[mythtvnz] Video card for a diskless frontend?

[Stephen Worthington]

On Sun, 19 Jul 2009 23:10:06 +1200, you wrote:

>>> The TV is a JVC AV-32X4BA.
>>
>>This is almost certainly a SD CRT - which quite likely overscans.  An old card which runs the older drivers - including overscan
>>adjustment - may well be best for this TV -  unless you will not want to run a desktop at all.
>>
>>Buy a fancy graphics card when you buy a HD TV - they'll be cheaper and more power efficient.
>>
>>Also be aware of the varieties of S-Video - see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-Video   As has been mentioned on list S-Video is
>>confusing -  they are not all the same or even equal.
>>
>>Also consider that the advantage of S-Video over composite is minimal and not worth (IMHO) the extra cable cost or hassle.
>
>> Wrong, the image quality from S-Video is noticeably superior to
>composite video.  You may be thinking of component video, which is
>reportedly not much different from S-Video in quality (I have not
>tried that myself).
>
>Response:  I am not sure how MHO can be "wrong" but apparently it can. These references may assist:
>
>http://www.lyberty.com/encyc/articles/tech/video-connections.html
>http://www.lyberty.com/encyc/articles/svideo.html
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composite_video
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-Video
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Component_video
>
>"S-Video carries standard definition video (typically at 480i or 576i resolution)" much the same as composite....
>"S-Video.....it is also the poorest quality-wise, being far surpassed by the more complex component video schemes (like RGB). 
>S-Video is not being used for high definition standards because the carrier frequency of the colour signal modulation would have to 
>be adjusted."
>
>In my limited testing of the two formats I could not see a difference.  The specs do not speak of vast improvements either.  Perhaps 
>there were hardware issues in my case. YMMV - as does others.
>
>I would say that 720p/1080i YPbPr  is "noticeably superior" to composite SD however you are unlikely to get HD out of the TV 
>referred.
>
>Note RGB is an earlier incarnation of YPbPr and they are not the same.
>
>I think this highlights that individual user kit and testing and opinion will be important!
>
>If you can get a good reference source for all three then you will be well placed to make your own mind up which you prefer and 
>whether the TV actually offers anything better over the better formats than it does via composite! 

I am speaking from personal experience with S-Video and S-VHS.  I have
tried using composite video and S-Video out of my S-VHS VCR into my
old SD CRT TV, using both VHS and S-VHS tapes recorded off the air and
pre-recorded VHS tapes.  The results of using the S-Video output in
all cases made a visibly better result than using composite video.

The sources you are citing above agree with me.

The difference is not "vast", but I find it quite sufficiently
noticeable that I have always bought S-VHS VCRs for myself, until HD
came along.