[vdr] Re: choosing a FF card

[Joerg Knitter <joerg.knitter@gmx.de>]

Ian Molton wrote:
> Per Mellander wrote:
> I appreciate that, but I would like to at least get the basic 768x576/2 
> lines per field with the correct field ordering that PAL offers...
>
> > I have one of those VGA-TV converters that was mentioned in a previous 
> > posting. Composite or S-Video outputs that gives you a possibility to 
> > watch VGA material on your TV. It's an ok device, but thats it. 
>
> but does it understand field-parity ?
>
> > Well you can go Window$ and use Powerstrip 
> > http://www.entechtaiwan.com/util/ps.shtm I haven't tested it myself 
> > but it seems that a lot of people are using it with success.
>
> What does it do? looks like it just allows tweaking of mode timings on 
> some cards.
Sorry to disappoint you, but apart from Matrox cards, there is no way to 
output a video 1:1 i.e. without deinterlacing and with correct field-parity.
At least on Windows, you have this DVDMax mode which allows you to 
output the video like it would be with a stand alone device. While a 
G400 and G450 is only able to output upper field first, on a P650/750 
you can even set the field parity - which is the proof that those cards 
can do an output as you (and me) want. But I havenīt followed the 
discussion on tv-out on linux in details, so I canīt tell how it works 
on linux.
I have read that nVidia and ATI cards have a tuner that works on a fixed 
frequency while on Matrox cards, this frequency can be slightly adjusted 
to maintain the sync.

Nevertheless: Look at presentations on multimedia or computer fairs: Big 
LCDs with smearing movements or bad deinterlacing, same with modern TV 
sets. So I ask myself if I should really care about this perfect tv-out 
topic anymore as nearly no one seems to be really interested in a really 
perfect TV picture... Nevertheless, I am going to stay with a 50 Hz tube 
TV as long as it is possible because interlace never dies :-)

Joerg