TV out quality

[Mr T]

Xbox is designed for tv output from bottom up, nothing else!

but isn't the Xbox just a PC in disguise? What method does it use for getting the output to the TV?

Would a good solution be to use a MVP even though the TV is right next to the TV? I assume the picture quality is better than the PC's s-video out.

[nemulate]

Graphics cards are designed to produce different displays at different resolutions. Obviously the xboxes although pc based is designed to only produce one kind of video output, TV! As regards mvp, yes tv output on them is superior to s-video but they have their own issues (only minor though!) Also means you can move the htpc somewhere else as long as you have network connectivity between the 2.

[gEd]

As regards mvp, yes tv output on them is superior to s-video but they have their own issues (only minor though!) Also means you can move the htpc somewhere else as long as you have network connectivity between the 2.

If this is the case (I have never used an mvp), it must be because of the hardware mpeg decoder.

from hauggauge site
"It receives the digital media from the PC via the Ethernet LAN, decodes the media and outputs video through composite and S-Video connections, and audio through stereo audio output connectors."

Mr T: I have a 9 year old Pany TX-25MD1 telly and my s-video output is just fine via a high quality s-video to scart connector (going into AVR2 socket).

Perhaps your divx decoder is not working properly.
Have you tried playing a dvd from the pc?
Follow csy,'s advice to download the latest ati drivers and configure the resolution to match your screen (n x 576)

[nemulate]

Really think the issue is more to do with people expecting a tv screen to be as good as a monitor which it can't be unless it has the proper inputs. Yes gbpvr looks fine om my tv but I still wouldn't be able to browse the internet and read small text.

[Mr T]

Just to get clear in my head of how good a picture to expect can you guys rate your picture on a CRT using svideo from a pc on a scale of 0 - 10.

Where 0 is no picture at all, 8 is digital TV quality and 10 is DVD quality.

I would rate mine at about a 5 or 6

[gEd]

The svideo output from watching live tv (pc analogue tv card) is about 2 points behind regular live tv due to a loss of fine detail and the image being over-smooth. However there is also less noise as a result.

[Mr T]

The svideo output from watching live tv (pc analogue tv card) is about 2 points behind regular live tv due to a loss of fine detail and the image being over-smooth. However there is also less noise as a result.

which makes me think why bother with a pc for watching TV? Why not just stick to a normal setop box PVR, seems like the best option.

[nemulate]

lol, may as well tell sub that then Nah it's just so much more fun and customisable than a pvr! Plus you get everything else that a pc can do on the tv too, cinema listing, msn, weather, mp3 player with all the bells and whistles, rss news feeds, net radio. And thats just gbpvr!

[gEd]

Does a pvr allow me to:

add as many tuners as i like (analogue, sat and freeview)
make a wireless connection to my main pc and the internet.
browse and stream my mp3 collection out my hi-fi
browse and slideshow my photo collection on the tv
play cd's
play dvd's
listen to fm radio
listen to internet radio
access emails
access news feeds
watch downloaded videos in virtually any format
compress video files so they take up less space
burn recordings to dvd (if I had a burner)
find out what on at my local cinema
add additional hard disks when I need to increase capacity

and so effectively enable me to ditch my cd player, vcr, dvd player and fm tuner.

damn sub, you're leading us all up the wrong path here....

[Mr T]

Well i have a modded xbox that can do most of that but i get your point.