[mythtv-users] M2NPV, nvidia/X11 settings

Thu Apr 5 17:52:13 UTC 2007

On 4/5/07, Mark A. O'Neil <mark.a.oneil at dartmouth.edu> wrote:
> On Apr 5, 2007, at 10:25 AM, Steve wrote:
> > Sounds like your mixing connections and display devices and making
> > assumptions. You also don't mention what resolution your running via
> > s-video.
>
> Yes, I suppose I am making some assumptions.
>
> Please let me attempt to clarify:
> All the video-out and recording settings for myth and xorg.conf are default
> configs - I had made no specific changes regarding myth resolution or xorg
> setup. I am (erroneously perhaps) assuming as I am at work, that the default
> resolution for s-video is 480x480. I have since made changes to xorg.conf to
> get HD-Component to work.
>
> Comparisons:
> Using vga to a vga monitor:  display is acceptable and playback of
> recordings is good
> Using s-video to my LCD TV: Everything is good if not perfect
>
> I cannot test DVI or HDMI as I do not have those cables (and am reluctant to
> spend the cash until I exhaust other options).
> I cannot test vga (or DVI, HDMI) to the projector as I do not have those
> cables.

monoprice.com
http://www.monoprice.com/products/search.asp?spcDB=10231&spcWord=Video%20Cable%20-%20HDMI/DVI&keyword=hdmi

> I can and have tested s-video and HD-component to the projector:
> s-video: full color - fuzzy desktop and recording playback - dvd perfect
> HD-component: appears more crisp, fills the screen, but only Blue
>
> The results on the projector are for all video - desktop as well as myth -
> hence it is my assumption (again with the assumptions!) that the core of the
> problem is with the x11 configuration, possibly aggravated via projector
> scaling.
>
>
> > What I suggest is to first get 720p(1280x720) and 480i (720x480)
> > output working via component to the projector (or better HDMI/DVI) as
> > that should give you the best quality for the menu and SD content like
> > what your PVR and DVD's play at.
>
> I am currently, after mucking about with the xorg.conf the last few days,
> getting fair output on HD-Component at  720p (1280x720), but it is all Blue
> - so I guess it is hard to tell, but it is filling the screen nicely and
> seems more crisp - I can more easily read desktop text.

all blue? but you can read desktop text?

> > Now, the menu should look crisp at either resolution (though I'd
> > suggest using 720p for the menu since that is what is native for the
> > projector) since Myth pre-scales the menu to the desired resolution.
> > Then you can play with seeing whether you prefer Myth(Xv really) to
> > scale SD content to 1280x720 or the projector doing it. I suspect the
> > projector will do a better job of scaling (that's a damned good 720p
> > projector), so you would want to have Myth output your PVR and DVD
> > playback at 480i (you can also try 480p and let Myth do the
> > deinterlacing).
>
> I believe you are correct and in fact I recall that the Myth menus do seem
> pretty crisp and I will certainly take a look at implementing what you
> propose. Is it unreasonable of me to expect that the desktop video be crisp?

With VGA, DVI or component yes. s-video no.

> As for the quality of the projector I am glad to hear from a "real person"
> it is a good one. I have only had it a couple months and I can definitely
> agree - my 360 and DVDs playback fantastic.

I almost bought one actually, when I was living in NH near Dartmouth
oddly enough (Enfield), I had a great basement.... Now I'm in Boston,
so I'll have to hold off till I buy a house.

> > I feel your blurry SD is due to the inherent noise of recording over
> > the PVR cards compared to the near perfectly clean DVD video,
> > especially when comparing the two.
>
> Hmm not to be argumentative but, given all video output (via s-vid) looks
> good on the LCD TV (okay as good as regular cable playback) I still am
> thinking X11 issues are the culprit on the projector and that the TV, which
> is newer production than the projector, simply dynamically manages the
> signal better(?).

you could also be mistaking the scaling being done. Have you tried
projecting to a screen the size of your LCD?

> > Make sure, given the size of your playback(projector, I'm assuming
> > 100" screen? =D ), that you use 480x480 or 720x480, either should be
> > find for SD, both have their advantages given the situation, and that
> > you use a relatively high bitrate, 6000/9800 I think are good options,
> > some may say overkill, but even at those levels I sometimes notice
> > artifacting during fast movements (like sports).
>
> I will confirm the resolution and bitrates and adjust accordingly.
>
> However, I think we /may/ be talking about two different yet very related
> issues:
> 1) getting xorg.conf set to correctly display all colors at optimal
> resolution for the projector and
> 2) getting optimal performance out of MythTV in conjunction with the
> projector
>
> I am again assuming that #1 is an X11 issue and #2 is a MythTV configuration
> issue.

basically. I mean, if you get X to output a signal that your projector
accepts then MythTV should be set from there, there should be nothing
special in any of this, as many of us on this list have working
component and DVI output working fine and was as simple as using the
correct modeline.

I don't see why if you have xorg setup properly to use component
output you should have any issues with the projector. One thing I just
thought of, turn the "sharpness" setting all the way down (usually
zero), or possibly to "1", this could be causing unintended blurring.

> > heed the signature!
> > http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/index.php/Modeline_Database#Panasonic_PT-AE900U_Projector
>
> Absolutely! And I think I had already been there before I posted my request
> for suggestions as that set of instructions did not work for me and to be
> honest the learning curve for custom configs for X, using what are in some
> cases undocumented options, is a bit steep. ;-)

Well, once you figure it out, make sure to update the wiki with what
you found to work.

-- 
Steve
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