High quality video out?

[Chu]

Hello all. I'm currently building a divx/dvd box, and I needed a video out solution. I picked up a Radeon PCI card for $30 at OfficeMax, hoping it would be pretty decent. And it is . . . however . . .

Well, to put it bluntly, it looks like crap compared to a $60 APEX-1500 DVD player.

I know there has to be a high quality solution out there *JUST* for video out, maybe some older Matrox card? I don't need 3D acceleration, I just need a nice, clean, crisp picture. Is this possible around the $100 mark, and if it is not, how much would I be looking to spend to get what I want? The primary output is a $15,000 projector (no, it is not mine, but I sure as hell wish it was) so quality is VERY important.

Thanks in advance,

-Chu

P.S., If I do have to go with an external box to get the quality I want, how do some of the older Matrox cards (G200 PCI, Matrox Mellinum) compare in quality to my Radeon?

 

[AnAndAustin]

Can't comment directly on the Matrox cards, but I'd strongly advise a Rad9000 card, should be around $60 and much better 3D perf than a GF4MX. TVout is great on the Radeons (unlike ALL current GeForce cards). The Rad9000 also has very good image quality, hw DVD playback and also reportedly the ability to enhance any MPEG video by using its DX8 hw funcs, should be very worth while on any lower quality video you may play.

 

[Chu]

>>

Can't comment directly on the Matrox cards, but I'd strongly advise a Rad9000 card, should be around $60 and much better 3D perf than a GF4MX. TVout is great on the Radeons (unlike ALL current GeForce cards). The Rad9000 also has very good image quality, hw DVD playback and also reportedly the ability to enhance any MPEG video by using its DX8 hw funcs, should be very worth while on any lower quality video you may play.

<<

As an encoder, there are parts to the above statements that I literally winced when I read, but on to the important part.

People say Radeon's have great video out. And they do compared to a GeForce, however compared to a real DVD player, even my $60 apex, it is crap.

I haven't seen the Radeon9000's firsthand, but if you have, how does it compare to your *DVD PLAYER*. If my original Radeon (same video out circuit as the Radeon DDR VIVO) can beat the crap out of a GeForce3 (haven't see the GF4's firsthand yet -- but since I won't be doing any 3d gaming on this box I really don't want to shell out for it), I am assuming the Radeon9000 can, but this tells me NOTHING about how it would compare to a DVD player.

I did a little reasearch on my own, and found some genlocks start at $80! I was wondering if anyone knew how the cheapest genlocks compared to the consumer grade (i.e. Radeon) video out solutions. I really have no problem dropping $100 *JUST FOR* video out, and I know there *HAS* to be something out there that was made for me. Especially with the explosion of the computer in the living room setups, someone out there must have tried to fill this niche.

-Chu

 

[Peter]

Does that Radeon card have S-Video out or are you going through legacy Composite? Then, are you letting the ATi chip do the DVD rendering (which would give you the best quality) or is there a piece of software at work?

 

[Chu]

>> Does that Radeon card have S-Video out or are you going through legacy Composite? Then, are you letting the ATi chip do the DVD rendering (which would give you the best quality) or is there a piece of software at work?

I'm using S-Video. I am using software DVD rendering, because it looks better ::shrug::. There is no reason why hardware rendering is better then software in terms of quality if done right. Speed is another matter. The primary use of this box is *NOT* DVD's however, otherwise I would just drop $100 on a DVD player, so this is a moot point.

Common, SOMEONE out there has to have expirence in this.

 

[rbV5]

You won't find a video card with much better video-out than the Radeon, and you're right they aren't comparable to the output of a standalone DVD player(although mine is alot better than "crap" compared to the standalone, maybe cabling issues?)

IF your projector has component inputs, ATI makes a component output dongle that is supported on the 8500 and 9xxx series cards (it has some usability issues, but is a big leap in TV-out IQ) or perhaps look at a scan converter, TV-View Gold <sp> is one I've heard has decent IQ.
Maybe one of the new Hollywood cards will work, they have a bit sharper output than the Radeon, but limited format support.

My advice is go to AVS forum and see what the HTPC guys are doing, maybe they can help get better IQ from your Radeon, I'm sure some there is using a projector. Or maybe find a different acceptable solution.

Good Luck!

 

[queequeg99]

Yes, the folks at AVSforum should be able to answer the question. And yes, many over there use projectors. So many, in fact, that they have multiple bulletin boards covering them depending on price. Surprisingly, everything I have read over there indicates that the Radeon 7500 series has the best video out of the Radeons, even the 8500 series. There are many posts that indicate this and give reasons so I leave the search to you.

jay