[mythtv-users] HDTV / Widescreen with nVidia FX5200

[William]

Leigh Sharpe wrote:
> Hi All,
>  I have a Panasonic TV which has only Composite, SVideo and Component 
> inputs, no DVI or VGA. I have just built a Mythbuntu box with an 
> nVidia FX5200 in it, which has a VGA, DVI and SVideo output. The only 
> one I can connect to the TV, obviously, is the SVideo. I'm having a 
> hell of a time getting it to talk proper widescreen, though.
>  Watching live TV, or replaying recordings are OK, if I set the TV to 
> 'Auto' mode, so it adjusts it's picture to suit the signal being fed 
> to it, but I am having problems with the Myth menu. The TV enlarges 
> the picture vertically, and I lose the top and bottom of the picture.
> From a bit of googling, it would seem that the SVideo standard only 
> allows for 4:3 signals, anyway, and the nVidia card will ignore all 
> attempts to change the resolution when using the SVideo output, so I 
> am left with the option of trying to connect to the component input on 
> my TV (which should also give me a proper HD picture).
> I have seen some reports somewhere of being able to connect these 
> cards to the component-in on a TV, but I can't seem to find out a) how 
> to physically connect it, and b) whether my card actually supports it.
> Any ideas welcome.
>  
>              Leigh
>  
>
Welcome to my world. You might be able to use your component input if 
your tv supports RGBHV which is just a non standard vga port hidden 
behind coax inputs. If you do not have RGBHV and only have standard 
component inputs you can buy a converter cable but perhaps the best 
option is to purchase another video card such as one of the nVidia 8000 
or 9000 series cards. They will cost about the same as the adaptor cable 
and will allow you to run VDPAU hardware decoding.

William