[mythtv-users] PVR-350 clarification

John Hanauer j-hanauer at northwestern.edu
Fri Jun 17 08:17:52 UTC 2005


> You may likely need a video card to boot successfully and to setup the
> system first, but depending on motherboard it may boot without it once
> the system is setup. It is less likely that you'll need one with
> TV-Out though.

I have spare video cards lying around for both system setup and
circumventing any motherboard issues, these video cards just wouldn't have
TV-out.

> You can also run MythTV on a regular video
> card's TV-Out, but use the excellent decoder on the PVR-350 to
> playback live TV and recordings (best of both worlds approach)

Would this not mean two output sources, and therefore two different inputs
on my TV?

And then either way, is the quality of playback with the PVR-350 and its
MPEG-1/2 decoder something I can't find in a video card's TV-OUT?  Unless
its too expensive, I'd assume not.  In which case would it then be best to
play all video regardless through one output?

I guess what I'm also asking is that if I do want the most versatility for
the future (newer codecs, eventually DVD playback, other myth front ends,
and whatever else who knows) would I be limiting myself if I used a PVR-350
as my only TV-out.

-john

-----Original Message-----
From: mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org
[mailto:mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org] On Behalf Of Nick
Sent: Friday, June 17, 2005 3:48 AM
To: Discussion about mythtv
Subject: Re: [mythtv-users] PVR-350 clarification

On 6/17/05, John Hanauer <j-hanauer at northwestern.edu> wrote:
> I'm in the intial stages of my planning for my summer05 project, building
a
> MythTV box.
> 
> Question, though ...
> 
> PVR-350:  Is the TV-OUT used only for playback of MPEG-2 video?  Or can I
> send all video output (linux console, mythtv menus, mythtv video (mpeg
1,2,
> or even 4), etc) through this port?  Would this mean I don't need a video
> card?

John,

You can run the whole X shebang over the TV-Out of the PVR-350 if you
want (instructions on Jarod's guide) Currently best video performance
is with MPEG2 video, but John Harvey is working on getting accelerated
video playback working smoothly on the 350 for all manner of video
types (like an xv video card) so for standard definition video (inc
DVD) this should be fine. You can also run MythTV on a regular video
card's TV-Out, but use the excellent decoder on the PVR-350 to
playback live TV and recordings (best of both worlds approach)

You may likely need a video card to boot successfully and to setup the
system first, but depending on motherboard it may boot without it once
the system is setup. It is less likely that you'll need one with
TV-Out though.

If you are wanting to use the system for HDTV playback though, you
will need a powerful system with a decent video card with TV-Out
though.

HTH,
Nick
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