7" screen, which mobo/gfx to buy for 16:9 TV out?

Vittel · 08-06-2003, 11:48 AM

I've ordered a TM-702L 7" screen from Digital WorldWide - I was going to buy a mini-ITX board to run it but have since found out that the mini-ITX can't run a 16:9 resolution (only 4:3) from the TV out port.
Instead I'm looking at a VIA EPIA M9000 which can supposedly run a decent 16:9 resolution via the TV out?
Any other boards (preferably small!) that will run the 7" screen via TV port at a 16:9 resolution?
Or a PCI graphics card with TV out port that I can use in the mini-ITX board at 16:9 res. (Not VGA)
I'd like to get this sussed before buying a board that doesn't do what I require of it!
Thanks in advance.

EDIT : All of this will be done on Win98SE by the way, I have spare 98se licence - I do not have a spare XP licence

Will be used for MP3 primarily, GPS (probably "Directions" Infomap), full screen DIVX. Main concern at mo is getting one that does the 16:9 (Or near as dammit) in TV format!

sq_geek · 08-06-2003, 05:25 PM

First off, the M9000 and M10000 EPIA boards by VIA are all mini-itx form factor, that is, 72mmx72mm.

Secondly, I don't think either of them can do 16:9; however, with the proper programs/tweaks, their video cards can be run at something similar to 16:9, you just need to figure it out and tweak it accordingly.

Do a search for widescreen and windows xp, you'll find a lot of hits. I don't know about Win98, though....

Vittel · 08-06-2003, 06:38 PM

Thanks for the reply - I understand the boards don't give the outputs as 'standard' and am quite happy to use PowerStrip etc - but just incase anyone has been this route *with this screen*, I'd like to know what hardware people have had success with etc...

freestyler · 08-06-2003, 06:52 PM

my shuttle fv24 does 800x600 to the xenarc with no issues what so ever

Vittel · 08-06-2003, 07:00 PM

Isn't that 1.3' - I'd rather have nearer 1.7' -
Does your image look stretched? (That is what I am trying to avoid!)

freestyler · 08-06-2003, 11:28 PM

doesn't look stretched at all to me

Vittel · 08-07-2003, 04:19 AM

Just had a look at your pages, very nice - as you say - your image doesn't look stretched. (You seem to have been lucky with 800x600!

)

The main point I mean is that I'm happy to use reg hacks, or powerstrip to achieve an onscreen res that gets somewhere near 16:9 - but for example, on my Compaq P4 N1020V laptop with XP pro (With Radeon IGP 340M, 64Mb shared) I cannot access any of the custom resolutions through PowerStrip, not good - on a desktop running NVidia TNT 32Mb and Win98se I *can* access the custom resolutions, *but* everytime I set one, reboot etc - then switch to new custom res the screen just goes blank, again no good.
I'm just after someone who has a mainboard (or graphics card with TV out) that has successfully tweaked it and managed a near 16:9 TV out - this can help me shortlist what hardware to buy - I don't want to be in a situation where I buy a miniITX board, hook it up and realise there is no way it can be tweaked to run widescreen - that would be a bad move! I've ordered the screen, PSU, USB HD caddy etc etc and started to make the VB frontend so there's no turning back now - ie I'm not here to seek advice on a whim.
Indeed, anyone who has a new mainboard/gfx card and has tried tweaking it to no avail - please mention it - then I know to strike off that hardware from my shortlist. (eg you may have a VIA EPIA M9000 and have tried everything to get a WideScreen TV out but with no joy, if so I'd like to know so I don't end up buying something that does not do what I require - I have searched the forums but can't find specific enough info, and have emailed suppliers but they haven't got the relevant OS/hardware to be able to confirm to me one way or the other - this is where experience of forum members becomes invaluable.)
Any information much appreciated.

NJay · 08-07-2003, 06:53 AM

The eden Epia 533 and 800 can't be set to resolutions that appoximate 16:9 ratio, i.e 800*480 or 1024*600. I got around the problem by buying a Radeon 9000 64mb DDR card as 3d games at car shows suck big time with the onboard gfx. Means I have DVI, Analog and TV-out too. BTW all radeon cards from 7000 upwards are fully configurable so no probs getting widescreen resolutions via registry or powerstrip methods.

The Eden M9000 and M10000 use a S3 chipset and several members have reported being able to change to widescreen resolutions in XP. This indicates that the video chipset is capable and hence something like powerstrip and/or registry hacks should work.

Vittel · 08-07-2003, 07:25 AM

Thankyou

So I guess the question now is - do I get the M9000 "as-is" or the EPIA 800 with Radeon 9000...
I guess the EPIA/Radeon combo will provide more graphical welly overall (For DIVX playback, maybe odd game)
Hmmm...

NJay · 08-07-2003, 07:56 AM

Basically Epia 800 + Radeon 9000 = Just about playable UT2003 at 800*480 with medium detailing and no dynamic lighting.

Really depends on your space requirements as you would get better performance from many of the approx 24cm x 25cm micro-atx boards around as they accept P4 or Athlon chips

Also, don't know where you reside but in the UK, www.ultim8pc.co.uk stock mini-itx boards that accept seperate CPU's. The Commell LV-670 is a Pentium4 mini-ITX motherboardand the Iwill XP4 is similar to the Shuttle XPC range. You could strip the MB and PSU out of the XP4 and get half decent performance.

HTH

BoraXP · 08-08-2003, 01:18 AM

why dont you get a riser card and throw in a pci video card that supports widescreen

Vittel · 08-08-2003, 05:27 AM

Do you know of any [reasonably priced] PCI cards that directly support widescreen then? (as in out-of-the-box) The ones I found were very expensive -
I'd rather get a Radeon 7000+ series card and reghack/Powerstrip it.
Once I'm sure I'm happy with decision I'll order it

- leaning towards 10000 nehemiah & powerstrip at the moment.

BoraXP · 08-08-2003, 01:15 PM

not off the top of my head but they are out there check out the older tv out ati cards
theyll probably be able to do a widescreen