Dual Head for DVD use - recommendations

[ahartman]

All,

I'm finally going to get around to hooking my TV up to the computer using the DH. This would be as a novelty (watch me play Half-Life on my TV!) and an interim solution to a DVD player for the home theater.

1) My TV is about 30 feet away from my computer. I want to use the S-Video cable - will I lose a great deal of my signal using such a long cable?

2) Given my hardware config (see below), what's the best way to get the sound out from the computer to the TV/stereo? I thought I remembered reading that the DH S-Video didn't support the audio portion of the signal.

Should I just scrap the whole idea and pony up for the DVD player?

Thanks in advance!

------------------
PIII @ 550
IWill Motherboard
VIA Chipset
128Meg
G400 DH 32MB (5.41 Drivers)
DirectX 7.0
SB Live! Value
8x DVD (Toshiba)
6x4x24 CDRW (Sony)
Optiquest V95 19"
HP 812C Color Ink Jet
Microtek flatbed scanner
Intellimouse Explorer
Surround Sound w/two subwoofers
AND WAY TOO MANY GAMES!!!

[Easty]

I use about a 30ft S-vhs with no noticable effect for DVD(well before I installed NT5), and a fibre optic out from an aureal vortex 2... works a treat..

Toslink from >> http://www.core-
sound.com/toslink-cables.html
S-VHS from >> http://www.action-electronics.com/video.htm

I had to pay more for the US > Uk postage but there worth it!!

[xippo@work]

You shouldn't get any noticable defects using a 30 foot S-Video cable, although it the cable will be very expensive. Also, you get what you pay for in an S-Video cable, some are cheaper than others. You can try a standard RCA cable to your home theatre system, an inexpensive solution but you will loose some picture quality. I currently use a RCA cable (about 25 feet) and I'm satisfied for now - I just couldn't shell out the cash for a 25 foot S-Video cable.

Since you have the SB Live Value, you can use the secondary speaker output on your sound card to your home system. If you are already using four speakers from your sound card, you can split the sound from the either the primary or secondary output jacks.

You should at least try it. As you say, it is a great interim solution to a DVD player for the home theater. The DVD quality is very good from the G400 card. Also, it is a blast having your friends cheer you on as they watch you from the TV set. Ha ha.

Good luck!