Question about quality for both live TV & recording.

[pBS]

if all else fails, and you have plenty of cpu overhead available, try the ffdshow post processors...they can de-ring and de-block the video to clean it up just like vmr for higher end tv's... tho i wouldn't recommend it for hi-def..[would probably choke, but may not]

setup can be interesting to say the least, but amazing things are possible if you get it going..
['raw video' processing]

[stustunz]

my settings are different than LAguy not saying his are wrong i just reckon try them all each setup is different and even with the same specs computers can react different
i use overlay manager
then tweak it while video is playing icon in task bar
vmr
display fields seperately
auto for deinterlace found the others got some programs right and some wrong so its probably not as good but its a good compromise(get funny horrizontal lines when wrong i found)
full frame setting will depend on your tv but yeah default is probably a safe bet (try the others it doesnt affect quality just shape)

hardware accel on (depends on video card)but it drops my cpu from 35% to 12% and i reckon the picture is better all round paning is smooth which is the thing that gets to me the most with mpeg video

the tweak tool is simple to use
only adjust sharpness set to 7 highest and the temperal blur lower that to as low as it will save i think 1 or 2 it doesnt seem to save any lower (make sure you click save settings)

(these are my findings they are probably wrong but they work for me)

[stustunz]

if you are going to use pure video i dont wreckon you want any other things loaded i think they conflict from my experience
so if you are going to try ffdshow i would use that with mpv decoder to begin with anyway

[Pob]

Thanks for the input. Much Appreciated!!

I tried the Nvidia Pure Decoder and it does seem a bit better, but there are a ton of combinations to try on that decoders settings so I'm still playing with it. I also tired MPV decoder and thought that was better too.

Haven't tried the Hauppauge Tweak Tool yet. Is this easy to use?

Also Haven't tried subs suggestion of burning to DVD and then playing it back. Great idea. Probably should do this before dinking around so much with these decoders.

I will try both these this weekend.

Does anyone have a TV tuner Card they think does a better job than the Hau 150 as far as picture quality?

Thanks again for all the help.
This is truly a great forum for a great product!

I think I can foretell the results of burning a recording to DVD and watching it - it will be the same as the original broadcast. I tried it myself and put the .mpg recording of a 1-hour TV show straight onto a DVD-RW, and then watched it on through a DVD player. There is no-way you could diferentiate between the recording and the original. This just shows that the TV-out on graphics cards, and the plethora of options available on a PC, really do complicate things! I guess a DVD player only does one thing - but does it well.
Pob

[stustunz]

yes but if it did look different then it may show where the problem is
if your mpeg encoder isnt doing a good job then it would be shit but if it was good it would mean it was a play back problem (decoder)
the problem with dvd players up till last year was unless you wanted to pay lots they didnt have dvi/hdmi so computer was the only way to go plus you could upscale but yes it does get complex

[ACTCMS]

the problem with dvd players up till last year was unless you wanted to pay lots they didnt have dvi/hdmi so computer was the only way to go plus you could upscale but yes it does get complex

but after all, that's where all the fun is...

[stustunz]

the other half dont think so when i have to fiddle
and she only gets half her program

[ACTCMS]

I do hear what you are saying, but when the WAF starts to decline to the point where complaints are made, I normally take that to mean it's time to revert to 'last known good version', stabilise the production system and aquire a new 'development rig' - fortunately (after 32 years of marriage) that's the way she sees it too...