Support for xcard

[Bascombe]

Started on: 2007-09-16
last update:

Summary:

Support of the sigma designs xcard hardware decoder

Area:

Hardware support

Description:

There seems to remain a considerable number of users within the htpc community who have not yet made the leap to hdtv, and are continuing to use the xcard for high quality video output. The posssibility of supporting the xcard fully within mediaportal has been raised a number of times in the past - to date, the app allows use of the sigma decoders for output of video, but there is no support for the osd over the xcard. While I appreciate that the xcard is very much a legacy product these days (with, apparently, no forthcoming support from the manufacturer itself in terms of new drivers), it remains a viable piece of hardware for those outputting to standard tvs. The thread here ( http://forum.team-mediaportal.com/si...ighlight=xcard ) has been going for some time, but has acquired over 6000 views - possibly an indication of the level of interest?

In short, with the addition of full support for the xcard, mediaportal would be further on the way to becoming the ultimate htpc solution.

Cheers,

Bascombe

[Janiporo]

I agree, especially now when it seems that 8dim has stopped all development of TVedia!
TVedias Wiki is shut down and no more licences are sold to the program.

Maker of GBPVR has also stopped support for Xcard in his newer versions.
Sigma designs (Xcard makers) have never had decent software for this magnificent card.

But to the point:
There are several features that make Xcard one of the best HTPC-display cards. One is, of course, that you DON'T need an external monitor for it, when it's been 100% configured. My own HTPC does not have its own monitor, mouse or even a keyboard. If I need to configure it, I use VNC Remote Desktop from another computer, through Local Area Network.

Awesome features in Xcard:
-Outstanding picture quality
-HDTV Upscaling (VERY usable, for example, in cheap DLP projectors, that don't produce a good picture otherwise)
-Comes with remote controller (not even nearly the best in market, though, but usable when functions have been copied to "one for all" -remote controller)
-S/PDIF -Output (For multichannel digital audio output to hometheatre system)
-Composite / S-Video / RGB / YUV -Component output.
-DVD / Divx Video quality VS Processor power. (aka your HTPC does not need to be newest and fastest on the market)
-Uses one PCI slot (Does not require any special Graphics slot, PCI is in every usable computer)
-Durable (Had it for about 5 years now, no problems)
-Outputs it's own dedicated video, not depending what is on the screen of the PC.


What I would like to see in the near future with mediaportal, would be following.
*Plugin, which enables Xcard usability for Mediaportal. This plugin would have the following features:
-Option to watch Live-TV stream from another DVB-Card (Digitv card), with NO compression in quality.
-Onscreen Display
-Support for Xcard's own remote controller (And later others too, of course!)
-HDTV Upscaling Feature
-Support for ALL (possible) common videoformats: It should use something like the FFdshow decoder pack for this?
-DVD video support (without saying)
-Daemon tools automount support.
-Easy Delete-file function from remote. (For deleting TV-Recordings you have watched)
-Ultimately Support for following aspect ratios: 4:3 16:9 AND 2.39:1 (Panavision format for movies since 1970's) This Panavision format aspect ratio can be utilized with a normal home theather projector and a suitable anamorphic lens (these lenses can be home-made)

(I dont know what of these features we allready have, because cant test mediaportal in home fully, but these aforementioned should work with Xcard)

There could be some own development team, that would make and update this plugin. I know this is the hard part, but someone must be able to do this. I don't have the skills for this.

Do we have volunteers here for this "little" project?





Edit:

The Panavision format would be something that I dont know anyone else has in their software. So this would be kind of unique high-end project also

I would find instructions, produce and test the anamorphic lens. And make detailed instructions here how to make it your self.

But that panavision -part would come later, it would be like candy topping on great software plugin.

[Guzzi]

Hi all,
wow, a lot of requests ;-)
Mainly there is one point I totally agree: The picturequality for analog out is outstanding - I would be more than happy to use the xcard for this purpose (have two somewhere around here, that I currently can't use for anything...).
Guzzi

[Janiporo]

We have one volunteer?

Do you have the knowhow and time to do this, assuming that you get all needed information?

If someone is allready doing this kind of developement, please inform me or this thread.

Thank you for all, that are interested

The Panavision format would be something that I dont know anyone else has in their software. So this would be kind of unique high-end project also

I would find instructions, produce and test the anamorphic lens. And make detailed instructions here how to make it your self.

But that panavision -part would come later, it would be like candy topping on great software plugin.

[Bascombe]

Great to see this thread popping back to the surface! Would be marvellous to see this happen. Janiporo, in relation to your (very comprehensive) list of features, its worth noting that one can already be ticked off - with a minimal bit of tinkering, its already possible to get mediaportal working with the xcard remote and receiver (most recent thread on this topic is here: realmagic xcard remote ).