MPEG decoder for PC outputs to full TV size?

[ThePanda]

Hi, I currently use my GeForce3 card to output some stuff to my TV, and it's pretty good, but it's not perfect. I was wondering, is there any type of TV-out card or MPEG decoder card that can output with the full screen size and with all the interlace lines in the right place and everything? Like so if I played a DVD off my computer to the TV it would look just like if I played it off my DVD player or my VCR etc.. Any info on such a device would be appreciated.

[avih]

outputting good interlaced picture is not an easy task.
eventhough, i managed to get it working.. more or less...

i have an asus v3800 tnt2 model64, with tv-out (chroltel 7003 chip).

you can use tvtool ot tvcc2000 (if the latter works for u, since it only supports chrontel chips i think). with the latest detonator drivers (28.82) and tv tool, there's a workaround to output 720x576 resolution (a new inf file can be downloaded for support for that resolution), or if u don't use the 28.32, you can use the 'resize' option of tvtool or tvcc2000. the resize option resizes a specific window to full screen at a specified resolution, so u can select <any>X<576> for pal and <any>X<480> for ntsc.

so u have the vertical size correct. BUT playback still can go from right field order to swapped field order. (even during a playback of a single clip). i didn't yet found if it's the cpu power, or dropped frames during capture (and i didn't try interlaced dvd output). anyway, if u get the fields swapped constantly, or your framerate is not exactly 25 (pal) or 30(ntsc), you can use divxg400 that has framerate adjustment and it can move the output image one line vertically.

but even with all these, i couldn't get the clip to play in the right order through the whole clip, or at every playback session.

but you can start with these suggestions.

hope it helps, and if you find a better solution, pls post it, as i'm sure more ppl than just u and me are interested in perfect interlaced output.

cheers
avi.

[ThePanda]

avih: Thanks for the info. I will post it if I find anything better.

[ThePanda]

avi: Do you happen to know where I can get those inf files for the 28.32 drivers? I can't seem to find them.

Also, what about dedicated MPEG cards like MPEG2 cards or that new X-Card? Do they play it at the right size?

-ThePanda

EDIT: Nevermind about the inf file, I think I see it at the tvtool site

[ThePanda]

I tried the drivers with the new inf, but my tv output size was still exactly the same. Maybe it's because I'm NTSC and not PAL? (EDIT: Oh I guess you did say that it only enables that resolution, but tvtool is still needed to actually use it). Then I tried that tvtool 6 beta and it looked pretty good, but then when I opened a dvd player the screen just went black? strange, I will try some more stuff tomorrow

[Sequoyan]

There are threads on this subject...

I use a Cinemaster card to play DVDs to an NTSC monitor.

(added feature: also allows preview from Scenarist)

- The Sequoyan

[ThePanda]

It worked when I booted my computer straight from the TV without connecting the monitor. It looks really good.

[Kb_cruncher]

hollywood plus decoder card sounds like what your after.its designed to output to tv and can decode divx with a tool thats freely available.zoomplayer is also optimised for tv playback,it uses analog overlay,but you need a card that supports it(ati,matrox).
i have a matrox g450 dualhead,by far one of the best cards for output to tv.it doesn't have hardware motion compensation like ati cards but as via chipsets have dvd hardware acceleration built in to the bridge it doesn't really matter.

[ThePanda]

Cool, I just ordered the hollywood plus last night. I think you are right that it is what I've been looking for.

What is hardware motion compensation?

[lilhobo]

sds

[lilhobo]

hey i have the Hollywood Plus and it has the best TV output of all the PC hardware.

but if you are looking to output more than mpeg (eg DivX), you might like to try out the other realmagic products. They arent in Australia yet.

the free tv output software that the other person mentioned doesnt use the hardware chip on the card but the computer's CPU power.

on the side, does anyone know if the TV ouput of the winDVD4 can be used with

[macdaddy]

The h+ is what you are looking for. I pre-ordered the xcard, bitched when it didn't ship on time (when I had the time to screw with it). Now it has arrived, and I still haven't installed it. I'm putting it in case I am customizing, and it is SO much easier to paint a case that has never been filled before. Thus I cannot recommend it (yet), but I have been happily using a h+ (dxr3 and h+ drivers, actually) for a long time, with excellent results. Much better than the several standalones I have owned. I have a hard time believing quality would go down with the xcard, and it offers hardware mpeg4 decoding, but I won't hump something I haven't used. 3mp0r3r, I promise I will finish the case this weekend, and report the new card soon...

As far as the h+ goes, I still use it and YES, for NTSC output, it is the best. PAL too, I think...

When I have more time, I will put links in this thread, but search for h+ (and my name) on this forum. I have written a how-to build a graph, so you can use zoomplayer to play divx files (ala divx plus) but with ac3 out, if avi/ac3 was/is your flavor-and it is one of mine...

Look for legman, too. There is a directshow bicubic resize filter thread that he started that has alot of info. Beware, for divx+ to work, you need a fast processor, since it does the decoding, not the h+ (you only use the card's tvout chip when doing divx+).

Panda if you are looking to watch movies from computer on your regular tv, the h+ will give you the best quality. The xcard will hopefully be better, but I won't know for sure until next week...

btw, I have been lurking around the XviD forums, encoding stuff to test the xcard's mpeg4 decoder; that's what I am really excited to test out. Again, I will post all of the info when I have the time (personal life is pretty hectic right now-sorry about that, but that's the way it's gonna be 4 a while)...

If I were you, I would use Eugene's Player-I do. I also play dvds from the hard drive. Copy the whole thing with dvdecrypter or vstrip, and open the video_ts.ifo with Eugene's "open media" dialogue. It works like a charm: no stuttering, flawless seeking, pausing, etc. I put all of this in the "very small faq" (I think-I know I put it somewhere in this forum), but it has been a while since I worked all this out...

I hope this is helpful.

[ThePanda]

I got the h+ today. The picture looks really good, like a dvd player. I tested it using sigmadesigns's player and a dvd off my hard drive.

[ThePanda]

Today I actually used the h+ for a few minutes instead of just glancing at it and on second look, it seems pretty crappy. Like once every minute the whole picture turns to blockiness. It didn't look like that on my dvd player. Is this because of sigmadesigns's player (DVD Station) or is it because of the card?

EDIT: Maybe it was because I had some other applications running at the time. I looked at it again and I don't see any blocks. It still looks messed up on my computer monitor but I guess I just need it for the tv anyway.