[mythtv-users] Myth on a budget..

[Jeff Williams]

Less hassle would definitely be the GeForce 4.  TV out basically does just work on it although you do need to download the nvidia drivers (which reminds me, I owe a guy around here a log file to help him get his overscan working right... this is the one thing I've seen anybody have any problem with on a GeForce 4).  I previously had a Matrox G400 and while I did actually manage to get the TV out working, it was about a month-long process (not 31 days straight, I'm talking off and on) and then I was not particularly satisfied when I did - the output quality I felt was overhyped, and the overscanning I needed to do gave me a weird banding artifact (wasn't there if I left the image as a little box in the middle of my TV screen).  Plus, you can't boot directly to the TV, as TV out won't start until X starts - you need to keep a monitor hooked up for when you need to reboot, and then unless you set up a script you need to type blindly to get the tv out working, since one of the steps is to disconnect *all* output before mapping it to the TV.  All in all just not a particularly pleasant experience and not worth the trouble.
 
Nvidia cards are easily the most Linux-friendly consumer graphics cards on the market and if you get a decent one their TV out is perfectly good.  Try to find one with the on-board Nvidia decoder chip - my Chaintech has this.  They will also boot directly to the TV output, so you don't need a monitor hooked up.
 
Can't help on the PVR250/350, as I just have a BT878 card... works fine for me, but with a slow CPU you'll definitely want one of the PVR cards, I can at least tell you that much.
 
Don't see why any GeForce 4 wouldn't work perfectly well with either PVR card though.

-----Original Message-----
From: Dave Urwin [mailto:durwin at siematic.com]
Sent: Wednesday, September 03, 2003 11:54 AM
To: 'mythtv-users at mythtv.org'
Subject: [mythtv-users] Myth on a budget..


Hi, I'm kinda new to this.. be my first real time messing with linux for anything useful (other than installing, playing with stuff and then trying another distro).
 
I'm gonna try to setup a box with some hardware i have kicking around..
 
The base unit will be a PIII 500, 40GB HD..
 
I don't have video cards yet..  which will provide the less hassle..
 
G450? or nvidia MX400?
 
Also.. i'm looking at getting a PVR-350 (most expensive bit i'll have).
 
I've been following the list for a while.. is there a combo that *just works*.. i've already learned to stay away from SIS stuff! :)
 
I'm looking to make this as painless as possible.
 
Thanks,
 
 Dave

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