What do I need to take a MPEG2 file from the internet and convert it
to analog so I can broadcat it on a regular TV broadcast system

avishai-ga

All you really need is a video card for your computer with a TV
output. In that case, you would connect up whatever TV broadcasting
equipment you have to either the composite output on the card or the
s-video output.

In this case, you simply use the TV out as a second monitor and play
back your mpeg2 files using your favorite mpeg player (eg. Windows
Media Player / WinDVD / etc.)

If you play it in full screen mode - it will not appear to be from a
computer.

A few words of caution, however. First - mpeg2 files downloaded from
the internet are normally SVCD quality or lower (rather than DVD
quality) - so playing them back on a TV system is a bit like using a
bad VHS tape. The resolution is about half of a normal TV broadcast
and the compression used may show several bad artifacts.

Secondly - if you do have high quality video (or even if you don't) -
you need to be mindful of copyright restrictions on the video. Some
video shouldn't have been put up on the net in the first place. But
even video that is legitimately online may have restrictions against
it being rebroadcast - so check that you aren't breaking any rules
before using it.

Some cards that have TV out capabilities are :
ATI All in Wonder Radeon 7500 (this has TV in too)
ATI GeForce2 MX-400 64MB
ATI GeForce4 Ti-4280 128MB
Matrox GeForce4 MX-440 64MB
Matrox GeForce4 Ti-4600 128MB

(source: http://www.thechipmerchant.com/video-cards.html)

Hope this helps

calebu2-ga

Search strategy :
"tv out" video card

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Request for Answer Clarification by avishai-ga on 15 Jan 2003 07:04 PST

Actually these are files I am posting on the net, myself for someone
to broadcast and I am using the net to transport the video.

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Clarification of Answer by calebu2-ga on 15 Jan 2003 07:30 PST

That should work then. You may want to check out the information at
http://www.vcdhelp.com/play. There is a lot of good information about
file formats and file size - You should be able to get a good idea of
what a suitable compromise is for quality vs file size (ie. you want
it to be good quality for TV use, but equally you want it to be small
enough to send over the net).

Regards

calebu2-ga

I definitely got my money's worth!