HTPC Resolution Question

[hoorah]

Ok, here's my seteup.

I have a small HTPC that I have setup in my living room. Right now I'm using the onboard video, which I believe is GeForce4 MX 4000 based. I also have a Toshiba 42" plasma HDTV, the 42HP95.

No matter what resoltion I pick on the HTPC, I can only get standard 4:3 resolutions to display a picture. 800x600 works, 1024x768 works, but I can't get any resoltion that will give me a 16:9 picture size.

Now, the resoltions the video card will let me display are somewhat limited, and as far as I know, there is no "driver" for the 42" plasma TV, at least that I can find.

I guess in short, if I need a new video card that will allow me to display more 'non-standard' resolutions, what should I look for? To put it another way, what do I need to display 720p or 1080i? Is is 1280x720 for 720p?

The onboard video only has VGA out, no DVI. The TV has VGA in and HDMI in, but no DVI either.

Sorry if this is a easily answered question, but I've been searching the net for awhile on this and can't find an answer yet. Thanks all


Dan

 

[Meuge]

VGA out @ 1280x720 -> component adapter -> TV

 

[kylebisme]

Your graphics card should be fine for displaying 720p and 1080i might work too, though to see the options you probably need to uncheck the "hide modes this monitor can not display" option in the advanced monitor's display properties depending on the DCC info from your plasma. Then Nvidia's drivers have options for custom resolutions as well, and resolutions like 1600x900 come in really handy for games, granted only rather old ones with a MX.

Oh and yeah standard HDTV 720p in PC terms is 1280x720 at 60hz, and I'd be shocked if your plasma didn't support that over VGA.

 

[kylebisme]

Originally posted by: Meuge
VGA out @ 1280x720 -> component adapter -> TV

He would need a transcoder to go to component with an old Geforce like that, they can't output YUV colorspace.

*that is unless his plasma accepts RGB over component, mine does but many don't.

 

[hoorah]

Ah! I knew that! I forgot about checking to allow resolutions it thinks the TV can't display.

I KNOW my TV can do 720p (and 1080i), because I watch HD in that all the time. So it should have no problem doing 1280x720 in standard VGA then? If so, sweet, I'll try that as soon as I get home.

I've played some games on the TV with the HTPC, but mostly for the novelty of it. I dragged my main rig (in sig) out to the plasma to play COD2 on it, it was PHENOMINAL! But you're right, the old MX isn't going to do much in the way of new games. I have a Ti4200 that can go into it, but I wanted to clear up one problem at a time.

Thanks for the help guys, I'll let you know if it works.

 

[SonicIce]

Originally posted by: TheSnowman

Originally posted by: Meuge
VGA out @ 1280x720 -> component adapter -> TV

He would need a transcoder to go to component with an old Geforce like that, they can't output YUV colorspace.

*that is unless his plasma accepts RGB over component, mine does but many don't.

how does standard componenet work? I dont remember exactly its was like a luminance value and two chromanance values?

how hard is it to convert component out of an xbox to VGA for a CRT monitor?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: SonicIce

Originally posted by: TheSnowman

Originally posted by: Meuge
VGA out @ 1280x720 -> component adapter -> TV

He would need a transcoder to go to component with an old Geforce like that, they can't output YUV colorspace.

*that is unless his plasma accepts RGB over component, mine does but many don't.

how does standard componenet work? I dont remember exactly its was like a luminance value and two chromanance values?

how hard is it to convert component out of an xbox to VGA for a CRT monitor?

Many newer cards have that capability built in, so it's producing the component signal from the start. In this case you're taking a finished VGA signal and then you're trying to convert to component which you need some circuitry for.

 

[Lord Banshee]

You have the computer and TV hook up by the 15pin VGA cable correct.

Install newest Nvidia drivers(if that is your card)

restart

1) Right click desktop, properties, settings, advance
2) Click Tab "Name of Video Card", on the left click "Screen Resolutions and Refresh Rates"
3) Click Add, then add the resolution you are looking for.

This should work

 

[hoorah]

Ok guys, heres my update on the problem.

I did 2 things at once last night. I installed the ti4200 card, and I unchecked to only allow certain resolutions.

1280x720 @ 60Hz did NOT work, it made the screen all pink and green. 1920x1080 did not display at all. However, 1280x768 displayed and looked SOOOO much better than a stretched 1024x768. So problem solved, looks great.

Watched 1st episode of "Rome" last night in widescreen, unstretched. Looked good, but was definitely NOT HDTV, despite that being the label on it from where I downloaded it from.

Anyway, thanks for your help guys. Later.

 

[kylebisme]

You might want to try 1368x768, as that would be the proper aspect ratio of your display. with 1280x768 things will be a little distorty on a 16:9 TV.

 

[JonnyBlaze]

Originally posted by: TheSnowman
You might want to try 1368x768, as that would be the proper aspect ratio of your display. with 1280x768 things will be a little distorty on a 16:9 TV.

1280 x 768 is the native res of that tv.

 

[JonnyBlaze]

Originally posted by: hoorah

Watched 1st episode of "Rome" last night in widescreen, unstretched. Looked good, but was definitely NOT HDTV, despite that being the label on it from where I downloaded it from.

Anyway, thanks for your help guys. Later.

it was probably recorded from a hd source but still compressed. check out some samples from microsoft. link

 

[kylebisme]

Originally posted by: JonnyBlaze

Originally posted by: TheSnowman
You might want to try 1368x768, as that would be the proper aspect ratio of your display. with 1280x768 things will be a little distorty on a 16:9 TV.

1280 x 768 is the native res of that tv.

Sure, but that is becuase the pixels arent square, where as Windows will asume that they are and hence the aspect ratio will be distorted. 1368x768 on the other hand will give a proper 16:9 aspect ratio, or at least as close as you can get with modren graphics cards at 768 lines.