Mario Kart 64 on an LCD

[oimi]

This is the card I purchased: BFG 8800GTX OC2 768MB GDDR3 Dual DVI HDTV Out HDCP enabled PCI-E Graphics Card - Ebuyer

Could you not use: Belkin Pro Series DVI Adapter DVI Analogue Male - VGA Female - Ebuyer if it doesn't support VIVO without the addition of hadrware?

[Agent]

Originally Posted by oimi

Could you not use: Belkin Pro Series DVI Adapter DVI Analogue Male - VGA Female - Ebuyer if it doesn't support VIVO without the addition of hadrware?

No.
That hardware is designed to take the analogue output from a DVI-I based connection on a graphics card, and map it to the relevant pin's for D-sub.
This is strictly a one way operation, as the card is already outputting an analogue signal. All that adaptor is doing is changing the connection to a D-sub, which is most commonly used on CRT monitors.

To take any signal from analogue, you need some kind of ADC. Some graphics cards provide this (a very basic one at that), most don't. Yours doest have it.

I mean this in the nicest possible way, but if there was an easy way to do this we would have told you from the start. There isn't.
You have 3 options really:

1) Use a CRT
2) Use a device like Directhex has pointed out
3) Look for a *realtime* image capture device and processor. Realtime is important, as almost all home based capture devices (Read: TV cards, VIVO on graphics cards) will capture a video stream, but require all processing to be done in software after the capture. They are simply not designed for real time image manipulation and I am unaware of any.
Up scaling an image on a hardware based capture device is not a small task - you are looking at serious money. While I don't doubt that todays graphics cards more than likely have the processing power to do this, I don't know of any software solutions which allow it in real-time. If you do find any, please feel free to tell I would assume there isn't a demand for it.

Even "upscaling" DVD players do a fairly average job. Some better than your TV is doing, some worse, it depends on the brand.
I suppose you could look at one of these are see if it will scale up composite (doubtful), but even then, the difference really will be minimal over what your TV is doing. As soon as you start filtering an image to 'look better' you eat up processing power. Power costs money, hence why its so basic in both TV's and DVD players.

[kalniel]

4) Buy an old low res TFT monitor, or one of those mini LCD displays for the front of HTPC

[oimi]

Would a low res TFT work and enhance image quality? Please link me to one if that is the case.

[kalniel]

It would if you could find one that was native res for PAL resolution. At worse, getting one exactly twice (4x technically, 2x in both directions ) the resolution would look better scaled than a completely different resolution.

[oimi]

So can you find one?

[Agent]

Originally Posted by kalniel

It would if you could find one that was native res for PAL resolution. At worse, getting one exactly twice (4x technically, 2x in both directions ) the resolution would look better scaled than a completely different resolution.

Its catch 22.
Lower resolution panels usual equates to lower quality. Its just moving the issue from one area to another, not solving it.
I would have a CRT over a low res. TFT any day.

[kalniel]

Yes I agree Agent, it was only the 4th option

Oimi, no, I'm not looking for one.

[Mike Fishcake]

Originally Posted by oimi

So can you find one?

Oimi - there's asking people for advice, then trying to get them to do your work for you. Most people in here are offering suggestions based on past experiences, and are only suggesting ways in which you might be able to research it yourself.

And no, I don't know where to get one from either