I'm considering buying one of those HDFury HD Compatible to HD Ready converters. One of these [click] for the uninitiated.

However, the VGA socket on my TV is recessed, so I need a very short VGA cable to enable it to fit.

Would this work?

What/where is the shortest VGA-VGA extension you know of?

Thanks.

It's possible to make a very short extension...

Get Maplin part numbers

JW77J HD 15 Way D Plg
and
JW78K HD 15 Way D Skt

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?...1310&doy=18m12

Solder together back to back using short lengths of solid (eg not stranded) tinned copper wire. You need to solder the middle row first! Use wires just long enough to get the iron in there.

If you don't like the idea of having it exposed conductors you can flood the space with epoxy or even get a little box designed to have a D-Type connector each end and use stranded wire between. If done neatly I doubt will have much effect on picture quality. Remember to connect the shells together as well.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?...1668&doy=18m12

edit: Best double check that a 15 way three row connector is the same size as a 9 pin 2 row D-Type connector or the might not fit that box. No doubt similar ones exist though somewhere.

Having a slightly longer an flexible cable (say 12") might give you more mounting options though.

I couldn't solder two bits of wire together if they were each 5ft in diameter! Unfortunately.

Turning screws is about my limit!

Edit: But maybe my local Maplins might make me one. I'll check tomorrow.

Do you think it would work? The HDFury is supposed to become a permanent connection to your HD Compliant TV/Monitor.

It draws power from somewhere, I know - but it doesn't come with a PSU. Just an HDMI to DVI-I lead.

What sort of set do you have?, there doesn't seem much need for that device if your set is 'HD Compatible'?.

That's an odd gadget, and expensive.

Haven't a clue why anyone would need one.


HDfury is a revolutionnary product that allows you to use in full resolution (1080p) any HDMI/DVI device on PC monitor, video projector or older HDTV/Plasma that are without a HDMI entry!

If you own a high quality monitor/projector/tv that does not have a HDMI connector you need this device, it will save you from buying a new expensive screen to enjoy 1080p resolution when your screen can already support it!

HDfury module will transform any "technically able" ANALOG display into a DIGITAL display performing a perfect visual HD&Full HD fury @ 720p/1080p from any HDMI/HDCP sources such as PS3, X360 Elite, HD-DVD&Blu-Ray player, SAT&Cable HDTV setbox, HDMI graphic card, and more.

Even more confused, do you have an 'old' TV?

HD compatible means (to me) that the TV has the resolution, but doesn't have a digital input, such as DVI-I or HDMI, and thus cannot decode programs on HD TV or DVD/HD-DVD or Blue Ray because of HDCP, which is only carried on these digital inputs.

The HD-Fury connects to the standard analogue VGA connection on my HD compatible LCD monitor. Many such were available a couple of years ago, but HD Ready has made them somewhat scarce now.

Mine is one such, it is HD, but doesn't have a digital input - only VGA, SCART, SVideo and YPbPr.

So my TV/monitor, with the HDFury becomes fully HD Ready too.

It was a short sighted/incorrect purchase, as I misunderstood HD compatible at the time I bought it. But it has been/still is a fantastic 32" monitor, with the ability for me to switch between TV and Computer viewing - or even have both with PIP. The Fury will make it complete.


I's not nearly as expensive as another large screen LCD HD Ready TV/Monitor! It's only £73 or thereabouts.

Haven't you tried just connecting it via Component leads? don't all your HD sources have Component outputs? - Component works fine for HD.

HDCP is not supported over analogue at all. Because of a special token, I understand that analogue sources are either completely disabled, or scaled down to standard definition.

So you've not tried it then?

As far as I'm aware no such scheme is currently operative, and is only a matter of gossip!.

Surely you've got a pile of phono leads sat in a draw?, no need to buy special Component leads just to test, bung some phono leads in and try it!.

HD Fury is a marvelous bit of kit if you need to plug a scaling DVD player into a display which has no DVI or HDMI socket.

Most main brand DVD players only line double via the YPbPr sockets. They won't output a higher resolution such as 720p or 1080i unless there's a display with a digital socket on the other end of the cable.

SkyHD will (I believe) send 720p or 1080i out via YPrPb. There's been talk of future generation boxes having only a HDMI socket. It's also been mentioned that Sky might lower the YPbPr resolution on certain programmes such as Box Office movies to help reduce piracy. To me that smacks of bolting the stable door after the horse has gone, but it does highlight Sky's thinking.

For other sources such as games consoles you would need to check if there's a component output cable option.

Regards

Component, from my computer to my TV didn't work properly, being somewhat off centre and with insufficient correction available.

My computer's graphics card has HDMI and DVI-I, and I'm purchasing a HD-DVD/Blu Ray drive for the computer too.

If there's no need for the HDFury, so be it - but I intend buying new movie titles on HD-DVD & BLU Ray and as far as I know, new titles are likely to be HDCP protected, and could only be presented in full HD resolution via a digital output that supports HDCP.

Also, I have Virgin cable. They tell me that if a programme is copy protected, then the component outputs are disabled and clearly state HDMI only. Not all programmes are copy protected, of course.

