Is Matrox Marvel G400-TV for me?

[Buddzha]

Hi,

I'm builing a htpc for dvd/divx/mp3/mame use. I'm using a widescreen tv with rgb scart capability. I will not have any other monitors connected.

Is the Matrox Marvel G400-TV a good choice for my htpc? Will I be able to use RGB tv-out with this card?

Any bad aspects in this card?

[Wombat]

Depends on what OS you plan on running. Matrox dropped support for the Marvel a while back. What would you like to do with it?

[leech]

So otherwise linux might be a good alternative for you. I know it has pretty decent support for the Marvel, I put my old one into my mother's so it's not doing much.... you can get all the stuff working decently under XP still.. I don't know if the TV-OUT works in linux though....

Leech

[Buddzha]

I'm going to use win2k for this.

It's either going to be used:

A) As part of my home theater system, in that case it will only be used for dvd/divx/mp3. It will only be connected to the TV (scart-rgb).

B) In my room as a work computer (word and such nothing heavy) and a movie machine connected to my second TV. So it will have both a monitor and a widescreen tv (scart-rgb) connected to it. For Work/Divx/Mame use.

Is this card good for both scenarios? Will I be able to use scart-rgb? I'm only interested in picture/tv-out quality.

Rest of the system:

Xp1700+
Asus A7N266-VM Nforce
512mb DDR333
Seagate 80+40gb

[Kruzin]

If you don't plan on doing any video capture, go with a regular G400 or G400max. These will serve your purpous, and you can make a scart cable (instructions in the Matrox forum FAQs).

[Buddzha]

If the card ends up in my room there will be some occasional tv-recording.

G550 Scart-RGB cable

I guess this is the cable you're referring to? Will it give full scart-RGB out from the G400-TV?

[Kruzin]

You cannot use a G550 cable on a G400.
There is another FAQ for G400 and Marvel cables in the same forum:

http://forum.matrox.com/mga/viewtopic.php?t=4380

[Buddzha]

Yeah I noticed that one but where is a "mini din 7" plug located on the G400 card? I thought it was just 2xVGA?

[Kruzin]

A regular G400 has two VGA connectors. The secondary connector hooks to a break-out cable which has the RCA and SVid connections.
A Marvel has one VGA, and a proprietary connector that hooks up to it's break-out box, which has the various video connections.

[Buddzha]

Thank you for your help, a few more question if I may, still a bit confusing =)

1. So this cable attaches to the proprietary connector on the card? Does that mean I cannot use the external box in conjunction with this cable? Or is "mini din 7" referring to the s-video connector on the external box? In that case isn't this just a s-video->scart converter?

2. The audio-in and rca-in in the cable schematics are useless for me when I only want tv-out?

3. Is it just a matter of enabling RGB in the tv-settings in windows once the cable is hooked up?

4. Can I use a tv as the sole "monitor" with the G400-TV and this scart-rgb cable?

Thank you!

[dZeus]

Originally posted by Buddzha
Thank you for your help, a few more question if I may, still a bit confusing =)

1. So this cable attaches to the proprietary connector on the card? Does that mean I cannot use the external box in conjunction with this cable? Or is "mini din 7" referring to the s-video connector on the external box? In that case isn't this just a s-video->scart converter?

It's connected to the connectors on the break-out box. It's not a s-video -> scart convertor. It just uses the same lines on the secondary output of the Marvel as the s-video and composite do, plus some additional pins (that's why the s-video connector on the breakout box has more than 4 pins).

2. The audio-in and rca-in in the cable schematics are useless for me when I only want tv-out?

that's for you to decide

3. Is it just a matter of enabling RGB in the tv-settings in windows once the cable is hooked up?

yes

4. Can I use a tv as the sole "monitor" with the G400-TV and this scart-rgb cable?

yes. Enable the DOS tv-out with the G400 bios update, enable clone mode (and dvd-max).

[Buddzha]

Merci!

So what are the items that I need to build this cable? I'm gonna commission my friend to actually build it but need to know the parts. Or are there ready cables to be bought somewhere?

What is the correct BIOS update for the G400-TV? The "setup257.exe" file on this page ?

Also any special driver set I should use with w2k or simply get the newest one?

[dZeus]

you have to soldier it yourself. As the picture in the diagram shows you, you need a mini-din plug with 7 pins, a rca jack, a SCART plug, and a cable with 5 independantly shielded cores/wires, with ideally another shield around all of the wires inside it.

Yeah, that bios should do: it will asks wether you want to enable DOS tv-out when you run it. As for drivers, most driversets should do, though it never hurts to use the latest.

Bon chance!

[Buddzha]

Thanks for all the help, I'll be receiving the card in a few days and start building the comp.

One thing about the scart cable, is it bi-directional (i.e allows me to record from it as well) or what are the audio-in and rca-in for in the schematics?

[dZeus]

it's not bidirectional.

You could make it that way, but I'm not sure if the tv will transmit it's tuned signal in more than just composite form through the scart socket. And if your tv has multiple SCART sockets, the tuned signal will often only be transmitted through 1 of those (check your tv manual).