HDTV Video Connections or why is everyone fat on my TV?

We get a few questions on connecting DVI, VGA and component sources, equipment and monitors. In Part I, we will discuss various DVI connection types. Our Part II will look at the popular VGA and component connecting options. Part III will cover scalers/converters for different display configurations, and we will throw in some switching.

Part I

DVI

DVI comes in three different formats DVI-D, DVI-A and DVI-I. What are the differences?

DVI-D, which is the most popular, is an all digital video only signal and the predecessor to HDMI. On consumer devices it will have a HDCP(High Definition Copyright Protection) features to prevent non HDCP devices and displays from connecting and copying the signal. This feature requires a handshaking by all equipment to verify that the equipment connected is HDCP. Some earlier monitors designed for computer application are not HDCP compliant. They will work with a computer, but not with set top boxes, DVD players and other DVI consumer electronics that require HDCP compliance. All second-generation HDMI connections are HDCP compliance. Since DVI preceded HDMI it is backward compatible, if the DVI equipment is HDCP compliant. A simple DVI to HDMI adapter or cable can connect HDCP compliant equipment.

DVI-A is an analog display connection only and compatible with VGA. DVI-A to DVI-A only cables are very difficult to find, since the design purpose of DVI was a digital interface. DVI-A to VGA cables are used with some graphic cards and Mac computers that have a dual purpose DVI-I connector, which leads us to the next configuration.

DVI-I is a combination DVI-D and DVI-A connection. You can find these on high-end video cards, frontal projectors, and Apple Mac computers. They are used to save real-estate on the output connection interface. By using a DVI-D/VGA splitter or adapter you can chose either the digital or the analog connection for your specific requirement. This is application dependent.

HDMI is the next generation of DVI and digital only. HDMI has digital sound included in the connection, however when you adapt from DVI to HDMI no audio is passed.

Note when connecting a DVI/HDMI connection to your computer the native computer resolutions available will not be a HD TV’s 720P/1080i format signal, unless your video driver has HDTV outputs resolution settings. There are third part programs like PowerStrip, which are not perfect and require experimentation to match computer output resolutions to HDTV displays. The ultimate solution is an external scaler/converter, which you can program to match the display input requirement, independent of the signal source.

Stay tuned for part III when we discuss scalers.

http://www.ramelectronics.net/html/howto-av.html

http://www.ramelectronics.net/html/powerstrip.html

Converting Component Video and Digital Audio to HDMI

Converting Component Video and Digital Audio to HDMI

OK, we hear some of you snickering and saying - "Convert Component Video and digital audio to HDMI? Why? Doesn't just about every HDTV have both nowadays?"
Well, yes, that may be true, but there are still some very good reasons why a lot of people still want to do this. All of the reasons are based around running a single HDMI cable to your display for audio and video, or as near to that ideal as is possible. So, if you can turn all of your sources into HDMI, you can use an HDMI Switcher to Select between your sources and run a single cable, or very few cables, to your display.

A) Wall mounted Plasma or LCD Display
Even if you run the cables through your wall, this can be a tricky bit of business. You have to get in-wall rated cables. You have to carefully route them through your wall without breaking them. You may need complicated and more expensive wall plates with multiple connectors for all of those cables. Basically, every added cable makes it that much harder and more expensive to hide your cables.
B) Projectors
This is almost self explanatory. You usually have to run some pretty long cables over to your projector from your A/V rack. Some people run them through ceilings, some through walls, some through raceways and some, well, they just find a way to get them there. The longer the cable the better it usually has to be. Better is more expensive, and in-wall rated and better, gets more expensive still. Have to run Plenum to be within code? Ouch!

C) Neat Freaks (or those with very high WAF levels)
All those ugly cables behind a nice piece of furniture can make even a normal person cringe. If you are a "Monk" like being, or have a significant other who keeps getting enthralled by Bose commercials, with that "no visible cables" look, well, if you can keep things to a sane level, you may be able to keep a happy household. You'll still have to think of something for those speaker cables, but we'll tell you your way around that another time.