It sounds like the Fury is exactly what you need. How far recessed is the VGA socket on the back of the monitor?

The best way to show you is via the manual, there is a handy photograph on page 6.

Warning, this link points directly to a download containing the zip file which contains the manual in PDF format! [click].

Contrary to the manual, there never was a digital DVI-I upgrade for this particular TV/Monitor - which really ticked me off big time when I contacted V7 about it! However, I expect the HDFury converter is a similar price to what the upgrade would have been.

There's even a space for the ***** non-existent upgrade!

All I want is a 2 inch cable with VGA male to female to make it fit!

I'm afraid, even with that, it might not work - but I'm willing to take the risk. I can always resell it. The reason: it is supposed to be a permanent fixture on the TV itself. But I don't believe a short vga cable would stop it working (at least that's what I'm hoping).

Looking at the image in the manual I can see how the socket is recessed but the access still looks pretty open. I take it you have checked the clearance around the socket?

Is the TV wall mounted or on a desk stand?

It's possible to make up a short cable but I think it will be a little longer than 2" because of the depth of each plug; I think you'd be looking at something around 4". That's going to put a bit of strain on the socket once the Fury and the HDMI lead are attached.

It's going to be better for the TV if you use a short fly lead from the TV to the Fury, say 0.5m, then attach the HDMI to that.

The idea about having the Fury connected directly to the display is to appease the HDCP lobby. There's another benefit; it helps avoid bandwidth problems at 1080p.

Without knowing the exact dimensions of the fury it is pretty difficult to measure up. However, I think maybe the photograph is misleading. There is only about an inch between the back (end) of the VGA plug (where the cable comes out of it) and the case, which is not the back of the TVs case on the far side of the plug.

The cable length I was referring to was excluding the amount used to actually make the plugs. But I've bought a 1.3m cable, and if that degrades the performance significantly, but still works, I'm going to have to have one made up for me. It shouldn't be impossible to find some competant local who'll do it for me.

Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it) you'll see from the manual that the TV doesn't support 1080p, only 1080i - but that should still work.

The TV actually looks great if I download hi-def movies from the Microsoft hi-def gallery. So I know it works well - there's a little solar and polarisation on strongly contrasted images, but I can live with it until I can afford a proper hd-ready TV. I will wait until Freeview goes hi-def, and they start selling hi-def freeview boxes - which might be a couple of years away yet.

I can see it is going to be a bit of a minefield in the not too distant future, with everyone having to update their Freeview boxes AGAIN! I can already hear everyone without cable or satellite screaming about it in my dreams.

If you can find no one locally then drop me a PM. I can make a cable up for you using high bandwidth 75 Ohm RGB cable.

You might find more info on the Fury and possibly some dimensions at the following forum sites:

www.avforums.com then go to the CRT Projectors section. This is a UK site.

www.avsforum.com and then search for HD Fury to find the correct forum area. AVS is an American site.

Have a good one

How wierd!

I've installed my new HD-DVD/Blu-Ray drive, and just using the DVI to VGA converter and a straight VGA cable I can watch the movies in full high definition.

How is that working? I don't have the HD-Fury yet!

My graphics card is the Sapphire Radeon X1600 256Mb HDMI AGP Pro.

Movies are "Host" in HD-DVD and "Bridge of Trebithia" on Blu-Ray.

Pictures are fantastic, but unfortunately I think I need a new motherboard and processor to get smooth performance.

And thanks for the offer Chris, I'll keep it in mind.

Merry Christmas to Everyone!

Possibly because PC components aren't controlled as strictly under the HDCP rules as standalone HD/Bluray players. Also, very few films have the encryption tag that restricts playback to players & display combinations that follow all the rules.

However you look at it this it's a good result for you.

Enjoy and all the best

Just as it would via a Component connection, like I said before, none of this proposed HDCP crippling of VGA or Component exists yet, and may never do so.

So, Nigel, you don't think Virgin do knobble the component outputs on the HD STB when they say that a particular HD programme is available only via HDMI?

When I phoned and quizzed them about it, they were quite insistent that they do send a token to the box to switch off the analogue outputs - or reduce the quality down to standard definition (SD).

They freely admit they do show some HD programmes that are accessible via analogue, but a number of the HD "On Demand" films are accessible via HDMI. Do you think they are trying to hide the fact that HD HDMI only films work via the component outputs too?

Because if that's the case, I might still have a chance of cancelling the Fury order.

£72 !!!!!!!!!!!!
is it worth it?

Judging by the quality improvement watching HD-DVD/Blu-Ray movies I'd say yes, it is, in my case. It's a hell of a lot cheaper than buying a new HD-Ready TV and means I can get another 5 or 6+ years use out of it.

Try it and see - what have you got to lose?, I doubt Virgin do any such thing as they have hardly any HD programming anyway!

I've already asked about it here. [click]

It seems they do. And there are a few films I'd like to see in HD without having to spend nearly £20 a title!

The range of programming and movies is only likely to grow in future. I know Sky have a greater range of available stuff right now, but demogrqphics and budget mean that I'm better off with Virgin in more important ways.