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Old 18-07-2008, 08:56
leemc
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I have a Panasonic TX32-LXD85 (720p).

OK - just a very quick question. With regards to connectivity quality etc, which is the best way of connecting a PC to a HD TV. Via VGA cable or DVI to HDMI cable.

At a guess I would say the VGA cable should be the best, however, the DVI - HDMI cable is easier to plug and unplug.

Any thoughts?
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Old 18-07-2008, 09:40
chrisjr
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DVI -> HDMI should be the best. The graphics card in the PC is essentially digital as is the TV. Using VGA involves additional analogue/digital conversions that might impact on picture quality.

Also some PC graphics cards can also accept a digital audio input from either the onboard sound on the motherboard or a PCI slot sound card. They can then pass on this signal to the TV over HDMI.

This greatly simplifies getting pictures and sound to the telly. There are loads of threads on DS about the perils of hooking up a PC and TV. And getting both pictures and sound to the TV at the same time is a fairly regular problem.

Some TVs will only accept a digital audio feed via HDMI. Some have additional analogue phono sockets, so you feed the picture via DVI to HDMI and add a mini jack to phono lead for the sound connection. If your graphics card can't do digital audio passthrough and the TV does not have analogue audio connections associated with one or more HDMI inputs you may struggle to connect both video and audio to the TV

If the TV has VGA then it should also have phono audio sockets nearby for sound.

Of course if you intend to use an external amplifire/speaker system for sound then the above doesn't really matter.

Also one last thing. make sure you set a TV friendly resolution on your PC. Unlike PC monitors TVs tend to be fairly picky about the signals they are being fed. So can refuse to display any picture they don't like.
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Old 18-07-2008, 10:04
Nigel Goodwin
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I have a Panasonic TX32-LXD85 (720p).

OK - just a very quick question. With regards to connectivity quality etc, which is the best way of connecting a PC to a HD TV. Via VGA cable or DVI to HDMI cable.

At a guess I would say the VGA cable should be the best, however, the DVI - HDMI cable is easier to plug and unplug.
VGA is far, far better - on all the sets I tried (and I tried a lot!) connecting via HDMI or DVI always scaled the incoming picture, reducing quality considerably, and never actually fitting the screen correctly.

If you connect via VGA it basically 'plug and plays', and the computer outputs at the direct resolution of the monitor, producing the best possible picture.
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Old 21-07-2008, 18:26
AlosondroAlegré
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VGA is far, far better - on all the sets I tried (and I tried a lot!) connecting via HDMI or DVI always scaled the incoming picture, reducing quality considerably, and never actually fitting the screen correctly.

If you connect via VGA it basically 'plug and plays', and the computer outputs at the direct resolution of the monitor, producing the best possible picture.
have to dis-agree there. it depends entirely on the equipment.

i'm using dvi - hdmi and the picture is way better than vga. pixel perfect and very sharp.
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Old 21-07-2008, 19:22
sancheeez
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have to dis-agree there. it depends entirely on the equipment.

i'm using dvi - hdmi and the picture is way better than vga. pixel perfect and very sharp.
Whereas I'm using VGA and the picture is also perfect. Exact pixel mapping, crisp and sharp, no mucking about. Just as good as using a dedicated monitor only MUCH bigger.

If you have both leads available, just try both and see which works better for you.

As AlosondroAlegré says, I daresay it varies depending on your equipment.
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Old 23-07-2008, 11:29
ScoobieHibs
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This is my exact headache!!!

I want to connect my PowerBook G4 to the HDTV. I have a DVI port and a DVI to VGA Display Adapter which came with the machine. I've never used it, and now I'm thinking about doing so.

Or should I?

I take it I can get a DVI to HDMI cable which will go straight from the PowerBook to the telly?

I currently have an S-Video with Audio Jacks to connect the 'puter to the telly, but was thinking that HDMI might give a better picture quality.
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Old 26-07-2008, 03:07
RobAnt
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Well S-video is pretty dire when used as a connection to a LCD TV/Monitor anyway (in this context).

You will certainly do better using the VGA or HDMI inputs on yours.

What do you intend doing? Create a HTPC (home theatre pc)?

As your PC has DVI I would get a DVI to HDMI adapter and a HDMI cable (neither need to be expensive ones). That is the only connection that would natively support High Definition HDDVD or Blu-ray,because it is a wholly digital connection. It is also easier for the LCD TV to work with than analogue VGA - there is less processing involved - no need for a analogue to digital converter.

