Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Good graphics cards for a htpc with crt...

  • 08-07-2010 7:40pm
    #1
    tmcw
    Closed Accounts Posts: 396 ✭✭


    As per the title...

    Have a nice old Toshiba crt that still works great and has excellent sound, so no plans to dump it just yet.

    Anyway, have been experimenting with a htpc recently, has some old Nvidia card in there, G-force 400 MX I think, so connected to the TV via s-video (no vga on the TV). Windows is workable when I need it (customised icons, text sizes/colours/etc), but using Mediaportal 99% of the time, so it's great for working with otherwise.

    The only big issue with it right now is that the PC desktop (and Mediaportal when it's running) doesn't fill the screen. I have the vertical and horizontal settings (on the TV) maxed out, but I'm still missing an inch or two either direction. I've tried numerous settings on the card properties as well, but no improvement.

    Is this as good as I'm likely to get it, considering the hardware? Or could a better card fill the screen better? I'm limited to AGP or PCI as well.


Comments

  • #2
    Bob_Harris
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,619 ✭✭✭Bob_Harris


    Do you have the latest Nvidia display drivers installed?

    There should be "overscan" or "enlarge screen" option in the Nvidia control panel which will solve the issue.


  • #3
    tmcw
    Closed Accounts Posts: 396 ✭✭tmcw


    Thanks Bob.

    Yep, I have the latest Forceware (93.71), and I've messed about with the settings a bit more, and I've managed to get the picture to fill out vertically, but still missing a bit at the sides. The TV has a Cinema mode which fills out in all directions and is grand when watching a DVD or media file, but have to switch back to Auto or Super live for any applications. It's a workaround for now I suppose.

    I can get a resolution that fills out the screen (600x480 iirc), and adjust the TV settings to get the horizontal OK, but vertical is too much (can't see taskbar or top of screen). That's not a problem with Mediaportal, as I can calibrate it to fit, but I loose top and bottom of the desktop, and dialog boxes become messed up in Windows (can't see entire contents and no scrollbars). So I'm stuck on the 800x600 resolution. There are 2 740x 480 and 540 resolutions as well, but one doesn't work and the other doesn't fill as well as the 800x600.

    Anyway, I might try an older Forceware, as there is an annoying issue with the newest version where in nearly any application, particularly when starting a video in Mediaportal, there is a bit of jumping of the picture, with bits of static noise as it's trying to find the resolution to go to (presumably). That doesn't happen when using the default drivers that come with XP.


Advertisement