Other media servers?

[ninzel]

I'm currently enjoying my 360 as a media server and would now like to do the same thing with my TV and PC upstairs but don't want to buy another 360 just for that.
Are there other ways to stream media from PC to TV?
I was looking at TV tuner cards from either AMD or Nvidia,does this work? I would not necessarily be recording TV,more likely streaming downloaded content. If it happens to work out that I can record,fine but recording is not my first priority.
Does streaming via coax prove better streaming quality than via ethernet cable?I would be installing a card into a standard PCI slot.
With TV tuner cards,besides the card and the supplied software and of course the coax cable,do you need to install anything else? I'm running the latest updated version of Windows XP Home with no media centre. Who's better at TV tuner cards right now,AMD or Nvidia?
Are TV tuner cards compatible with all kinds content like avi., Xxid, Divx etc.
Besides TV tuner cards are there any other technologies that do this without spending a fortune?
Thanks.

 

[BRiT]

What connections does your TV have? The easiest is if your TV has DVI, VGA, or S-Video inputs and your card has one of those as output.

TV Tuners tune and allow you to view tv on your computer monitor. They typically do not enable displaying PC content on a TV. That is the job of your video card.

 

[ninzel]

What connections does your TV have? The easiest is if your TV has DVI, VGA, or S-Video inputs and your card has one of those as output.

TV Tuners tune and allow you to view tv on your computer monitor. They typically do not enable displaying PC content on a TV. That is the job of your video card.

My TV has many connections. S-videocomponent,HDMI etc. in but my computer being just a Dell Dimension 3100 has only one VGA out and nothing else and just PCI slots available.
Could I install a second PCI video card?When you run two video cards is it always displaying to both outputs or do you have to choose which one to show at different times?

 

[ninzel]

Ok so I did some research and realize now how easy this is. I just never paid attention to the outputs on my video card before.
Anyway so my question is if anyone can answer, what should tehnically should yield better image quality,streaming properly converted video via Xbox 360 or outputting the same content straight to the TV via DVI-HDMI?

 

[tongue_of_colicab]

Just use a tv out cable, these things cost like 10 bucks and are a absolute pleasure. I have 2 of them at home and it works great. if you have windows media center and the remote you can even play all your media without getting up from you chair.

I use a standard RGB one connected to the s-video port of my videocard. If you have a HDTV you probably want one that outputs to a HDMI cable.

 

[Red Herring]

Go with the DVI/HMI or VGA (if present on TV) for the best picture quality. Also if you have an ATI graphics card go into the Catalyst\advanced mode and set it to "Microsoft MCE black and white levels" this corrects videos looking washed out on the TV (not sure if NVIDIA have a similar setting in there's but they probably do).

GB-PVR and Media-portal are two popular windows media centre alternatives if you don't have access to windows media centre

 

[ninzel]

Thanks,now I need to find a PCI(not PCI-E) video card that has support for 1920x1080 through the DVI out.

 

[INKster]

Thanks,now I need to find a PCI(not PCI-E) video card that has support for 1920x1080 through the DVI out.

Try to find one of these:
http://www.sparkle.com.tw/News/SP85_73_GT_PCI/news_sp_85_73_PCI_EN1.html

 

[ninzel]

I looked at the Sparkle but it's support is only up to 480p. And I couldn't find it for sale.

I was looking at this card actually.
http://www.visiontek.com/products/cards/retail/x1550_PCI.html
It's a little confusing though.
One one hand it says support up to "Dual Link DVI support for up to 2560x1600 resolution in digital mode."
On the other hand it says "Cinematic quality component HDTV up to 1080i is supported through the 7-pin S-Video connector on board."

So what's the difference between high resolution and HDTV?
My TV has HDMI and S-video in and it's resolution is 1920x1080.
I'm not sure which would be best to use for best IQ, S-video or DVI with Windows set at 1920 x1080. I would think the choice would be DVI,so why offer both those options? In case someone an HDTV without HDMI?

 

[Red Herring]

The 7 pin connector actually supports component video on that model as well. Component video supports up to 1920x1080 resolution it's just there as another option on that card.

You are better off in general going with the DVI option for picture quality.

So what's the difference between high resolution and HDTV?

None, HDTV is just 1280x720 and 1920x1080 thats all.

 

[ninzel]

thanks for the help.
I got the card installed and up and running.
One problem is that when I set my resolution via Catalyst control Center to 1920x1080,the image is stretched byond the TV screen size and I only see part of the desktop.
The highest resolution that will work is 1776x1000. My TV reports 1080i when it's turned on. I think my TV does 1080p does by some DLP flickering method.