2nd VM box in bedroom displaying on PC?

MarcLister · 16-06-2008, 17:24

Hey all. Have now finished Uni and moved back home. Mum watches TV downstairs quite often and we like different TV stuff.

So I believe for £6 a month I can get a 2nd VM box up here. Problem then is how to actually use it. I have no TV up here and I haven't got the space for one. So I'm thinking I could somehow use my spare 17 inch Dell monitor but I reckon I'd need to build a little PC with some spare parts I have and get some kind of TV card to connect the PC to the VM box and output the signal to the monitor.

I've asked around and have been recommended Mythbuntu to use as an OS for this. I'd rather not use Windows as I'd have to buy it.

So does anyone have any ideas on what to do? I've got an old AMD 3000 x64 chip, a cheap 939 mATX mobo, 2GB DDR RAM and a multitude of HDDs. I just need a cheap case/mobo and a CD/DVD-RW drive and I'm laughing.

Burble · 16-06-2008, 17:28

You can get component/scart to VGA/DVI boxes so why not grab one of them and plug it between the VM box and TFT?

One of these would do the trick. A bit more pricy than just grabbing a case and CD drive for the PC but much quieter and cooler in the summer too.

MarcLister · 16-06-2008, 19:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burble

You can get component/scart to VGA/DVI boxes so why not grab one of them and plug it between the VM box and TFT?

One of these would do the trick. A bit more pricy than just grabbing a case and CD drive for the PC but much quieter and cooler in the summer too.

Cheers Burble. That looks good. £70 isn't too much.

I'll be building the PC anyway so it wouldn't hurt to have it built to display TV. With Mythbuntu would I still be able to use the PC whilst using it to watch TV?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark

Just a quickie - what inputs does that Dell monitor have? Probably a wild goose chase as I believe the smaller monitors don't have the input options the bigger ones do (my 27incher will take input directly from an STB - lovely jubbly).

Failing that, Burble's suggestion will get you decent quality and simplicity, but check output resolution (a 17in monitor may well not cope with 1440x900) but if you want PVR functionality and all that other gubbins then read on...

That hardware will do you fine for standard def TV. Find out what analogue TV cards work well with Mythbuntu or any other weapon of your choosing, then read around for reviews and get a good one (get a cheap unbranded stinker and you'll regret it - so don't

). As for the case, cool and quiet is obviously king but that depends on ex-student budget.

The 17 incher only has the SVGA connectors.

My Dell 2007WFP has DVI/VGA and the STB ones as well I think.

I would suggest using this monitor but I'd have to switch between PCs and I want to be able to use this PC AND watch TV at the same time!

Greedy, I know.

I've been recommended a Hauppage PVR-150 and I've checked for Linux drivers and they exist. However I've also been told that I'd need to install Mythbuntu onto the PC with the PVR-150 and tell Mythbuntu I has a PVR-150 and it sorts the drivers out for me.

Mark · 16-06-2008, 17:32

Just a quickie - what inputs does that Dell monitor have? Probably a wild goose chase as I believe the smaller monitors don't have the input options the bigger ones do (my 27incher will take input directly from an STB - lovely jubbly).

Failing that, Burble's suggestion will get you decent quality and simplicity, but check output resolution (a 17in monitor may well not cope with 1440x900) but if you want PVR functionality and all that other gubbins then read on...

That hardware will do you fine for standard def TV. Find out what analogue TV cards work well with Mythbuntu or any other weapon of your choosing, then read around for reviews and get a good one (get a cheap unbranded stinker and you'll regret it - so don't

). As for the case, cool and quiet is obviously king but that depends on ex-student budget.

Mark · 16-06-2008, 20:20

You do know the 2007WFP supports PIP (picture-in-picture) and PBP (picture-by-picture) don't you?

(I have the 2707WFP, and that'll be what I've used in the past).

Oh, and yes, of course you'll be able to use the PC for other things if you go that route.

MarcLister · 16-06-2008, 20:36

I might.

The PBP looks crap.

The image quality for my desktop is awful. The PIP isn't too bad. Can I change the size of the PIP? It's a bit small and I want it bigger! (fnarr!)

Mark · 16-06-2008, 20:53

With you on PBP looking crap. I've never found a monitor that does anything close to a good job of that.

