[mythtv-users] Which video card to buy?

[George Mari]

mlists wrote:
> On Sat, 2007-10-06 at 07:52 -0500, George Mari wrote:
>> Raphael wrote:
>> [deleted]
>>> Interesting, so a 5200 literally can't do 1080i? I'm slightly surprised; 
>>> I would have assumed that between a 5200 and a 6200 there would be very 
>>> little difference in mpeg2 decoding speed. But since Norm has a P4 
>>> 3.2GHz and it can't play 1080i even though the processor is barely used, 
>>>   it seems like it must be the graphics card.
>>> I have a 5200 that can play 1080i with XVMC. Only problem is XVMC 
>>> randomly causes my system to lock up, causing mythfrontend to need a 
>>> restart, or worse the machine needs a hard reset. I haven't bothered to 
>>> look into sorting that out yet.
>>>
>>> Raphael
>> I have a GeForce 4 MX 4000 outputting 1080P over DVI.  I'm not even 
>> using the latest drivers, as this card is no longer supported by them. 
>> If it can do 1080P, I don't see how the 5200 can not.
>>
>> Has the OP posted the contents of his/her Xorg.0.log?  My guess is the 
>> 1080 mode lines are failing validation.  I had to turn off some of the 
>> mode validation checks that the Nvidia driver goes through.  Check the 
>> Xorg.0.log for why the modelines are failing validation and then check 
>> the Nvidia readme file for details on which options turn off what in 
>> relation to modeline validation.  I couldn't get above 720p before I did 
>> this.
> 
> 
> Ok as the OP I guess I should clarify :)  For whatever reason when I
> select 1920x1080 (and _60 and _60_0) it won't display on the TV -- I see
> half the screen over the full size of the screen.  
> 
> So from the sounds of things its not the video card but something else
> -- I can display 1280x720 no problem with dvi/hdmi.
> 
> Here is my xorg.conf
> 
> Section "Monitor"
> 
>  ### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
>         Identifier   "Monitor0"
>         VendorName   "Unknown"
>         ModelName    "DFP-0"
>  ### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
> #        HorizSync    30.0 - 91.0
> #        VertRefresh  55.0 - 85.0
> #        DisplaySize  580 320
> EndSection
> 
> Section "Device"
>         Identifier  "Videocard0"
>         Driver      "nvidia"
>         VendorName  "NVIDIA Corporation"
>         BoardName   "GeForce FX 6200" 
>         Option      "XvmcUsesTextures" "false"
>         Option      "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "True"
>         Option      "DisableGLXRootClipping" "True"
> EndSection 
> 
> Section "Screen"
>         Identifier "Screen0"
>         Device     "Videocard0"
>         Monitor    "Monitor0"
>         DefaultDepth     24
>         Option      "ExactModeTimingsDVI" "true" 
>         Option      "UseEDID" "true"
>         Option      "TwinView" "0"
>         option "UseDPI" "100"
>         Option      "ModeValidation" "DFP-0: NoDFPNativeResolutionCheck,
> NoVertRefreshCheck, NoMaxPClkCheck, NoHorizSyncCheck,NoEdidMaxPClkCheck,
> AllowInterlacedModes, NoMaxSizeCheck"
>         SubSection "Display"
>                 Depth     24
>                 Modes    "1280x720_60_0" 
>         EndSubSection
> EndSection
> 
> 
OK - with your "Modes" as above, I believe 720P is the only resolution X 
will allow now, as it's the only resolution listed.

What does your Xorg.0.log look like when you allow other resolutions?