Re: [Freevo-users] What's the best hardware to use
The reason I use directfb is that tv output is handled at native NTSC (or PAL) resolution. Using the kernel fb means setting modelines which will then be scaled to NTSC resolution for TV output. This means when playing a video file the file is being scaled to the fb resolution, then scaled again for TV output. Using directfb means that the video is scaled for TV, thats it. i.e. with a modeline of 640x480, when playing a DVD the picture will be scaled down from native resoltion to fit the screen, then the TV output hardware will upconvert that back to 720x480. Mame for fb doesn't scale as far as I know, what it will do is select the nearest modeline from /etc/fb.modes and use that. If you have a single modeline, then no scaling occurs, and you'll probably end up with a small window in the middle of the screen. Having a bunch of modes will allow mame to chose the nearest one, but then you're getting double scaling again. I tried xdirectfb from cvs a few weeks ago but didn't get very far, I could get X working, put an xterm on it etc. but the CPU usage was huge and the colors were off. I'll look into it again when I get more free time in the new year. On Thu, 11 Dec 2003 11:10:02 +0800, "Mick" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> said: > the matrox series of cards (G4/45/500) can be used with fb in kernal as > apposed to directfb. I think mame will scale in fb.. > > > On Fri, 2003-12-05 at 00:18, Chris Griffiths wrote: > > I find the quality of my G400 excellent under directfb - i got one of > > ebay for ~20 bucks or so and made the cable myself. > > > > It takes some hassle to set up directb, and the screen goes blank when > > mplayer initializes it etc, but the main thing is that it outputs at true > > tv res, 720x480 (ntsc) not scaling 800x600 or 640x480 like most graphics > > cards and converters do. > > > > It also overscans perfectly, just like a dvd player would do. > > > > I'm only using a p2-400 with it, but performance is fine playing back > > divx's, passing ac3 audio (where available) out through a cheap-o trident > > 4mx card. Most divx's are using 30% cpu or less, as mplayer & directfb > > offload a lot of the work to the matrox card. > > > > The only thing is your limited to directfb apps - and in the case of > > xmame, which can use it - won't scale things, it will try to use a > > modline to adjust the resolution, which won't work with the fixed > > resolution the directfb tv output is working at (mplayer scales > > perfectly). > > > > Also factor in that from what I've heard xine's directfb output is > > broken, so dvd's are via mplayer only, which doesn't support dvd menus. > > > > Hope this helps, > > Chris > > > > On Thu, 04 Dec 2003 15:46:33 +1100, "Gordon Staines" > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> said: > > > Hi, > > > > > > Im thinking about putting together a multimedia PC to use as a TV and > > > DVD Player etc. I want to connect this to my TV just like my regular VCR > > > etc. > > > > > > My current PC has a TV out, but the signal doesnt appear to stretch to > > > the edges of my TV screen and looks rather ugly. I can find no way to > > > fix this. The card is an ASUS 7100 GForce2MX with TV out, I have so far > > > had no luck getting the TV out to work under linux, this isnt a problem > > > since I intend to build a new PC for this. > > > > > > Can someone recommend either a Motherboard or video card with TV out > > > card where you can set the default primary display without using > > > software. Some motherboards have TV out built in (various AOpen m/boards > > > do anyway) Does anyone know if you can enable the TV out to be the > > > primary display in bios or something? > > > > > > I know that some mini-itx boards will do this, but I was hoping to just > > > use a regular PC with some more grunt to do re-encoding etc > > > > > > Cheers > > > > > > -- > > > Gordon Staines > > > Software Developer > > > AdOnline Project > > > Phone: 03 9601 2768 > > > Mobile: 0419 568 411 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > * > > > The information contained in this e-mail message and any accompanying > > > files is or may be confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, > > > any use, dissemination, reliance, forwarding, printing or copying of this > > > e-mail or any attached files is unauthorised. This e-mail is subject to > > > copyright. No part of it should be reproduced, adapted or communicated > > > without the written consent of the copyright owner. If you have received > > > this e-mail in error, please advise the sender immediately by return > > > e-mail, or telephone and delete all copies. Fairfax does not guarantee > > > the accuracy or completeness of any information contained in this e-mail > > > or attached files. Internet communications are not secure, therefore > > > Fairfax does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this > > > message or attached files. > > > **
Re: [Freevo-users] What's the best hardware to use
