Home Entertainment PC

I just built a home entertainment pc and was curious about a few things that maybe someone can help me out that may have had experience with.

First off, the overall quality of a PC connect to a standard TV seems to be fuzzy and not sharp, now I know the res on a standard tv is not as good, but is there any videocard that would display the picture on standard tvs? I'm using S-Video but I wish I could get the picture clearer. Am I stuck with getting an HDTV? Does it make a nice difference in pictuer quality?

Thanks in advance

Highlander67 said:

I just built a home entertainment pc and was curious about a few things that maybe someone can help me out that may have had experience with.

First off, the overall quality of a PC connect to a standard TV seems to be fuzzy and not sharp, now I know the res on a standard tv is not as good, but is there any videocard that would display the picture on standard tvs? I'm using S-Video but I wish I could get the picture clearer. Am I stuck with getting an HDTV? Does it make a nice difference in pictuer quality?

Thanks in advance

Click to expand...

Xbox

Thats all I can say.

Its like a PC

TonK said:

Xbox

Thats all I can say.

Its like a PC

Click to expand...

True,

but I have this pc already built. I would just like to know if there is a videocard out there that will pisplay in normal res or standard tv res and look good and clear.

I have one of these and it is awesome!!! You can read text on your tv!

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-999-203&depa=0

They also have a vga model:

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-999-204&depa=0

They have dip switches to set between 480i/480p/720p/1080i and 4:3/16:9

So if you tv has componet jacks this will do wonders, even if you tv only supports 480i through componet it will look better.

Here is a killer site that lists all the custom resolution that people play pc games in to get 16:9 aspect ratio. I have done lots of these resolutions and I must say I wet my self playing UT2k4 on a 49" hdtv!!!

http://www.htpcnews.com/main.php?id=hdtvgaming

One last thing if you thought that you could just plug a dvi cable into your hdtv from your computer you are wrong. There a 5 different types of dvi connectors! Your pc video card will have what is called DVI-I which will send both digital and analog signal to your monitor. Your normal hdtv input is DVI-D strictly digital.

For more info on DVI check here:

http://www.mycableshop.com/3rd_Level/Video-Flat.htm

This is some information that I gathered before building my pc this spring I hope that it can benifit someone else the way it benifits me .

You need to use a higher connection than S-vid. Sorry.

Contact forum member thirdkind. He uses a PC as his DVD player in his insane $25k+ home theater system.....the fucking bastard. *Me = Jelous*

if you want a tv thats good, check this out:




I use this as my tv and my computer monitor (its a computer monitor first VGA with sound input, a tv second) It includes a box for 420p, 720p, 1080i all native outputs. And all the regular, s-video, composite and R/F input. Since this is a computer monitor, all the videos and text is crystal clear and I love this monitor ever since I got it. (its a 30" widescreen visable computer monitor, it says 32", but you know how computer monitors work heh) Its by a company called monivision (but don't worry, inside the monitor, they use a toshiba monitor) I got this for around $899, but that was a year ago, I don't know if they sell it anymore. If you can get 1 of these, i highly suggest it. Also the max resolution is 1024x768, nothing big, but who cares when you can sit on your bed, relax with a wireless mouse/keyboard lol

I use a normal TV and a S-Video connection off my Shuttle's built in video card. At 800x600 it's clear enough that I can read all the text from my couch. I did enable large icons though.

If you don't have a HDTV you're stuck with S-Video, just realize your limitations and work around them by running in a lower res and by turning on large icons.

Also, some ATi cards have really bad S-Video out. Check some PC A/V forums for what cards offer good quality S-Video output.

Thanks for all the help guys. Looks like im stuck unless I get an hdtv.

Fox1 said:

its a 30" widescreen visable computer monitor... Also the max resolution is 1024x768, nothing big, but who cares when you can sit on your bed, relax with a wireless mouse/keyboard lol

Click to expand...

If the monitor is widescreen you shouldn't be running at 1024x768. Well, unless you want a short fat displayed image.

Try running this resolution using powerstrip to enforce your resolution:

856x480