EyeTV Progressive Scan

[0098386]

Righty, I was playing around with my display options on the EyeTV software. I was shocked that there was Progressive Scan on there, mostly because I didn't know regular TV could do that but mostly because I had no idea what it did. So i did some research, watched some TV and was very impressed.

The image was just butter smooth. Unfortunately the only show on was Eastenders where this was noticeable. There was an old lady talking, but it was the smoothest old lady talking I've seen.

Question though... How do I get it to be a little less choppy? To get best results at the moment I have to shrink my resolution down and then fullscreen the TV. So long as the resolution is higher than the normal TV resolution I'm not losing any quality (except for the now slightly larger GUI). I figured since in windowed mode and in fullscreen 800*500 the image is constant, the mac can keep up with the rendering. But full screen 1680*1050 is just jumpy.

Any tips here? and whats the story with Progressive? Like I said, I always thought that was limited to HDTV things only.

 

[MRU]

Righty, I was playing around with my display options on the EyeTV software. I was shocked that there was Progressive Scan on there, mostly because I didn't know regular TV could do that but mostly because I had no idea what it did. So i did some research, watched some TV and was very impressed.

The image was just butter smooth. Unfortunately the only show on was Eastenders where this was noticeable. There was an old lady talking, but it was the smoothest old lady talking I've seen.

Question though... How do I get it to be a little less choppy? To get best results at the moment I have to shrink my resolution down and then fullscreen the TV. So long as the resolution is higher than the normal TV resolution I'm not losing any quality (except for the now slightly larger GUI). I figured since in windowed mode and in fullscreen 800*500 the image is constant, the mac can keep up with the rendering. But full screen 1680*1050 is just jumpy.

Any tips here? and whats the story with Progressive? Like I said, I always thought that was limited to HDTV things only.

Unfortunetly EyeTV software is badly optimised. Requires a Dual G5 to record at best quality, Dual G4/5 for the next option etc...
which looking at the TV recording stuff on the PC is really unaceptable.

Progressive Scan option basically doubles up on the lines, filling in the interlaced parts of the picture and again requires a hefty processor.

Unfortunetly EyeTV2 hasn't improved recording optimisations and suffers same problems. They are however working on a universal version which will not put the strain on the Altivec Core, I'm hoping this new re-emphasis on power will improve performance not only on Intel macs, but existing PPC hardware too.

Till that happens it will remain a hog... Either that or we'll have to go out and buy the more expensive models which have hardware encoding and hence take the load off the CPU..

 

[fowler.]

wouldn't this be elminated with the eyetv usb wonder deal?

or does quality suffer?

 

[risc]

The best possible picture you can get on EyeTV is to be watching a Digital HDTV source with progressive scan enabled, I can do this fine on my Power Mac G5 + EyeTV 400 _BUT_ it looks no where as good as my LCD HDTV. If you want great TV quality buy a good digital HDTV!

As for "why can you watch progressive scan" all monitors are progressive scan. The only TV that is actually broadcast in progressive scan though is Digital SD and HD TV. If you don't have a Digital EyeTV you might be getting slow down because you are doing everything in software.

 

[0098386]

The best possible picture you can get on EyeTV is to be watching a Digital HDTV source with progressive scan enabled, I can do this fine on my Power Mac G5 + EyeTV 400 _BUT_ it looks no where as good as my LCD HDTV. If you want great TV quality buy a good digital HDTV!

As for "why can you watch progressive scan" all monitors are progressive scan. The only TV that is actually broadcast in progressive scan though is Digital SD and HD TV. If you don't have a Digital EyeTV you might be getting slow down because you are doing everything in software.

I'd buy a HDTV if there was a solid HDTV service in the UK. I'm not buying into it until the majority of TV I watch is in HD.
What's mad is that I've been using a 26" tube TV for the past 3 years but the quality of Digital SD on my 2005FPW is just unbelievable. especially in Progressive Scan mode. I suppose that's the best you can get in the UK for now. Progressive SD.

Anywho... I've sorta sped things up a bit. turned the CPU speed to highest and everythings good. Might help that I've added a signal booster and I'm getting a full 100% signal on all channels. and my EyeTV is a Cinergy T Digital Terrestrial receiver

 

[fowler.]

has anyone used a eyetv 500 with terretrial hd programming? I'm considering doing that.. living in LA, it shouldn't be a problem with reception, but I don't want to waste 350 seeing as that only at this point, I can afford hd over the air..

 

[powerbook911]

has anyone used a eyetv 500 with terretrial hd programming? I'm considering doing that.. living in LA, it shouldn't be a problem with reception, but I don't want to waste 350 seeing as that only at this point, I can afford hd over the air..

On elgato website they have the eyetv 500, for $199 refurbished.