the matrox series of cards (G4/45/500) can be used with fb in kernal as apposed to directfb. I think mame will scale in fb.. On Fri, 2003-12-05 at 00:18, Chris Griffiths wrote: > I find the quality of my G400 excellent under directfb - i got one of > ebay for ~20 bucks or so and made the cable myself. > > It takes some hassle to set up directb, and the screen goes blank when > mplayer initializes it etc, but the main thing is that it outputs at true > tv res, 720x480 (ntsc) not scaling 800x600 or 640x480 like most graphics > cards and converters do. > > It also overscans perfectly, just like a dvd player would do. > > I'm only using a p2-400 with it, but performance is fine playing back > divx's, passing ac3 audio (where available) out through a cheap-o trident > 4mx card. Most divx's are using 30% cpu or less, as mplayer & directfb > offload a lot of the work to the matrox card. > > The only thing is your limited to directfb apps - and in the case of > xmame, which can use it - won't scale things, it will try to use a > modline to adjust the resolution, which won't work with the fixed > resolution the directfb tv output is working at (mplayer scales > perfectly). > > Also factor in that from what I've heard xine's directfb output is > broken, so dvd's are via mplayer only, which doesn't support dvd menus. > > Hope this helps, > Chris > > On Thu, 04 Dec 2003 15:46:33 +1100, "Gordon Staines" > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> said: > > Hi, > > > > Im thinking about putting together a multimedia PC to use as a TV and > > DVD Player etc. I want to connect this to my TV just like my regular VCR > > etc. > > > > My current PC has a TV out, but the signal doesnt appear to stretch to > > the edges of my TV screen and looks rather ugly. I can find no way to > > fix this. The card is an ASUS 7100 GForce2MX with TV out, I have so far > > had no luck getting the TV out to work under linux, this isnt a problem > > since I intend to build a new PC for this. > > > > Can someone recommend either a Motherboard or video card with TV out > > card where you can set the default primary display without using > > software. Some motherboards have TV out built in (various AOpen m/boards > > do anyway) Does anyone know if you can enable the TV out to be the > > primary display in bios or something? > > > > I know that some mini-itx boards will do this, but I was hoping to just > > use a regular PC with some more grunt to do re-encoding etc > > > > Cheers > > > > -- > > Gordon Staines > > Software Developer > > AdOnline Project > > Phone: 03 9601 2768 > > Mobile: 0419 568 411 > > > > > > > > > > * > > The information contained in this e-mail message and any accompanying > > files is or may be confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, > > any use, dissemination, reliance, forwarding, printing or copying of this > > e-mail or any attached files is unauthorised. This e-mail is subject to > > copyright. No part of it should be reproduced, adapted or communicated > > without the written consent of the copyright owner. If you have received > > this e-mail in error, please advise the sender immediately by return > > e-mail, or telephone and delete all copies. Fairfax does not guarantee > > the accuracy or completeness of any information contained in this e-mail > > or attached files. Internet communications are not secure, therefore > > Fairfax does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this > > message or attached files. > > * > > > > > > > > --- > > This SF.net email is sponsored by: SF.net Giveback Program. > > Does SourceForge.net help you be more productive? Does it > > help you create better code? SHARE THE LOVE, and help us help > > YOU! Click Here: http://sourceforge.net/donate/ > > ___ > > Freevo-users mailing list > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freevo-users > > > --- > This SF.net email is sponsored by: SF.net Giveback Program. > Does SourceForge.net help you be more productive? Does it > help you create better code? SHARE THE LOVE, and help us help > YOU! Click Here: http://sourceforge.net/donate/ > ___ > Freevo-users mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freevo-users --- This SF.net email is sponsored by: SF.net Giveback Program. Does SourceForge.net help you be more productive? Does it help you create better code? SHARE THE LOVE, and help us help YOU! Click Here: http://sourceforge.net/donate/ ___ Freevo-users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] htt
Re: [Freevo-users] What's the best hardware to use
I find the quality of my G400 excellent under directfb - i got one of ebay for ~20 bucks or so and made the cable myself. It takes some hassle to set up directb, and the screen goes blank when mplayer initializes it etc, but the main thing is that it outputs at true tv res, 720x480 (ntsc) not scaling 800x600 or 640x480 like most graphics cards and converters do. It also overscans perfectly, just like a dvd player would do. I'm only using a p2-400 with it, but performance is fine playing back divx's, passing ac3 audio (where available) out through a cheap-o trident 4mx card. Most divx's are using 30% cpu or less, as mplayer & directfb offload a lot of the work to the matrox card. The only thing is your limited to directfb apps - and in the case of xmame, which can use it - won't scale things, it will try to use a modline to adjust the resolution, which won't work with the fixed resolution the directfb tv output is working at (mplayer scales perfectly). Also factor in that from what I've heard xine's directfb output is broken, so dvd's are via mplayer only, which doesn't support dvd menus. Hope this helps, Chris On Thu, 04 Dec 2003 15:46:33 +1100, "Gordon Staines" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> said: > Hi, > > Im