As for PIP size/position, turn it on (fnar back at you), then go to the 'PIP Settings' OSD menu.

MarcLister · 16-06-2008, 20:59

I'm on PBP looking crap?!

Will try the PIP settings what-what-toodle-do-pip-pip.

(See what I did there?

)

Burble · 16-06-2008, 22:53

Forgot to say, we've got a couple of those boxes I linked to at work for displaying stuff from a DVD player on LCD screens and they do the job very nicely.

MarcLister · 16-06-2008, 22:58

Ah excellent. Thanks. What kind of resolutions are we talking here?

16-06-2008, 17:24	#1
MarcLister Absinthe Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Leighton Buzzard Posts: 1,282	2nd VM box in bedroom displaying on PC? Hey all. Have now finished Uni and moved back home. Mum watches TV downstairs quite often and we like different TV stuff. So I believe for £6 a month I can get a 2nd VM box up here. Problem then is how to actually use it. I have no TV up here and I haven't got the space for one. So I'm thinking I could somehow use my spare 17 inch Dell monitor but I reckon I'd need to build a little PC with some spare parts I have and get some kind of TV card to connect the PC to the VM box and output the signal to the monitor. I've asked around and have been recommended Mythbuntu to use as an OS for this. I'd rather not use Windows as I'd have to buy it. So does anyone have any ideas on what to do? I've got an old AMD 3000 x64 chip, a cheap 939 mATX mobo, 2GB DDR RAM and a multitude of HDDs. I just need a cheap case/mobo and a CD/DVD-RW drive and I'm laughing. __________________ Website (sod all on there!) \| MSN \| Email

16-06-2008, 17:32	#4
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	Just a quickie - what inputs does that Dell monitor have? Probably a wild goose chase as I believe the smaller monitors don't have the input options the bigger ones do (my 27incher will take input directly from an STB - lovely jubbly). Failing that, Burble's suggestion will get you decent quality and simplicity, but check output resolution (a 17in monitor may well not cope with 1440x900) but if you want PVR functionality and all that other gubbins then read on... That hardware will do you fine for standard def TV. Find out what analogue TV cards work well with Mythbuntu or any other weapon of your choosing, then read around for reviews and get a good one (get a cheap unbranded stinker and you'll regret it - so don't ). As for the case, cool and quiet is obviously king but that depends on ex-student budget. Last edited by Mark; 16-06-2008 at 17:36.

16-06-2008, 20:36	#6
MarcLister Absinthe Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Leighton Buzzard Posts: 1,282	I might. The PBP looks crap. The image quality for my desktop is awful. The PIP isn't too bad. Can I change the size of the PIP? It's a bit small and I want it bigger! (fnarr!) __________________ Website (sod all on there!) \| MSN \| Email

16-06-2008, 20:59	#8
MarcLister Absinthe Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Leighton Buzzard Posts: 1,282	I'm on PBP looking crap?! Will try the PIP settings what-what-toodle-do-pip-pip. (See what I did there? ) __________________ Website (sod all on there!) \| MSN \| Email

16-06-2008, 22:58	#10
MarcLister Absinthe Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Leighton Buzzard Posts: 1,282	Ah excellent. Thanks. What kind of resolutions are we talking here? __________________ Website (sod all on there!) \| MSN \| Email

16-06-2008, 17:28	#2
Burble Rocket Fuel Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 7,826	You can get component/scart to VGA/DVI boxes so why not grab one of them and plug it between the VM box and TFT? One of these would do the trick. A bit more pricy than just grabbing a case and CD drive for the PC but much quieter and cooler in the summer too.

16-06-2008, 20:20	#5
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	You do know the 2007WFP supports PIP (picture-in-picture) and PBP (picture-by-picture) don't you? (I have the 2707WFP, and that'll be what I've used in the past). Oh, and yes, of course you'll be able to use the PC for other things if you go that route.

16-06-2008, 20:53	#7
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	With you on PBP looking crap. I've never found a monitor that does anything close to a good job of that. As for PIP size/position, turn it on (fnar back at you), then go to the 'PIP Settings' OSD menu.

16-06-2008, 22:53	#9
Burble Rocket Fuel Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 7,826	Forgot to say, we've got a couple of those boxes I linked to at work for displaying stuff from a DVD player on LCD screens and they do the job very nicely.

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