[vdr] Re: Hardware planning : VDR + EPIA-M + budget DVB

[Nicolas Huillard <nhuillard@ghs.fr>]

Thanks for your useful reply.

Colin Paton wrote:

> Hi,
>
> libsoftmpeg+DirectFB currently works well with an EPIA-M for watching live
libsoftmpeg+DirectFB are used by softdevice, isn't it ?
That means softdevice is The Key.

> TV. I use it with a Hauppauge Nova-T card - and the remote control for this
> card works with VDR - I don't use lirc. nvram-wakeup works with this
> motherboard too, to wake the machine up for recording. At the moment, I
> would say the following:
>
> + Live TV watching works well, good AV sync, smooth video.
You talked about 45% CPU with soft MPEG decoding. That's while watching 
live TV (and recordings).

> + The Nova-T remote control works for controlling VDR.
> + The on screen display works, and uses the per-pixel hardware alpha
> blending of the CLE266.
>
> - Playback of recordings isn't 100% at the moment - there are sometimes
> jumps and pauses in the video, and pause/ff/rew aren't yet implemented.
Are you working on that point, or other people are ? I guess that's what 
you might do in the future months (given your technical skills, 
evaluated by reading your posts).

> - TV output isn't 100% yet - the picture isn't quite the correct size, and
> interlacing isn't quite working yet. Having said that, it's probably quite
> watchable unless you are very fussy and are watching on a high quality TV
> set. I believe however that the chip is probably capable of giving good
> output, and documentation is hopefully on its way soon from VIA to help
> achieve this. Certainly, the vt1622 doesn't have the 'solarisation' effect
> of the vt1621. One option that I am considering is building a sync combining
> circuit in order to get RGB output from the VGA port, and connect to Scart.
> This would give highest output quality.
I think I will go first with S-Video, then maybe a VGA -> SCART circuit 
(feel free to post your findings). The ultimate goal is to have a direct 
connection to a real SVGA protector (at least 800x600 or even better - 
16/9°, if possible)

> I've used the SPDIF output OK with a Sony Dolby Digital amplifier with xine.
That means you leave VDR and load Xine when watching a DVD. I didn't 
read anything technical about this process, and I fear this can have 
issues about remote, video device locking, etc. Maybe it will become 
obvious for me when I will have VDR installed...

> As far as your other requirements:
>
>
> > * burn recorded DVB shows as DivX on DVD-R
> The EPIA-M might take a while to transcode things to DivX (but again, this
> is probably no problem if - say - you can leave it going overnight or
> something.)
If the case does not generate too much heat, it will stay on 24/7 (I 
think kernel 2.6 has code for power reduction of Via processors - don't 
remember the name of the system).

> > * view photos
> > * surf on the web (house's intranet, a few selected sites)
>
> At the moment, libsoftmpeg works only with DirectFB, which might preclude
> you running mozilla, or something which requires X. (Although DirectFB does
> have an X server - but it's not really an area that I could advise on).
Maybe a simple browser with basic functions can work in DirectFB ? Isn't 
this issue the same as running xine or mplayer from VDR ? Or those DVD 
players only show video + OSD but no windows, clunky control widgets, etc ?

> > * a remote
>
> Nova-T remote works OK for me.
>
>
> > * a lot of hardware work, including an LCD display that suit the case
> > * something to connect the keys on the front of the case to the
> motherboard
>
> Nice :-) The EPIA-M motherboard has internal PS/2 and serial ports as
> headers on the board... this would save you plugging things into the
> connectors on the back, and would be a bit neater.
Yep. That would be neater if the parallel port was also a header on the 
board instead of a connector on the back-panel...
* parallel port -> LCD screen
* serial header (com2) <- IR receiver
* PS/2 header <- front-panel keys + LEDs
Is there something like a Good Thing (hardware) that will allow me to 
connect the LCD, the keys and LEDS and the IR receiver to the same port, 
say USB or serial 
(http://home.t-online.de/home/tb_electronic/vdr/ir_controller.html 
doesn't do all that)

> I hope this information helps you! In terms of choosing a card; I have
All this helps. I think I will keep you informed as I progress in this 
project.

> noticed no problems with the Nova-T card - however others may be able to
> advise you more on that!
What others think about TwinHan cards ? Specially the low profile one 
(http://www.twinhan.com/visiontv-1_3.htm) that will perfectly fit in the 
CD case (I didn't find it for sale yet, though)

> Colin
--
NH




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