***** Moderator's Note *****

I'm a member of the Boston Linux & Unix Group, and I asked the members
to add a Linux perspective to the Hiawatha Bray article mentioned in
Monty Solomon's post.

This reply is from Jarod Wilson, who asked that his email address be removed.

***** *****

The digital side of the HVR-950Q is supported in the dvb-v4l mercurial
tip, will be included in kernel 2.6.26. Works quite well. Don't know
anyone with the Pinnacle stick, or if it supposed to work or not. I've
also used these cards w/o a problem:

1) Hauppauge WinTV HVR-1500 (expresscard, digital and analog)
2) Technisat AirStar HD-5000 (pci, digital only)
3) pcHDTV HD-3000 (pci, digital and analog)
4) pcHDTV HD-5500 (pci, digital and analog)
5) KWorld ATSC-110 (pci, digital and analog)
6) KWorld ATSC-115 (pci, digital and analog)
7) Silicon Dust HDHomeRun (networked dual tuner, digital only)
8) Hauppauge WinTV PVR-{1,2,3}50 (pci, analog only)
9) Hauppauge WinTV PVR-500 (pci, dual tuners, analog only)

All of the above work just peachy with MythTV. For more info on
supported devices, see:

http://linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/ATSC_Devices

[For] most computer monitors smaller than 24", no. My HDTV set is 1920x1080
resolution, progressive scan. You'd typically need at least a 1920x1200
resolution computer monitor to have as much resolution as a full 1080p
HDTV. Most LCD panels 24" or above fit the bill though.

Aside from resolution though, there's also hardware deinterlacing chips,
such as the venerable Faroudja, which you won't find in a monitor, but
will usually find in a solid HDTV. A good thing to have for 1080i
programming (and can also help make analog 480i stuff look less crappy,
though there's only so much you can do to make crap look less like
crap).

--
Jarod Wilson
remo...@by-request.com

***** Moderator's Note *****

Here's another post about the Linux side of HDTV cards.

**********

I have an HDHomeRun, from Silicon Dust. Two tuners, an IR receiver,
and connected via 100Mb/s ethernet. It works very nicely with Linux,
OS X and (people say) Windows. Picks up over-the-air channels with an
antenna, and unscrambled QAM from cable.

Bray is frequently pushing an agenda, and usually one I disagree
with. A 720P LCD HDTV is identical to a 1280x768 LCD monitor, plus a
tuner and some video conversion. A 1080P LCD HDTV is just like a
1900x1080 LCD monitor, with a tuner and more video conversion. HDTVs
come with DVI or HDMI inputs, and so do LCD monitors.

On the other hand, I don't think anyone sells a plasma monitor... but
many plasma TVs come with VGA and DVI ports.

-dsr-

***** Moderator's Note *****

Here's another response to my question about using HDTV cards with
Linux.

**********

On Fri, 09 May 2008 09:45:38 -0400

As usual, Bray has his head up and locked.  First, HDTVs are selling
for under $500 retail (32in and smaller). Most of these are 720P. Full
HD is 1020P, but 720P is pretty good for smaller systems. Many also
have PC connectors. I quickly looked at Best Buy and they have a 32in
720P for $541, and eCost has a Westinghouse 32in for $488, but I also
looked around and there are HD monitors available.