Looking to use my TV as a monitor with my computer entertainment center. Any card suggestions?

[Psyber]

Does anyone know what brand/model video card has a good TV-out that would allow me to use my TV as a monitor? I am building a computer entertainment center. I would also take any tv-tuner/capture card suggestions as well. The Cheaper the better. I've looked at the ATI All In Wonder, but don't have any personal experience with it's tv out (anyone that has this card please give me your opinion).

Thanks
-Psyber

 

[imgod2u]

Well, unless this is an HDTV, there there really isn't that much of a difference as TV resolution is rather limited. If you do happen to have an HDTV, the Leadtek Geforce 3 Ti500 or Geforce 3 are great. They offer high resolution (1024x768) TV-Out.

 

[Psyber]

I have a Sony WEGA. Oh and I fogot to mention the card has to be PCI.
Thanks

 

[powerMarkymark]

I'm using an ATI All in Wonder 128 PCI as my primary (and if you want the multimedia functions to work, it has to be set as your primary in your bios setup) card in a triple monitor setup. Good card and I've found the tv out function was easy to setup and to work very well.

That being said, Sony Vega or not I believe your resolution to tv monitor will never be as crisp and clear as your computer monitor for everyday apps but works great for playing DVDs, DivX etc to a larger screen.

Be careful if you display desktop or other static image to tv, I've heard that a tv is much more sensitive and displaying static images over a long period will burn a ghosted image to the inside of the screen.

Are you planning to go multi monitor (or maybe you allready are multimonitoring), just curious as I've been running this setup for two years now and could give you some advise of what to avoid. If you are planning to multimonitor with just the one ATI All in Wonder 128 PCI card and tv out, don't expect to extend your desktop to the tv and be able to work on your monitor the same time as you are playing a DVD for the family (with the ATI All in Wonder 128 PCI, tv out will play exactly what your primary vid card is processing) To do this you have to go to a multimonitor setup.

Have fun, I know I always do.

 

[rbV5]

<< To do this you have to go to a multimonitor setup. >>



Unless you have a monitor with 2 inputs, like mine.

Also, if you are using your TV only, you'll have to have a monitor lying around in case some game changes your resolution/refresh rate. You will need the monitor to change the setting back in order to see your desktop.

The WEGA will make a little difference, I just picked up a 32" bargain Sanyo with s-video input and using Cleartype in XP with s-video makes the text fairly readable, although still unacceptable to me for wordprocessing, web browsing and the like. The TV-out of the Radeon is excellent though. Very nice for videos and gaming.

 

[Mavrick007]

<<

<< To do this you have to go to a multimonitor setup. >>



Unless you have a monitor with 2 inputs, like mine. >>


How would that help you, unless you had a second computer working at the same time? Then that would be redundant since he's talking about a single computer and multimonitoring.

Whatever the case, if you want to do anything other than gaming or watching movies on a tv, you will not like the results. HDTV is expensive just for that feature and still I wouldn't use it for a replacement to a monitor to view web pages or other text. If you have HDTV already then go to it and tell us how it appears to you cause I'm sure that each appear slightly different. A regular tv is just not a subsitute for a monitor bar none so any video card, let alone pci, will not look any better on a tv for this reason.

 

[rbV5]

<< How would that help you, unless you had a second computer working at the same time? Then that would be redundant since he's talking about a single computer and multimonitoring. >>



Yup, Me to.

My Mitsubishi monitor has 2 inputs. My AIW Radeon is connected via BNC connectors, my V3 2000 PCI is connected to the same monitor via the VGA connector. I start a DVD or any video file and run it up to full screen on my Primary(Radeon) screen @ 800x600@60hz and enable video out, and it clones my desktop to my TV. I then push the BNC\DSUB button and my secondary screen(Voodoo 3) is now showing, running 1600x1200@85hz, ready for web browsing, photoshop ect. and my DVD is playing away on my TV via Tv-out of the Radeon. Viola, poor man's Hydravision working fine.

caveat: enabling the secodary video card breaks video-in while it enabled.(no biggie)

 

[Mavrick007]

Sweet, I never thought of that.
Primary out on the tv, while Secondary out being run on the monitor would work.

The only thing is that the poster sounds like he wants to buy just one "pci" video card and he would have to buy two video cards for this to work since I don't think any of the new cards that might support this hydravision feature will come in the pci flavor.

 

[rbV5]

Yea, no I know won't work for his case, but cool.

 

[Psyber]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I think I might just get the All in wonder and see how it works out. I'll keep everyone updated. I don't think I'll be doing much surfing on the machine, mostly playing videos/DVDs/emulators. I would like to know more about this cleartype feature that rbv5 was talking about. Is there a web page about this technology/feature? Thanks
-Psyber

 

[powerMarkymark]

I'm very curious, why do you need to go for PCI version?

 

[Psyber]

My motherboard only has pci slots

 

[ScrapSilicon]

<< My motherboard only has pci slots >>

i.e. old or an OEM board like an HP/Compaq,etc.

 

[joohang]

Have you considered a Matrox G450 PCI?

 

[MrPhelps]

<< My motherboard only has pci slots >>




How about posting your rig, I find its lets the forum see what you have to help you.