Scan Converters vs. Internal Video Cards - Clarifications / Recommendations (1 Viewer)

[scottdev]

Ideally I envisioned using a scan converter instead of installing an internal video card (for mobility purposes) to play movies directly from a computer. It seemed a quick solution for the avi files I download instead of going through the whole conversion process, burning, etc.


I am reading that most of the consumer models of scan converters don't seem to display the same quality video as an internal video card does.


Can anyone recommend an excellent scan converter? When playing movies from a computer and displayed on a 1080i 51" screen tv, would the entire screen display images, or only a portion using a quality scan converter?


Does anyone know the details why the same technology used for internal video cards cannot be applied to an external product (seemingly)?

 

[mattCR]

I'm trying to understand why you would do this.. output from a computer direct, via HDMI, DVI or VGA to any modern TV will be of generally much higher quality then passing through an external converter, unless your TV only accepts RCA (Composite) or Svideo connections.


If your TV is newer then that, I would never, never, never, never NEVER use any external conversion, rather I'd use any of the basic technologies in any Media Center/Sage/etc. solution to pass to a TV.

I'm just confused as to what you're trying to do... (?)

 

[scottdev]

The TV I'm using is not internet ready, so have to use either a scan converter or internal video card to output.


Really just trying to avoid an internal video card and use a scan converter instead.

 

[mattCR]

Ok, I'm still confused.. the TV doesn't need at all to be internet ready.. what inputs does it have? If it has HDMI or DVI, I would absolutely never, ever, ever use anything external, when you can get even cheap video cards (about $35) that do an infinitely better job then anything you can get external. I have never seen anything I would describe as a "scan converter" that would make any sense at all (?)

 

[ChuckM]

I can say from experience that scan converters never look as good as a TV/HDMI output from a video card.