Ongoing Anamorphic 16:9 PAL picture with Ati card (1 Viewer)

[Bram]

I've updated my HTPC with a new mainboard, new CPU, new RAM and a new videocard.
Before I used a GeForce 6200 AGP. I had a Ati X800 GTO2 256MB PCIe which I wasn't using so I decided to upgrade my HTPC with a ASUS K8N4-e deluxe motherboard and a AMD Athlon 64 3200+ (2.0Ghz with 1MB cache).

The problems is the videocard. With my GeForce 6200 I could simply add a custom resolution of 1024x576. This way I got maximum quality without deformation of the image. Image quality was very good. Now, with my Ati card, I can't add any custom resolution with the Catalist Control center. So I've tried adding the resolution to Powerstrip which doesn't seem to work. I can add the resolution but somehow it is not showing correctly on my TV. Can omeone tell me, or point to a guide, how I can get the best image quality from my X800 GTO2?


This is what I have...

TV: Philips matchline 16:9 widescreen CRT (PAL-B)
GPU: Ati Radeon X800 GTO2 256MB PCIe (s-video to composite converter -> composite cable -> scart block -> TV)


This is what I want....

Best image quality possible with a resolution of 1024x576. Without using overscan because part of the image gets lost when using overscan.


Thank you in advance. I've been struggling with this for hours and I'm pretty frustrated about it. I'm really hoping for the answer google and several other sites couldn't give me.

 

[Aquarius]

Hi,
did you try the Omeaga drivers ? They allow custom resolutions without the hassle of Powerstrip.
And they are near to the ATI drivers.

HTH
/Gerd

 

[Bram]

Thanks. I've jut installed them yesterday. They do allow a lot more resolutions. But not the 1024x576 resolution I'd like to use. If I choose a 1024x640 resolution the actual active pixels are 1024x480. I have to scroll the screen to see it all.

I think I'm simply going to buy a Nvidia card.
Any advise on which card I should buy? Is there a specific card that is good for tv-out?

 

[synthdood]

You could try powerstrip. With that you can create any custom resolution!

 

[deebo]

doesnt your tv have a rgb capable scart? composite isnt even a choice for video input...

 

[Bram]

I've managed to get a much better picture quality with a S-Video cable (I was using composite before).
I'm already using Powerstrip with a custom resolution. But somehow anamorphic doesn't seem possible with Ati cards because the active screen can't be configured.

With an Nvidia card it's possible to make a resolution have two configured resolutions.
The active screen... Let's say 768x576.....and the actial resolution.....let's say 1024x576.
The driver compresses the resolution width to fit the active screen. Which doesn't look very good on a 4:3 screen, but looks great when stretched on a 16:9 screen. This is called a anamorphic resolution.

Ati cards (or drivers) don't allow this. They do allow a higher resolution then 768x576 (might not be the exact PAL-B resolution but you get the point) but can't go as high as 1024 which my TV supports. If such a resolution is used anyway, scrolling on the TV screen occures.

I might have found a solution. Today I'm getting a VGA to SCART cable. So I can send an RGB signal to my TV and don't have the maximum supported resolutions problem (limited by the TV-out). Next to that the image quality should be the best possbly archivable. Better then a average DVD player connected thrue SCART, so I've read.

But thank you for the reply