thinking about putting together a multimedia PC to use as a TV and > DVD Player etc. I want to connect this to my TV just like my regular VCR > etc. > > My current PC has a TV out, but the signal doesnt appear to stretch to > the edges of my TV screen and looks rather ugly. I can find no way to > fix this. The card is an ASUS 7100 GForce2MX with TV out, I have so far > had no luck getting the TV out to work under linux, this isnt a problem > since I intend to build a new PC for this. > > Can someone recommend either a Motherboard or video card with TV out > card where you can set the default primary display without using > software. Some motherboards have TV out built in (various AOpen m/boards > do anyway) Does anyone know if you can enable the TV out to be the > primary display in bios or something? > > I know that some mini-itx boards will do this, but I was hoping to just > use a regular PC with some more grunt to do re-encoding etc > > Cheers > > -- > Gordon Staines > Software Developer > AdOnline Project > Phone: 03 9601 2768 > Mobile: 0419 568 411 > > > > > * > The information contained in this e-mail message and any accompanying > files is or may be confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, > any use, dissemination, reliance, forwarding, printing or copying of this > e-mail or any attached files is unauthorised. This e-mail is subject to > copyright. No part of it should be reproduced, adapted or communicated > without the written consent of the copyright owner. If you have received > this e-mail in error, please advise the sender immediately by return > e-mail, or telephone and delete all copies. Fairfax does not guarantee > the accuracy or completeness of any information contained in this e-mail > or attached files. Internet communications are not secure, therefore > Fairfax does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this > message or attached files. > * > > > > --- > This SF.net email is sponsored by: SF.net Giveback Program. > Does SourceForge.net help you be more productive? Does it > help you create better code? SHARE THE LOVE, and help us help > YOU! Click Here: http://sourceforge.net/donate/ > ___ > Freevo-users mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freevo-users --- This SF.net email is sponsored by: SF.net Giveback Program. Does SourceForge.net help you be more productive? Does it help you create better code? SHARE THE LOVE, and help us help YOU! Click Here: http://sourceforge.net/donate/ ___ Freevo-users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freevo-users
RE: [Freevo-users] What's the best hardware to use
your cheapest and easiest route would be to use a VGA to video converter. I have one that is powered from the usb bus and does quite well for video and freevo display. I've switched to this to avoid the nightmares that are TV out under linux. dxr3 has the best tv out, but it takes quite a bit of processing power unless you are recording in mpeg1 or mpeg2 only, and games are not an option this way. but then I'm trying to find a solution that I can reproduce 100 times for friends, family and co-workers, so a little drop in tv out quality is not a problem. -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Gordon Staines Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2003 11:47 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [Freevo-users] What's the best hardware to use Hi, Im thinking about putting together a multimedia PC to use as a TV and DVD Player etc. I want to connect this to my TV just like my regular VCR etc. My current PC has a TV out, but the signal doesnt appear to stretch to the edges of my TV screen and looks rather ugly. I can find no way to fix this. The card is an ASUS 7100 GForce2MX with TV out, I have so far had no luck getting the TV out to work under linux, this isnt a problem since I intend to build a new PC for this. Can someone recommend either a Motherboard or video card with TV out card where you can set the default primary display without using software. Some motherboards have TV out built in (various AOpen m/boards do anyway) Does anyone know if you can enable the TV out to be the primary display in bios or something? I know that some mini-itx boards will do this, but I was hoping to just use a regular PC with some more grunt to do re-encoding etc Cheers -- Gordon Staines Software Developer AdOnline Project Phone: 03 9601 2768 Mobile: 0419 568 411 * The information contained in this e-mail message and any accompanying files is or may be confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, reliance, forwarding, printing or copying of this e-mail or any attached files is unauthorised. This e-mail is subject to copyright. No part of it should be reproduced, adapted or communicated without the written consent of the copyright owner. If you have received this e-mail in error, please advise the sender immediately by return e-mail, or telephone and delete all copies. Fairfax does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information contained in this e-mail or attached files. Internet communications are not secure, therefore Fairfax does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this message or attached files. * --- This SF.net email is sponsored by: SF.net Giveback Program. Does SourceForge.net help you be more productive? Does it help you create better code? SHARE THE LOVE, and help us help YOU! Click Here: http://sourceforge.net/donate/ ___ Freevo-users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freevo-users --- This SF.net email is sponsored by: SF.net Giveback Program. Does SourceForge.net help you be more productive? Does it help you create better code? SHARE THE LOVE, and help us help YOU! Click Here: http://sourceforge.net/donate/ ___ Freevo-users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freevo-users
