Xcard and DVD output

[kolvadw]

Hi,

I bought the PDI Deluxe and Xcard combo. I have a HTPC connected via the display card video out to a Sharp projector as my only display. My display is running at 1280x720p Two questions:

- I've got my Satellite receiver and Xbox coming into the PDI card at 480i and that works fine through Dscaler... Any suggestions on what sort of settings or filters I should use to get the best image at 720p for this setup?

- Having a problem with the Xcard for DVD output. Since I installed the Xcard driver Windows Media player won't play DVDs any more. I get sound but no picture. Same for the Xcard player. I read in a post I am not suppose to use the Xcard VGA out cable and set the output to anything other than VGA but how do I get the image on the PC desktop? Dscaler as well? Is there anyway to get this working from within other DVD players such as WinDVD or Media player?

Thanks for any help in answering these...

Don

[Alex Pluggedin]

Hi there
For DScaler settings, you don't say what spec your HTPC is but why not try...

Mocomp2
you can set the search effort in deinterlace>video method settings>mocomp2>search effort.

Chroma filter when using xcard through PDI (see if you like this or not)

If you're running at 60Hz to your pj you might want to experiment with Judder Terminator.

The default video settings (Brightness/Contrast, etc) are a good place to start

Auto film detect ON

There's not a lot else to do really.
Let us know how you get on.

Hopefully someone else can answer your VGA questions, we've only used Xcard for PDI and s-video/component up until now.

Cheers
Alex

[kolvadw]

Ok, made some progress.. If I start the XCard DVD player and start DScaler, I can at least see the image. A bit strange having to run two apps at once to watch a DVD. Anyone got a way to automate this so once Icon or command line would launch them both?

I assume I can use the Remote Wonder plugin for the Xcard player so I can control the DVD even though I can't see the controls when DScaler is running in full screen mode... More experimentation before this will really be usable.

Don

[Alex Pluggedin]

Exactly right about the remote - you can use it while XMP is in background. So once the apps are running, you don't need to see XMP.
To launch both at once, we use full HTPC interface software like myHTPC, xLobby, etc. Without those we do it with Girder, when it receives an IR command, but maybe someone will give you a way to do it on your normal desktop.

Cheers
Alex