How do I improve TV picture quality playback with my setup?

[garetmax]

My goal is to improve my TV picture quality when playing back my recorded shows. My budget for improving this is under $300.00.

Currently I use a 50 ft. S-Video cable from my computer video card to my Samsung HDTV. The picture quality is a bit washed out and I know can be better. My video card is a Radeon 9800SE with DVI output, VGA output, and s-video output.

My limitation is that I can't decrease the 50 foot distance from computer to TV. Although 50' dvi cables and 50' vga cables can be purchased, I've read that these really don't work well at all.

The recordings are excellent as I can play them on the computer monitor or burn them to DVD's to play on my TV and they look great, so I'm assuming my loss of quality comes from the 50 ft. s-video cable. I also have a MVP and those recordings look great on my upstairs TV.

I'm starting to record high definition using my Dvico HDTV fusion5 lite card. This can record in .tp format or mpg format. Using GB-PVR I can record in dvr-ms files or others. I'm not sure what is the best format for recording or if converting should be done to another format.

I wouldn't mind just buying a device like a mvp that can play high def recordings, (dvr-ms, tp, etc.). I see some products out there called network high definition media players but most don't list that they play dvr-ms or .tp.

D-link DSM-510 (says it can play dvr-ms)
D-link DSM-520
Buffalo linktheater PC-P3LWG/DVD
Gateway ADC-320
Galaxy metal gear 3500 IPTV DMG - Digital Media Gateway
AVeL LinkPlayer2
NeoDigits HELIOS X3000/5000 HD Network Media Player
Netgear EVA700 Digital Entertainer
Roku Labs HD1000 High Definition Digital Media Player
Zensonic Z500 networked digital media player
Ziova CS510 High Definition Network Media Player


I'm not concerned with wireless options but prefer to just run cables and not worry about wireless loss of signals.

Also, I can do my recordings/scheduling from my computer and don't need to use GB-PVR from the TV.


Which direction do I go?
- Buy a network high definition media player?
- Buy different cables, dvi, vga,?
- Buy another computer to put at the TV? ($300 budget)
- Buy a better video card?


Thanks,
GaretMax

[fuzzweed]

the 50' cable length is your biggest problem IMO - doesn;t matter if its svid, dvi or anything else for that matter! How come you can buy another PC to put by the TV, but not the one you've got already?
You could certailny get a $300 PC running GBPVR (I got a P3 out of a skip for the kitchen), but I don;t know how it would manage with HDTV.
Moving your current setup to the TV, attaching it with a short DVI (which is pin-sharp picture quality) and using the $300 PC for email / internet in the office (or wherever your current PC is) would be a solution....

[martint123]

Can you take your PC to the TV and run it with a 'normal' svideo cable.
This will say for sure if it is the cable length or not.
We used to run video many 100's or yards without much problem provided it was terminated properly at each end.

[garetmax]

Our couch is about 15 feet away from the TV and on one side of the couch we have a table where the computer monitor is setup.
Off to the side of the couch is where the computer is.
We just put the computer keyboard on our laps when typing and the mouse rests on the couch armrest all the time so while we watch TV either my wife or I can be on the computer.

To get the s-video cable from the computer to tv requires that I go up first to above the ceiling and over and then down to the TV which really requires around 40 feet of cable.

I've never tested moving the computer next to the TV to try a short s-video or even short dvi/hdmi cable. I will try that this week.

I think $300 for a computer that can handle high def well might be tough.
Maybe your idea of getting a $300 computer that can do email/internet and using that at the couch might work. I will need to think about that.

Thanks,
GaretMax

[fuzzweed]

you definately want to have a go with DVI - I think you'll be blown away It's a marked improvement over VGA, let alone svid, because the signal is digital (aka lossless) all the way into the TV.

[-Oz-]

50ft DVI: http://www.monoprice.com/products/produc...t=2&style=
$52.73 which is a pretty good price. That site is what I use for all my cables because the prices are amazing and I've had no problems (once they sent the wrong cable, called them, got the new one 2 days later and kept the old one)

[dneprrider]

- Buy different cables, dvi, vga,?

If you decide to go with a lengthy cable it would be worth reading what they say here about DVI cable specifications for the long run considered.

DVI/digital signal quality can still be influenced by noise and other cable parameters, such as impedance/capacitance inherent in the cable.

http://www.practical-home-theater-guide....ble-1.html

[garetmax]

I've actually seen that article on extending dvi and hdmi cable connections before and have looked at other articles as well which is why I think that a $50 dvi cable might not work so well but of course I really don't know. For $50 I could just buy one and try it and see how it works for my setup.

I've looked at the prices of the dvi/hdmi extenders/boosters and fiber cables and those all seem more pricey than going and buying a $500 computer that I can put right at the TV.

Does anyone think buying a network high definition media player to be a solution.

Thanks for the inputs,
GaretMax

[martint123]

How about puttiing the PC next to the TV with short cables and using a wireless keyboard and mouse ??

[garetmax]

We still want to have the computer monitor at the couch for emailing/internet while we watch TV, so I think we'd need a long video cable length from TV to computer monitor even though using wireless mouse/keyboard which would be the same problem as before.