graphics overlay with tv-out possible?

[azriel99]

Gidday

I am using directX to draw graphics overlays (logo, text) on mpeg video using a Geforce4 MX4000. I would like the graphics to appear on the TV-OUT signal but can only get it showing on the monitor. Does anyone know if the TV chip supports graphics overlays?

Can anyone recommend a video card that can do this? and cheap?

[Baldrick]

Change the tv-out to the primary monitor and it should work. Under the display properties -> settings select Use this device as primary monitor or similiar.

[ricardouk]

i also have a ge-force, choose the clone option in the monitor advanced settings, left click on desktop or control panel

[azriel99]

good idea Baldrick - but no go!

I guess TV-chips just don't support this trick. Maybe it would work using DirectX VMR - since graphics are part of the video stream???

Baldrick; that's a pretty name...

[azriel99]

hold that thought - I'm told it might work if I set the TV to primary in single display mode - I have been trying it in clone mode - will test and see...

[Baldrick]

yep, ALWAYS test single mode if you get display problems. clone and dual view may not always work that fine.

[azriel99]

Yeeeeep that works quite nicely - overlay text does appears on tv-out!

However I will obviously have to play fullscreen on the desktop to get fullscreen video on the TV, which is a bit of a shame as I would like to be able to work on the desktop whilst video is playing on TV.

As I understand it Windows VMR can render text and such WITHIN the video stream, so maybe I could use that and overlay text WOULD appear in the full-screen TV-out in clone mode, because the text would be an integral part of the video image. Does that sound right?

[azriel99]

OK my plan now is to buy a GeForce 6600 256MB AGP and use Direct-X VMR-9 to play my videos with overlays and all that fancy jazz. Hopefully I can get it to display all this full-screen on TV-out and keep using the desktop. But if have to play fullscreen on the desktop it's not a huge problem either.

Can anyone recommend a better card to buy? Geforce 7800 is a bit too pricey, but looks damn nice...