Best TV Connection method

[mrothwell]

I'm just testing Sage and the whole HTPC thing.

I just moved into a house where the previous owner left his 65" Mitsubishi HDTV. It has many analog inputs, 2 component inputs, a VGA input. It does not have DVI or HDMI input (At least I dont think it does).

My computer has a GE Force Fx5200 card with video out, SVGA, and DVI-D. What will give me the best connection from my PC to my TV?

BTW - I will be using a PVR-150 connected to a DirecTV STB (connected now) and will be installing a HDTV capture card to pick up OTA HD programming.

[gplasky]

VGA. Connect to it like it was a computer monitor. Use 60Mhz as the refresh rate.

Gerry

[heffe2001]

Originally Posted by mrothwell

I'm just testing Sage and the whole HTPC thing.

I just moved into a house where the previous owner left his 65" Mitsubishi HDTV. It has many analog inputs, 2 component inputs, a VGA input. It does not have DVI or HDMI input (At least I dont think it does).

My computer has a GE Force Fx5200 card with video out, SVGA, and DVI-D. What will give me the best connection from my PC to my TV?

BTW - I will be using a PVR-150 connected to a DirecTV STB (connected now) and will be installing a HDTV capture card to pick up OTA HD programming.

Wow, free 65" Mitsu, lucky . If it were me, I'd replace that 5200 with a car that is capable of component out (preferrably something like a 6600gt, I went with a x700 ATI, and it works great with component & HD streams).

[mrothwell]

Originally Posted by heffe2001

Wow, free 65" Mitsu, lucky . If it were me, I'd replace that 5200 with a car that is capable of component out (preferrably something like a 6600gt, I went with a x700 ATI, and it works great with component & HD streams).

Between a free 65" Mitsu and the Hot tub and gazebo outside the master room, I didn't need to look any further.

What rez will I use if I attach via VGA cable?

Is component out better (noticeably) better than the VGA connection?

I've seen DVI to Component converters - how would one of those be?

Thanks for the input.

[stanger89]

You'll want to use 1920x1080i, or something based on it.

Component won't be better, but may be easier.

DVI to component "converters", if they're the $20-30 ones, they won't work AT ALL on an nVidia card, they only work on specific ATI cards because they're not a converter, just a plug adapter.

[mrothwell]

OK - I connected the VGA cable to the Mitsu. When it boots up, I get a display on the screen showing that it's starting up windows, then everything goes blank.

I Remote Desktop into the box from another PC to change the Res, but it only has one res - I think it's 1280 x 1024 at 16 bit. Advanced is greyed out and I cant change res, color quality, or refresh.

Any ideas?

[gplasky]

If it didn't detect your Mitsu as a monitor you'll need to set it as a monitor that supports the res you want to use. I know on my Panasonic I had to set it as some Sony GDW900 or something like that. Make sure you're set at 60 Mhz for the refresh rate. First set it as 640 x 480 or 800 x 600 and work from there. Or like Stanger said maybe component might be easier.

Gerry

[mrothwell]

where is that set at? Like I said, I cant set anything to do with resolution or quality.

[gplasky]

I think if you remote desktop in you're not going to be able to change those settings. Disconnect your TV and connect a PC monitor to it and set the basic rsolution to 640 x 480. Pick a monitor that will support your res and set the refresh at 60Mhz. Disconnect monitor and connect TV. Now you should have a working picture and should be able to change the res. If a res you pick doesn't work wait 15 seconds and it should revert to what you had.

gerry

[stanger89]

VNC works well, it doesn't mess with your settings.

[Commodore 64]

Yeah, I use TightVNC because remote desktop doesn't allow you to change settings. You may also need to add custom resolutions manually. I know that when my TV is detected all I get is 640 x 480 and 720 x 480 and I have to manually add 1920 x 1080,30Hz and 1920 x 1080, 60 hz.

[Kanati]

Some tv's only have a very low resolution on the vga port as well... I suggest getting a radeon card and go dvi->component as stanger mentioned or you might be limited to a low resolution.

Specifically the mitsu 65" HD monitor I had could do 1080i no problem... but only supported 640x480 on the vga port.

[krutaw]

Originally Posted by mrothwell

OK - I connected the VGA cable to the Mitsu. When it boots up, I get a display on the screen showing that it's starting up windows, then everything goes blank.

I Remote Desktop into the box from another PC to change the Res, but it only has one res - I think it's 1280 x 1024 at 16 bit. Advanced is greyed out and I cant change res, color quality, or refresh.

Any ideas?

When using remote desktop, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. First, the resolution that you're able to see is that of the client connection, not the monitor itself. Secondly, you can't change it on the fly, thus the settings at connection time.

I use Dameware for purposes such as this, it allows you to see *EXACTLY* what's on the screen as the monitor would see it, but without the black screen in this case.

[mrothwell]

Originally Posted by Kanati

Some tv's only have a very low resolution on the vga port as well... I suggest getting a radeon card and go dvi->component as stanger mentioned or you might be limited to a low resolution.

Specifically the mitsu 65" HD monitor I had could do 1080i no problem... but only supported 640x480 on the vga port.

Just now getting back online after the holidays.

My VGA port would only accept 640 x 480, so that's out.

A friend told me that they got a VGA to Component cable that worked for them - will that work for my fx 5200 card?

If not, what is the cheapest (decent) card that will support component out? I'm guessing that I will want to run 1080i or 720p.

Thanks

[Kanati]

VGA to component should work for you. Though you could probably make one cheaper than you can buy one.

[stanger89]

You can't convert VGA to Component (YPbPr) with a cable, you need a transcoder for that.

VGA to RGBHV can be done with a cable.

[mrothwell]

Originally Posted by stanger89

You can't convert VGA to Component (YPbPr) with a cable, you need a transcoder for that.

VGA to RGBHV can be done with a cable.

Quoted from the manual:

Connect the RGB cables from the DTV
receiver to the HIGH RESOLUTION
INPUT GRBHV on the TV back panel.
You may need to set the DTV input assignment
to RGB in the Assign Input
Menu, page 33.
DTV Receiver TV Back Panel
2 G (green) = Y/G
3 R (red) = Pr/R
4 B (blue) = Pb/B
If the DTV receiver has outputs for H and
V sync, connect as listed below
(DO NOT connect if DTV receiver uses
“Sync on Green”):
5 H (horizontal sync) = H
6 V (vertical sync) = V

So, it would appear that RGBHV would work for me. Is that a "good" quality signal that I could run at 720p or 1080i?

So if I got the VGA to RGBHV cable, it should work??

thanks

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by mrothwell

So, it would appear that RGBHV would work for me. Is that a "good" quality signal that I could run at 720p or 1080i?

What doe you mean by ""good" quality signal... Oh, yeah, RGBHV is just as good (if not slightly better than) Component, you'll be able to 1080i just fine.

So if I got the VGA to RGBHV cable, it should work??

Yup.

[mrothwell]

Thanks for your help. I'll get a cable on order.

[Kanati]

Originally Posted by stanger89

You can't convert VGA to Component (YPbPr) with a cable, you need a transcoder for that.

VGA to RGBHV can be done with a cable.

Glad you cleared that up. I thought they were by and large the same thing.