BTV4.4 & dualTV - how much PC power is needed?

[rockin_rick]

Hi,

I decided to build a dedicated HTPC running either Win2K or XP Pro, and have so far, bought BTV4.4, a firefly, and a nVidia DualTV card. This will be running on a composite input 27" normal TV. I'd like to be able to record 2 shows at the same time, while watching a previously recorded show, without a hiccup. ShowSqueeze nor SmartChapter needs to be running simultaneously - I'd be willing to delegate those operations to late, late night if I can reuse hardware that I already have. I have a P3-933 mobo (that is my MP3-only "HTPC") and a XP 1700+ (that is my main PC). I have a geforce2 pro/450 2xAGP DX8 and a FX 5500 256MB 128bit 4xAGP DX9, in each of those systems, respecively. If necessary or recommended, I could buy new hardware. The DualTV specs call for a minimum of 1.6 GHz, with 2.4 GHz recommended. I'm assuming that this is with the processor overhead of the MCE software, perhaps BTV with this card will not need as much? Will the 1.7 and the 5500 provide a seamless viewing experience? Seems silly to consider the 933, but it will be unused once the HTPC takes it's place and it would be really nice to reuse that mobo, money wise. I've seen other people here that claim that their BTV runs seamlessly on a 733 with a PVR550, but no mentions of BTV and the DualTV.

The 1.7 is my current main PC, so if I use the 1.7 in the HTPC, I get to also treat myself to a new, faster main PC as a bonus. If I have to buy a new mobo/processor for the HTPC, then I don't get a main PC upgrade. But, the ultimate deciding factor is picture quality - smooth and stutter free. I may finally get an HDTV in a year, so if I have to buy new hardware, I'd like to get enough to support HDTV when the time comes. If I can reuse current hardware, then that's fine, I'll upgrade the hardware when I get the HDTV. Also if buying new hardware, I'd like Showsqueeze and SmartChapter to run simultaneously without effecting picture quality/smoothness. What should I do/use/buy?

Is my composite input TV limiting me? I usually only watch SD analog cable, hardly ever DVDs. (Perhaps I would watch DVDs if I had a sweet HDTV...) Would a HDTV (with it's better input) provide a better picture with the SD analog cable through BTV? Or is it Garbage In, Garbage Out and a HDTV will not help a SD analog cable input? Or is it that the composite input is the problem, wheras the same TV with a better input (SVID) will have a better picture? Of course, I'm not going to buy a non-HDTV if I'm buying a TV so it's all (HDTV) or nothing (what I got).

Thanks,
Rick

[AdmA]

HD will make your SD look worse. Think about it, SD is 480 lines of resolution and HD is 1080...so with an HD in its Native resolution, it has to upconvert 480 lines to 1080 lines. This is like taking a photo on your computer and stretching in bigger so you can see it larger. If you exceed the max res of the photo, it looks pixely and grainy...the photo cant make up data that doesnt exist, so it stretches each pixel. This is why I have an ED TV. I think it looks fantastic with HD signals and SD. (with HD it downconverts, and ED is 480p, so its progessive). Hope any of this made sense.... anyone feel free to correct me if I got any of this wrong