HDTV Newbie Questions

[ronnor]

I've been running MythTV for about a year but the quality of the analog system is a bit fuzzy at times (PVR-350 on an AMD 1.4) so I'm thinking about making the switch to BTV OTA Digital (as cheaply as possible). I know very little about HDTV, so here goes a few newb questions:

#1) I'd like to keep using the same machine (AMD Thunderbird @ 1.4). According to SOME info, if I use a video card that has DXVA enabled, that should work. However, BTV min specs are higher. Comments?

#2) I'd have to upgrade my vid card and was looking at the FX5200. Do I need the PureVideo drivers to take advantage of the MPEG decode or is that unecessary?

#3) If software is required for that card, can anyone recommend another "low end" card that might help me keep using the same CPU?

#4) Is all HDTV content in letterbox format? I'd still be using our old analog set... at least for another year or so... and would rather keep viewing in 4:3.

Thanks in advance.

[HomeyFour]

!) A higher-class video card can often make a less-powerful machine play HD since it offloads much of the procesing to the video card. YMMV, but I'd definitely get a high-end grpahics card with your system to try it. Also, HD is disk IO intensive.

2) No, you don't need PureVideo, but I'd recommend that you try the free trial to see if you like it. I'd opt for a higher-end card than a 5200 with your lower system - maybe a 6600 or higher (if you can still get one in AGP!)

3) It's sad, but my expensive 6600GT I bought is now cheap and probably "middle end".. A 6200 is $49 on NewEgg, 6600 is $98 after rebate.

[ronnor]

Thanks... do all HDTV capture cards have hardware encoding AND decoding (like the PVR-350) or do some only have encoding (like the PVR-250)?

[cpmiv]

HDTV capture cards don't realy encode like the traditional cards. HDTV is already digital so the capture card just recieves the digital stream (already in Mpeg). I haven't seen a HDTV out card yet (use your primary Vid card). So to answer your questions: no(sort of) and no(at least that I've seen)

[jebbbz]

#4) All HDTV is in 16:9 format so it will appear letterboxed on a 4:3 display such as a typical analog TV or on a 5:4 LCD monitor.

Not all digital TV is HD, however. Standard Definition digital (SD) may still be in 4:3 so it shows up on a 16:9 display (such as a plasma flat-panel) in pillarboxed format. Such programming can be zoomed to fill a 4:3 display.

[ronnor]

VERY helpful info! That clears up a lot for me.

So it sounds like the CPU is used more during playback than for capturing the MPEG stream. That's just an IO function.

True?

[cpmiv]

CPU and Vid card. For playback of HDTV welcome to some fun. HDTV playback can be difficult to arrive at a "good" display. Some people have had instant success while other people are still trying to get it working. Good Luck

[tscales]

I just upgraded to a 6600 and was absolutely SHOCKED at how much it improved the picture quality.

Tom

[jebbbz]

"For playback of HDTV welcome to some fun."

Indeed, for digital TV in general, HDTV in particular, welcome to some fun.

DTV is still for early adopters as the broadcasters are still working out some big kinks. Commercials are still in 4:3 but sometimes the station doesn't switch back to a6:9 for the main show. Equipment at the transmitter goes on the fritz but the engineers don't notice because they have to pay attention to the old analog broadcasts which still are the only thing that count towards audienc size for ad revenue.

Our local NBC affilate is painting their digital TV tower so they have to turn off the signal now and then to keep from microwaving the painters. The local ABC affiliate is kind enough to turn down the power on their nearby tower for the same reason so thier signal goes kablooey, too.

Still, the HDTV picture is gorgeous... Just be forewarned.