Re: [Freevo-users] What's the best hardware to use
Rather than buy a card with TV-Out, I just got a VGA -> SVideo/Composite/Component adapter. The GrantTec Ultimate XP Pro - $80. Gordon Staines wrote: Hi, Im thinking about putting together a multimedia PC to use as a TV and DVD Player etc. I want to connect this to my TV just like my regular VCR etc. My current PC has a TV out, but the signal doesnt appear to stretch to the edges of my TV screen and looks rather ugly. I can find no way to fix this. The card is an ASUS 7100 GForce2MX with TV out, I have so far had no luck getting the TV out to work under linux, this isnt a problem since I intend to build a new PC for this. Can someone recommend either a Motherboard or video card with TV out card where you can set the default primary display without using software. Some motherboards have TV out built in (various AOpen m/boards do anyway) Does anyone know if you can enable the TV out to be the primary display in bios or something? I know that some mini-itx boards will do this, but I was hoping to just use a regular PC with some more grunt to do re-encoding etc Cheers -- "Whoever, being a citizen of the United States, commits any murder or robbery, or any act of hostility against the United States, or against any citizen thereof, on the high seas, under color of any commission from any foreign prince, or state, or on pretense of authority from any person, is a pirate, and shall be imprisoned for life." -- CITE 18 USC Sec. 1652 H... nothing in there about movies or music... odd. PGP Key: http://www.mattcaron.net/pgp_key.txt ~~ Matt Caron ~~ --- This SF.net email is sponsored by: SF.net Giveback Program. Does SourceForge.net help you be more productive? Does it help you create better code? SHARE THE LOVE, and help us help YOU! Click Here: http://sourceforge.net/donate/ ___ Freevo-users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freevo-users
Re: [Freevo-users] What's the best hardware to use
> Can someone recommend either a Motherboard or video card with TV out > card where you can set the default primary display without using > software. Some motherboards have TV out built in (various AOpen m/boards > do anyway) Does anyone know if you can enable the TV out to be the > primary display in bios or something? I personally use an old Mach64 Based GFX Card (a Ati [EMAIL PROTECTED]) with a tv out. When I plug only the tv cable (svideo or composite) the pc boot in TV mode , and I can even see bios messages :) So Take a look at ATI card :) --- This SF.net email is sponsored by: SF.net Giveback Program. Does SourceForge.net help you be more productive? Does it help you create better code? SHARE THE LOVE, and help us help YOU! Click Here: http://sourceforge.net/donate/ ___ Freevo-users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freevo-users
[Freevo-users] What's the best hardware to use
Hi, Im thinking about putting together a multimedia PC to use as a TV and DVD Player etc. I want to connect this to my TV just like my regular VCR etc. My current PC has a TV out, but the signal doesnt appear to stretch to the edges of my TV screen and looks rather ugly. I can find no way to fix this. The card is an ASUS 7100 GForce2MX with TV out, I have so far had no luck getting the TV out to work under linux, this isnt a problem since I intend to build a new PC for this. Can someone recommend either a Motherboard or video card with TV out card where you can set the default primary display without using software. Some motherboards have TV out built in (various AOpen m/boards do anyway) Does anyone know if you can enable the TV out to be the primary display in bios or something? I know that some mini-itx boards will do this, but I was hoping to just use a regular PC with some more grunt to do re-encoding etc Cheers -- Gordon Staines Software Developer AdOnline Project Phone: 03 9601 2768 Mobile: 0419 568 411 * The information contained in this e-mail message and any accompanying files is or may be confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, reliance, forwarding, printing or copying of this e-mail or any attached files is unauthorised. This e-mail is subject to copyright. No part of it should be reproduced, adapted or communicated without the written consent of the copyright owner. If you have received this e-mail in error, please advise the sender immediately by return e-mail, or telephone and delete all copies. Fairfax does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information contained in this e-mail or attached files. Internet communications are not secure, therefore Fairfax does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this message or attached files. * --- This SF.net email is sponsored by: SF.net Giveback Program. Does SourceForge.net help you be more productive? Does it help you create better code? SHARE THE LOVE, and help us help YOU! Click Here: http://sourceforge.net/donate/ ___ Freevo-users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freevo-users
