After long searching and comparing I made a choice to try to use Myth and Knopp for the HD PVR I am planning.

Even before really checking all of the HW requirements though I bought a fast enough PC (3Ghz, 800FSB) to make sure decoding would not become an issue.

2 things (probably end up more) left concerning the hardware:
-Video card
-Capture card

I was thinking about buying the HD 3000 but I just noticed the cards are PCI 2.2 and I am not sure the mboard I choose (PC did not arrive yet and I can't find any manual of the board online) actually even supports PCI 2.2 (its a cheapo Jetway PM800BMS).

The other thing is that I need to have a component hidef connection to my HD tv. I already own the ATI component adapter but I am not sure cards such as the Radeon 9200 or 9500 actually can make the HD throughput without using their GPU (all decoding CPU).

Any ideas, hints for what the best video card (for the best price as I do work on a budget) and capture card should be?

Thanks!

gforce video cards are popular.. due to better drivers mainly. theres no need to get the most expensive one.. many use older cards.. or fanless ones to keep the noise down. cant comment on the tv card.. but you could search the forum as easy as i can.

the tier 1 section will give you some hints.. though i agree there isnt alot of posts there that provide specific info.. but loads of people are kind enough to list their components in their sig so check in the HDTV section for working setups.

im sure your mobo can deal with the 2.2.. but you could always do a google search to look up its specs.

goodluck with ur box. hope its a milk run to setup.

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"enter witty comment here"

Thanks for the reply!

I received the new pc, and I think PCI 2.2 should be not a problem as you say (there is a bios option for PCI 2.1 support).

I tried using a 9200 ATI card with the component adapter but everything on my HD tv looks pinkish and it has black stripes next to icons.
To save time I used MS to see if it was a linux driver problem but I got the same effect. The pciture does not look very sync'd.
The component input on the TV (older Philips 16:9 type) shows 480i, 480p and 1080i. I switched the resolutions a bit and I believe however I also saw the 720p as status very briefly on the TV but I am not sure.

Which gforce video card would support the component output with knoppix easily?

that I know of no component output video cards are supported in linux at all. Nvidia only has one 6600 card that has component outputs, but they are not supported in the nvidia linux drivers as yet. Most people myself included use a vag -> component converter the audioglagy seems to be the most popular and is the one I use.

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Xsecrets

I believe I read somewhere that ATI also had Linux drivers. Now I am not sure a) the adapter output works on my TV, b) that the adapter will work with the ATI linux drivers.
I am close to just buying the converter you mentioned, I believe I saw it somewhere for around $99 and any decent card that definitely supports the adapter costs just a bit lesser.

Does that converter also work for 480p (since my TV does not mention 720p at the connectors)?

the ati adapters do not support the component connector.

the converter does not support any resolution. all it does is convert whatever signal you send to it from vga/rgb to component/ypgpb so yes it will do 480p 720p 480i 1080i or any other resolution that your video card will.

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Xsecrets

Thanks! I googled again and I must have mixed up some stories as it does not seem that the ATI linux drivers support the component adapter.

You mentioned audioglagy, did you mean Audio Authority? That specific coverter mentions only 1080i and 720p?
If there is another one that really works well do you know where its the best place to order?

Thanks again, this saved me already a lot of time and $!

yeah the audio authority. audiogalaxy is the audio cables I use ooops. It will support any resolution you throw at it. the reason it mentions 720p and 1080i is that those are the only two standard hdtv resolutions. I have used 480p as well and it works.

the only other one I know of is the key digital or something like that , but it is more expensive.

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Xsecrets

The Key converter definitely seems more expensive. A quick search showed a similar device (the TC2000) with the same prize range as the Audio Authority. The thing I notice is the separate color conversion for each of the resolutions:
"Additionally the TC2000 is one of the few transcoders that has a separate color conversion for 480p and 720p/1080i in order to provide optimum color fidelity. Although the required conversions are nearly identical, the difference cannot be ignored when optimum quality is pursued."
I am not sure the Audio Authority one has that.

I did read that I might need to use a different video card as the ATI 9200 as some reviewer mentioned that the card had problems to drive the Audio Authority (or any other external converter) with the correct frequency for 1080i.

What is the most common (and perhaps inexpensive) card that can be used well for all resolutions with the Audio Authority converter and does anyone have experience with the TC2000?

Thanks!

never heard of the tc2000 but it does sound intreaguing. I don't believe the audio athority does any of that, as I said from my understanding it simply converts the signals from rgb to component and you have to control everything else from your source (in knoppmyth's case Xfree)

As for video card the most commonly recommended one and the one I use is the nvidia fx5200 this is because they are cheap and most are fanless, so no additional fan noise. some use newer faster nvidia cards, it's all preference, but nvidia is by far the most recommended, because their linux drivers are light years ahead of ati's. Though many people for standard def go with 4mx or 440 cards I wouldn't go any lower than a 5200 particularly if you are buying a new card.

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Xsecrets

Thanks for video card advice! I will sart checking for that card. I can try with the on board and ATI 9200 first but I think it will be required to buy the card you mentioned.

Concerning the TC2000, here is the link
http://www.crescendo-systems.com/transcoder.html
It seems a lot of avsforum members had input on it, its a bit more expensive (new) as the audio authority but it might have better quality due to the individual color conversion (per resolution).
I'll check what I can get used, most likely the audio authority, if the TC2000 is around the same price used I'll give it a try as it sounds it won't be worse as the audio authority one.

I'll check into adding their products to http://mythic.tv !

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KnoppMyth R5.5
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Join the KnoppMyth Frappr!

Of course, what X meant to say was "this is all documented in the KnoppMythWiki I set up."

http://knoppmythwiki.org/index.php?page=HDTVSetupHowTo

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yes unfortunately that page is getting a bit dated. if qam ever becomes a feasible option for me then I may just have to do some serious updates to it.

I need a PAT/PMT scan!!!!! any of you guys who still follow the dev list know if they are considering implementing this?

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Xsecrets

Does anybody know if Nvidia updated their drivers to support component output directly from the card? I would love to have that working directly into my HDTV rather than use S-video or buying the other adapter.

Thanks!