Minor Goof building home PC-PVR: Suggestions?

[David Whitney]

Hi, all...

I've made a minor goof in selecting components for a home PC/PVR
device, and as I've explored my options, I'm getting confused. I
should have been more careful up front, but alas,
hindsight...anyway.....

I want to be able to use this PC as a live TV recorder, DVD authoring
station, and video playback unit (for videos archived on the local
hard drive, but not burned to a DVD).

I ordered an AverMedia UltraTV MediaCenter PCI 550, and an Abit IS10
MB with Intel Extreme2 onboard graphics. My error was in realizing
that for all my careful study, I have no s-video out back to the
television for the output of the PC (from recorded media). Doh.

As I see it, I have two choices - do I dump the AverMedia product and
go pick up something like an All In Wonder 9600, or do I just need to
pick up a modest AGP video card with an s-video out (which are
seemingly available for $40-$60)? (In either case, note that the TV
will be the only monitor for this setup...)

Appreciate your opinions...

-dew

 

[gothika]

Hi, all...

I've made a minor goof in selecting components for a home PC/PVR
device, and as I've explored my options, I'm getting confused. I
should have been more careful up front, but alas,
hindsight...anyway.....

I want to be able to use this PC as a live TV recorder, DVD authoring
station, and video playback unit (for videos archived on the local
hard drive, but not burned to a DVD).

I ordered an AverMedia UltraTV MediaCenter PCI 550, and an Abit IS10
MB with Intel Extreme2 onboard graphics. My error was in realizing
that for all my careful study, I have no s-video out back to the
television for the output of the PC (from recorded media). Doh.

As I see it, I have two choices - do I dump the AverMedia product and
go pick up something like an All In Wonder 9600, or do I just need to
pick up a modest AGP video card with an s-video out (which are
seemingly available for $40-$60)? (In either case, note that the TV
will be the only monitor for this setup...)

Appreciate your opinions...

-dew

You could just get a video card with s-video outs fi you're not
looking to spend more moolah.
You don't need an expensive game card, any card with at least 2d
graphics will do.
I run an Invidia 64bit AGP card in my video editing setup and it works
just fine.

 

[McQualude]

(e-mail address removed) (David Whitney) said:

I want to be able to use this PC as a live TV recorder, DVD authoring
station, and video playback unit

I have no s-video out back to the
television for the output of the PC (from recorded media). Doh.

As I see it, I have two choices - do I dump the AverMedia product and
go pick up something like an All In Wonder 9600, or do I just need to
pick up a modest AGP video card with an s-video out

You will need a way to get the signal into the PC if you are going to
record it. A standard video card will not do that. The All-In-Wonder
Radeon 9000 would set you back about $160 and do what you want.

 

[Stacey]

Hi, all...

I've made a minor goof in selecting components for a home PC/PVR
device, and as I've explored my options, I'm getting confused. I
should have been more careful up front, but alas,
hindsight...anyway.....

I want to be able to use this PC as a live TV recorder, DVD authoring
station, and video playback unit (for videos archived on the local
hard drive, but not burned to a DVD).

I ordered an AverMedia UltraTV MediaCenter PCI 550, and an Abit IS10
MB with Intel Extreme2 onboard graphics. My error was in realizing
that for all my careful study, I have no s-video out back to the
television for the output of the PC (from recorded media). Doh.

As I see it, I have two choices - do I dump the AverMedia product and
go pick up something like an All In Wonder 9600, or do I just need to
pick up a modest AGP video card with an s-video out (which are
seemingly available for $40-$60)? (In either case, note that the TV
will be the only monitor for this setup...)

I assume this "mediacenter" card allows the video in you need, just no TV
out? If so just get a Svideo AGP card. It will help take some of the load
off the CPU from the "extream graphics" chip and help performance to boot.

 

[David Whitney]

All:

Thanks for the info. Indeed, I picked up a Radeon 9200se card at the
local computer shop Friday, and it does precisely what I need. I
probably paid a couple extra bucks for it than had I done my homework,
but that's how it goes.

Thanks for the input.

-dew

 

[McQualude]

(e-mail address removed) (David Whitney) said:

Thanks for the info. Indeed, I picked up a Radeon 9200se card at the
local computer shop Friday, and it does precisely what I need. I
probably paid a couple extra bucks for it than had I done my homework,
but that's how it goes.

How do you get TV input with the 9200se? Or are you using both cards in
conjuntion?

 

[McQualude]

Nevermind, I saw the answer in your other post.