Help with min. requirement for 16:9 plasma
 

Hello,
I've searched the forums and didn't really find what I needed.. I just found this site (through seeing the Tank of Big Brother) and love it.

I have several TVs around my home including a 42" plasma. All the TV's are current models with super video connects and several composite connects (one has DVI) .. All the TVs are the 16:9 ratio so I would be running the widescreen version of the program.

I want to setup the fish on each TV with a dedicated computer and have them running on the computers all the time. Then you could just click input 3 or aux 3 for the fish.

My question is this.. What are the min. requirements that I should look for in a computer to run the program without any loss of quality or performance?

I guess I need to know:

1. Min. cpu speed without affecting performance.
2. Some good inexpensive graphic card options and min. card RAM
3. Min. Ram for the CPU
4. Best way to connect CPU to TV ...

I know this is going to be a little overkill so I'm trying to keep the cost of the deticated computers down but don't want to sacrific qaulity. I was figuring I could pickup some older used CPUs on ebay for $50 to $100 each to use.

Thanks

Ray

Well, on the 42" plasma, S-Video or Composite (yellow plug) would be a waste when it's capable of such a high quality picture. You would only get 640 x 480 analog, converted, and a bit fuzzy.

If the 42" plasma has a VGA input on it, then the answer is simple. If it has Component (red/green/blue), then I would get a VGA -> Component adapter box. You would get 1280x720 very high quality picture.

Your best place to start is the Home Theater PCs forum.

I see that some video cards from ATI have a DVI output.. I know that one of my TVs has a DVI input.. Is that as good a picture as component inputs would give?

Thanks

Ray

Better, if they synch up.

Do most of the cards not synch with TVs well when using DVI?

Ray

I guess a better answer is, I have *no clue* about DVI.

Check out the Home Theater PCs forum I linked above. Realize that DVI is also kind of a catchword in the HDTV world because it has some negative connotations about Copy Protection and preventing us, the viewers, from skipping commercials and/or recording a personal copy of a TV show.