Do all GeForce 4's have TV in/out?

[PhredrickDobbs]

I'm planning on getting a TI-4200. The performance differences seem fairly negligble between the cards, so I figured I'd just go with whatever is cheap. However, it might be kinda cool to have TV in/out.

My impression is that all cards have TV out, but only some do TV in. Is that right?

If some cards have TV in/out features and some don't, where might I find out which ones do? (Other than going to individual manufacturer's sites)

Thanks much...

 

[geckojohn]

First off, welcome to AT Forums

Some GeForce4's have video in, but you still need a video source. You can not just connect a tv cable into the video card. You need to get a special S Video -> RCA adapter (buy at your friendly, local Radio Shack). The video In feature increases the price usually at least $10... but seems to be a popular choice. Hope this help out a little.

 

[cdub]

Actually, I am just going to expand on the previous comment to make it absolutely clear, you need a device to tune the TV signal in order to bring a TV channel in to your computer... a device such as a VCR.

The Ti4200 you buy will likely have an S-Video input, and maybe a composite input (the Gainward Golden Sample has both inputs). VCR's always have coaxial input (the cable from the cable company) and RCA (composite) video output, and sometimes it will have an S-Video output as well. Many other devices have composite and s-video outputs: dvd players, camcorders, hell even my digital still-picture camera. But only something made to play back TV, like VCR's, have the ability to tune a TV channel.

This may be totally obvious, and I am sure it is obvious to the above poster, but in another thread I definitely noticed some confusion on the subject.

 

[PhredrickDobbs]

Gotcha. I actually wasn't thinking too much about TV signals... more like Playstation signals. But since that is obviously being used to play on a tv that should work.

Cool, and as far as TV out goes, I really have no use since my monitor is far superior when it comes to data created by my computer, but geforce 4's generally can output?

What determines whether the the geforce4 is reading or writing from the composite or s-video outputs?

And finally, do all of the video cards that do tv-in also have software for getting that signal to my monitor? And if not, do there exist free windows utilties to do so?

Thanks again,
-Dobbs

 

[cdub]

Generally, for video-in devices, they come with software that includes the "codecs" Windows needs to read the video input from them. Usually in the preferences for the codec are the choices for what input you want to monitor. In the case of the Ti4200, I think there wont be any choices for the input, because they both essentially are coming from the same place (the dongle just splices the composite and s-video sources I think).

YMMV, I haven't actually tried any of the VI features of the 4200, just the VO.