How to get the best TV-OUT quality?

[theplanb]

Ok guys, let's all put our heads together to help this poor guy out..(me..)
How bout that huh.

I wanna watch DVD on my TV using my PC. (don't ask me why.. just another obsession of mine)
I'd like to know what options I got to get the best picture quality and also feature+valuewise (including overscan)

Now bear in mind that I live in Sydney Australia.
That means, ATi videocards are highly overpriced including rage or radeon ranges.
(I can get powercolor brand radeons but I heard they suck)

Here are my options..

1. Get a videocard with TV-OUT and connect through svideo.
I heard radeons are way to go. But valuewise, they are pretty bad.
(cheapest radeon ve I can find is A$256.4 roughly US$128
Or matrox G550 retail with tv-out cable is A$360 or US$180)

2. Get a scan converter
It's just that they are very hard to find... and expensive too.

3. VGA-to-TV converter
Is ther such a thing? I think I saw some small converter with one end as VGA and one end as something else..I don't know..It was cheap though.

4. Get integrated graphics on a mobo along with the necessary tv-out module.
I think I saw a few mobos (Intel 810 or 815) that has tv-module slot, or something like that. Would be cheap solution. But is it possible to get the tv-module that easily? And what about the quality? All too much hassel even though I am getitng a new mobo as well.

5. Just get a DVD player...
That sounds the most reasonable answer.. but not what I'm looking for.. Maybe you can convince me.

 

[Workin']

If THE ONLY thing you want to do is watch DVDs (i.e., not play games or divx or anything other than DVD playback), you could get a Hollywood+ decoder card. That would probably be the cheapest way to do it, too.

Otherwise, spend the money on an ATi card or just get a stand-alone DVD player.

P.S. A VGA-to-TV converter is a scan converter.

 

[AnitaPeterson]

OK, dude...

My advice, BTW: get something that can be hacked in playing various DVD regions and TV formats.

A DVD decoder might be the cheapest solution. Next in line is the TV converter, then the videocard with TV-out.

1) If the purse is tight, take the decoder. You will have great quality, but you'll only output DVD, no VCD, DivX or games.
2) The converter will output whatever you want, but quality can vary wildly.
3) If you also need a better card, I suggest you go for a good Nvidia TV-out card, since you say ATI is expensive.

The choice is yours. I, personally, have both 1 and 3... call it overkill, but diversity is a good thing!