis @spam.com> wrote in message
> news:6uss125gikavsnhoj4eh57rfp1f6pigdtr@4ax.com...
> > On Sun, 19 Mar 2006 20:58:40 -0800, "Ken Moiarty"
> > <kmoiarty35 DeleteThis @shaw.ca> wrote:
> >
> >
> >>Okay... I've got an Hauppauge PVR-500 dual-tuner card plus a Creative
> >>Videoblaster DVCR tuner card (both installed, for a total of 3 tuners).
> >>Each works fine. No conflicts or anything with my current video card
(an
> >>NVIDIA based AGP-4X card).
> >
> > Are you using recent nVidia Detonator video drivers?
> >
>
> Most recent nVidia video driver... yes. NVidia "Detonator" video
driver...
> no. This is my video card model: NVIDIA GeForce2 MX/MX 400. But I have
to
> explain that before reading your message I searched the web for a video
> driver update, found one and downloaded it. The previous driver date is
> 2002. The newer driver (called VIVO, if that's of any significance) was
> released in 2005. I've just installed it. Since then I've checked my
SageTV
> image adjustment controls, and found that this has done the trick as the
> controls now respond to my inputs, and I'm now able to brighten the
TV-video
> image.
>
>
> >>It's just that the current video card doesn't
> >>have any TV-out ports, which I want so I'm in the market to get another
> >>new
> >>video card that has this. One other thing I would also like to get out
of
> >>a
> >>new video card if possible is some way of making the TV-video picture
> >>brighter when watching it on PC's monitor. (The brightness adjustment
> >>control provided in my PVR/tuner software doesn't do anything for some
> >>reason; possibly to do with my video card, but I don't know.)
> >
> > Working properly the tuner card uses the video card overlay
> > for onscreen images. The brightness, contrast, and other
> > image refinements should be in the video card "overlay"
> > settings of the nVidia Detonator drivers. Newer Detonators
> > have more adjustment capability (not really "that" new a
> > feature but very older nVidia cards with near original
> > drivers might not have so many adjustments due to the old
> > driver, not the card itself). Same for other brands, newer
> > drivers and the "full" driver package when there are
> > multiple versions of it (Sis drivers come to mind) rather
> > than the lite driver.
> >
> >
> >>The monitor
> >>itself is set to as bright as it will go (which is plenty bright for all
> >>my
> >>other applications), but the TV-video often displays as very dark (with
> >>the
> >>occasional program, inexplicably just too dark to enjoy watching).
Would
> >>a
> >>"higher-end" card (priced like, say $100 - $200 as opposed to a more
basic
> >>$50 - $100) be any more likely to provide the kind of control over such
> >>adjustments as seems needed here?
> >
> > Check the things I mentioned already, any and all cards
> > should have no trouble adjusting brightness, it's a basic
> > feature not reserved for more expensive cards.
> >
> >>Also, does the amount of video memory
> >>and/or the power of the card's GPU have any relevance here as the only
> >>graphics applications I use are for still photo touchup (e.g. Photoshop,
> >>etc.) I don't run any highly animated 3D-games, CAD, or any other such
> >>vector-graphics intensive applications.
> >
> >
> > No, the amount of video memory has no relevance in this 2D
> > space, you only need enough for the resolution your monitor
> > uses regardless of the PVR/tv/etc uses. The GPU similarly
> > has little use in this role, it's not "processing" anything
> > with the exception of the MPEG decoding assistance and the
> > captures from the PVR aren't nearly high enough resolution
> > that it would need be atypically strong at that task. Even
> > generic Intel integrated video would be sufficient for this
> > use, providing the driver supplies the tweaks you need for
> > aforementioned items such as brightness and contrast.
>
> Okay, thanks for the info on this. BTW, I read in another forum today
that
> if I were to want "de-interlacing" enabled, I'd have to get a video card
> that has a GPU capable of handling this function. An example of a video
> card model availing enough GPU power was mentioned as being one of the
later
> ATI All-In-Wonder Radeon cards (I forget the exact model/designation
given,
> but one that would cost me $200 or more, I do recall realizing). Anyway,
> since not even my new HDTV set displays non-interlaced (or at least not at
> the full 1080 resolution I bought it for), I'm not sure one way or the
other
> whether I would miss anything by not having it in my PCHT setup. But I
> might be tempted to consider buying the above more expensive video card if
> somebody might pursuade me that such a minor 'sounding' enhancement as
> de-interlacing might be something to appreciate when viewing video up
close
> on my *60 Hz CRT display (e.g. perhaps less eyestrain/fatigue from due to
> reduction in perceivable 'flicker' maybe? but I don't know...).
>
> Ken
>
> * FYI: I can only use make use of my computer's CRT display as long as
it's
> set to a refresh rate of 60 Hz (no higher or lower). This due to stray
> alternating-magnetic interference from the three-tower wide high-voltage
> powerlines right at the edge of my yard, which causes the CRT screen to go
> wavy if it's not refreshing at at the same frequency as the the
high-voltage
> AC current (60 Hz).

Not to mention your own health issues.



> In case you find this incredible... I had to research this shortly
> after moving here. It was only after I queried of an HVAC newsgroup was
it
> explained to me why the 60 Hz monitor refresh rate was the only setting I
> could use...
> The fluctuating magnetic field generated by these lines is strong
enough
> to generate current, though while not of very high amperage, is up to a
> finger-zapping 100 volts or more (during peak hours) flowing down a single
> wire which grounds an aluminum gutter, aluminum soffit and aluminum window
> frames. I know this for a fact as I checked it once with an analog
> voltmeter and was surprised by the resulting reading. Then I checked it a
> second time, to confirm the accuracy of my analog voltmeter reading of
> course, using my digital model (i.e. my fingers). This time the result
came
> to me as a significant 'shock' (in that it served only to confirm the
> initial reading, that is). <g>
>
>
 >> Stay informed about: Video card for PC PVR... 

> On Tue, 21 Mar 2006 00:37:04 -0800, "Ken Moiarty"
> <kmoiarty35 DeleteThis @shaw.ca> wrote:
>
> >
> > In case you find this incredible... I had to research this shortly
> >after moving here. It was only after I queried of an HVAC newsgroup was
it
> >explained to me why the 60 Hz monitor refresh rate was the only setting I
> >could use...
> > The fluctuating magnetic field generated by these lines is strong
enough
> >to generate current, though while not of very high amperage, is up to a
> >finger-zapping 100 volts or more (during peak hours) flowing down a
single
> >wire which grounds an aluminum gutter, aluminum soffit and aluminum
window
> >frames. I know this for a fact as I checked it once with an analog
> >voltmeter and was surprised by the resulting reading. Then I checked it
a
> >second time, to confirm the accuracy of my analog voltmeter reading of
> >course, using my digital model (i.e. my fingers). This time the result
came
> >to me as a significant 'shock' (in that it served only to confirm the
> >initial reading, that is). <g>
>
A magnetic field isn't going to put a 100 volts into your houses metal
parts. A nail or screw has pierced an AC line. Very serious. Get it fixed.
 >> Stay informed about: Video card for PC PVR...