HDTV, Aspect Ratios and Video Out...

[repdtek]

I recently built a HOME THEATER PC so that I can surf the net while watching TV (on my TV)
while relaxing on my sofa with my wireless mouse and keyboard. The system is based on
an ATI AIW 7500. Everthing works great in theory...the problem lies with my TV resolution
and TEXT. I can't read anything unless it is at a 12 and bold, in addition most web pages
are not designed to allow for increasing text sizes. This is a huge problem and basically defeats
the whole idea. I realize I can purchase a HDTV and that might help does anyone have any pointers?
Should I just get a huge monitor, HDTV or plasma screen? Cost is a factor and I would like to come
close to 27" of display space. I am currently using 27" Hitachi TV with SVideo Inputs.

 

[Jizzler]

Maybe someone here can vouch for the Arcadia series of TV monitors?

http://www.princetongraphics.com/Products/allindex.html

I want to get one to try out. Building a MAME/EMU/Classic PC game box

 

[imgod2u]

S-Video is limited as far as rought resolution equivalent and the AIW doesn't have a very high resolution output. The Leadtek GF3 and later series cards have 1024x768 TV-out, which should look better on your TV. But that's about it. If you have HDTV, it should have some kind of VGA-input or at least component input. Just go to Radioshack and get a VGA splitter that has VGA to component video or something.

 

[Peter]

Two things, the physical resolution of TV is surprisingly bad - HDTV improving the horizontal resolution,
thus making text somewhat more readable.

Then, the CRTs used in TV sets usually have a completely ridiculous dot pitch, which of course goes
unnoticed while watching movies but makes the fine print on web pages very much unreadable.

Finally the interlaced nature of the TV signal makes anything that has 1-pixel-high structures look awful.

regards, Peter