What you need:

Component Video and Digital Audio to HDMI

If you need a model with analog stereo audio here's the one you need:
Convert Component Video and analog Audio to HDMI

Need to convert two Component Video sources with audio as well as switch two additional HDMI sources?
EXT-HOMETS

Want to convert Component Video and Composite or S-Video as well as switch two HDMI sources, outputting everything to HDMI?
EXT-HOMETSP

Have a Computer you want to connect through HDMI? If you need DVI and audio there are ways to do that as well.
Convert DVI and Digital Audio to HDMI
or
Audio Authority Model 1311


Need an HDMI Switcher?
HDMI Switchers

HDMI/HDCP to VGA/RGB Conversion

HDMI/HDCP to VGA/RGB Conversion
We get constant questions about how to convert HDMI to VGA or Component video. Really constant. Everyday. There are so-called "HDCP strippers" available out there in cyberspace and we hesitate to tell customers about them because of the potential legal issues of doing so. Nobody wants to be sued by HDMI or Digital Content Protection, LLC. On the other hand, information is freely available about these solutions on the net, and we felt a need to give our visitors "the scoop". We'll give you some links later to sites dealing with the legality of these devices. They are strictly available in Europe or elsewhere overseas and are not considered "legal" to sell in the USA.
We tested out one of the new HD Fury converters from www.hdfury.com which we, er, found laying in the street somewhere....

Connecting the HDFury to your average DVI or HDMI DVD player to an LCD monitor, or LCD TV through a VGA port results in an image shifted to the left a bit. You can adjust the monitor for this in most cases so it is not such a big deal. Using an LCD monitor as a TV is not really so awesome as they have pretty crappy contrast ratio, etc. Besides, spending this much money to use an LCD monitor as an HDTV monitor is silly, with all of the HDCP enabled LCD monitors coming out with goodprices and better performance. So, using this as a Playstation 3 to VGA LCD monitor display converter does not really seem like a smart investment.
Connecting the HDFury from a PS3 to a Plasma with VGA 1080p compatible input? It works. And isn't that cool?! We are not sure which Plasmas and LCD's can take 1080p over VGA input, but those that can are likely to be able to get 1080p over VGA with nice results. Of course you could also do it over HDMI in most cases so whats so great about that? Well, some people do have displays that will take 1080p over VGA but nor DVI or HDMI. We are not saying it is worth it, just saying that it can work. Not that the image wasn't "smokin", just that for 1080p vs sources to 1080p displays, the difference between a 1080p or 1080i connection is pretty much usually about 99% hype. This could be a highly variable thing among different displays, since some will down convert 1080i to 540p, and other variations on this kind of thing. New displays that are 1080p native usually will accept a 1080p input. Those that only can accept Component video will still need a transcoder, too, so we are talking about $150 for the HDMI to RGB (VGA) and then more for the RGB to Component video (Y-Pr-Pb) converter. For those who just have to know that their 1080p player is pumping out 1080p to their display, well, there are a couple of other things to consider before dropping your money over in Europe.
This thing caused our expensive Sencore video signal generator to shutoff every time we connected it. Scary. This was with short cables and with or without power to the generator. We stopped trying to connect it, which is a shame since we were looking to see if there were overscan problems, noise or other possible video artifacts introduced. This could be a sign of something that could mean reduced lifespan of your connected devices. or not.

So, generally this is a device for big front CRT projector owners, nothing more and nothing less. Sure there may be some special cases, but most people who want a HDMI to analog HD converter are barking up the wrong tree. If you have a big, expensive CRT projector and need to get an HDMI signal into it, this may be worthwhile. Only people with these projectors will really be able to evaluate the picture quality they are going to get, in any case, since most available digital projectors can't do what those projectors can with an analog signal.
What about those old HDTV's with RGB inputs? What about those early adopters with HDTV'swith Component video inputs? Yes, you can do it, but doesn't it feel like your getting screwed a second time? Why bother? You can still get HD in Component video, right? OK, so those with the early early RGB sets, might think about using this. Not a bad idea, right? Well, maybe so, maybe so... on you, baby.

Legal issues:
Will the FBI come and break down your door?
Well, probably not - unless you are doing something wrong, like sharing. It is hard, legally, to say anything about the legal aspects of this, so we won't. We will just give you some links to check this out for yourself.
www.hdfury.com
HD Fury Legality link Strange that this is not a URL actually on the site?
digital-cp.com
HDMI.org

Quote from HDFury site:
" we cannot see how these devices can pass the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)"

Buyer Beware. It is not impossible that these devices will be rendered inoperable in the future by an update coming from a HD DVD or Blu ray disk. This is something you also need to think about.
Anyone with any more info or corrections is encouraged to comment.