I'm considering using a scan converter for output rather than messing with all the TV-out hassles. I'll need to output to S-Video, at least initially.

I'd like to hear from people actually using one though... how do they work, do they support overscan (hate those black bars), and most importantly, how is the quality? What kind are you using? How does it compare to the regular TV-out hardware (GF-400MX, PVR-350)?

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

you might want to double look at what you want. you said output to svideo and initially. there are two different kinds of scan converters. The first one outputs to svideo and really does scan conversion and has overscan and all that good stuff and the quality is greatly dependant on the quality of the box. The other type just makes two conversions and no overscan etc. it converts from vga>component (physical) and from RGB>YPYBYR(whatever component is transmition). So from what I know one box won't start svideo then move on later.

I am using a tvator 'exec' in my bedroom. For watching TV, and using the mythtv menus, all is fine.

Where it runs into problems is when I am in text mode, or mythfrontend has gone away. This is really more a fault of the resolution of the TV though.

The tvator does have a vga passthrough so I can hang a monitor off the system when I need to see that text. (during installs primarily) It also has both a composit and an svideo output, as well as an rgb output (which I have never tested.)

As I say, for most of my needs it works well. I am not seeing any aberations that would prompt me to go digging for a new video card that supports s-video out.

-Rusty

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