It depends on the graphics card as to whether or not DVI carries audio too. ATI Radeon cards do, while nVidia cards need a connection from the soundcard. If you have neither ATI or nVidia then I would suspect the answer would be no - so you would continue to need to plug your soundcard into the TV or a separate speaker system. But look for a digital audio out - coax or fibre optic.

Does the TV allow you to slave the HDMI video input to an analogue audio input? It may not, in which case you'll need a separate speaker setup anyway.

Go the all digital route. You know it makes sense.
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Old 13-08-2008, 09:20
ScoobieHibs
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Well S-video is pretty dire when used as a connection to a LCD TV/Monitor anyway (in this context).

You will certainly do better using the VGA or HDMI inputs on yours.

What do you intend doing? Create a HTPC (home theatre pc)?

As your PC has DVI I would get a DVI to HDMI adapter and a HDMI cable (neither need to be expensive ones). That is the only connection that would natively support High Definition HDDVD or Blu-ray,because it is a wholly digital connection. It is also easier for the LCD TV to work with than analogue VGA - there is less processing involved - no need for a analogue to digital converter.

It depends on the graphics card as to whether or not DVI carries audio too. ATI Radeon cards do, while nVidia cards need a connection from the soundcard. If you have neither ATI or nVidia then I would suspect the answer would be no - so you would continue to need to plug your soundcard into the TV or a separate speaker system. But look for a digital audio out - coax or fibre optic.

Does the TV allow you to slave the HDMI video input to an analogue audio input? It may not, in which case you'll need a separate speaker setup anyway.

Go the all digital route. You know it makes sense.
Wow! Rob! That's fantastic advice, and I pretty much know what you're talking about as well!!!

I'm sure the PowerBook has a ATI Radeon Graphics card, but as I'm not at home at this moment, I'll have a little check later.

The main intention, thus far, is just connectivity. I'm convinced that it's possible, digitally, to do it and basically I just want it to be able to happen. Whether that encourages me to go further with it, I don't know, but I think it'll be great for watching stuff (albeit streaming) from the BBC iPlayer and any other stuff I manage to download.

I have toyed with the idea of Apple TV, but as I've already got this machine and if all it needs is the right cables/adapters, then I'd like to try that first.

Thanks mate!
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Old 14-08-2008, 15:30
steveOooo
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ScoobieHibs - i will be doing the same thing once i eventually geta hd tv (currently using eye tv on my pbg4 to watch/record tv, but its a bit poor for playing games via composite).

Please report back if you were successful and give details on your set up - the exact cables connectors required.

cables required (correct if wrong/missing stuff)

1x dvi to hdmi adaptor
1x hdmi cable (are there dif kinds of cables ie male/female etc..)

sound - i have a cable running from my pbg4 to my hifi - but is it better to use a digital cable? i have dig singal output i think from my pbg4
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Old 15-08-2008, 14:24
ScoobieHibs
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ScoobieHibs - i will be doing the same thing once i eventually geta hd tv (currently using eye tv on my pbg4 to watch/record tv, but its a bit poor for playing games via composite).

Please report back if you were successful and give details on your set up - the exact cables connectors required.

cables required (correct if wrong/missing stuff)

1x dvi to hdmi adaptor
1x hdmi cable (are there dif kinds of cables ie male/female etc..)

sound - i have a cable running from my pbg4 to my hifi - but is it better to use a digital cable? i have dig singal output i think from my pbg4
Hi Steve, I will surely let you know what I use whenever I pull my finger out and get on with it! I'll make sure that it'll be soon.

I've got EyeTV as well, mainly for taking away with me on caravan holidays, but have since bought a really small Freeview box (and keep the EyeTV for when there's a clash on the telly....

Cheers.
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Old 11-09-2008, 08:08
ernie22
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Hi

considering doing this also

re the connection cables

why not a dvi to hdmi cable cutting out the dvi to hdmi adapter
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Old 29-09-2008, 22:02
Emgee
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Interestingly, for anyone thinking of hitching up a PC to their idiot box, Overclockers (.co.uk) sell a range of PCI-E ATI graphics cards designed to support HDMI adapters starting at less than 30 quid. There's even still an AGP one, though its a bit dearer at 64 quid, as despite the old fashioned pluggy in bit it's higher spec.

I've got an old case and AGP mainboard/Athlon CPU/2 Gb lying about, might give the latter a go. It won't need a flash processor with a decent video card. This one says it runs HDCP content. It's here:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...)%20-%20Retail

God only knows if THAT link will work.

PS: they come with a DVI-HDMI adapter, I think, so just need the HDMI cable.
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