High Definition On TV From PC

[bluetech]

OK, I have the following monitor : Pioneer PDP434PE

And the following "I/O box" : PDP RO4E

Trying to find specs of either is a nightmare.


The "I/O Box" has an HDMI port labled input 3, I also have a VGA connecting labelled PC.

I have downloaded some HD content from Microsoft and want to know the best way of connecting it to this setup. Can I force the VGA connection to the screens native res?

PC is using a BFG 8800 GTS 320MB


Thanks Guys!

 

[woodsy2k]

If the TV has either a VGA or DVI input, and your graphics card has two video outputs (which I'm pretty sure it does...) it would be easiest to run the tv straight from the graphics card with nothing between. This can be done simply be setting up the tv and your normal monitor in a dual monitor configuration and simply setting the tv res to that of its native capabilities.

EDIT: Oh hang on, I think I figured out your post above lol

If you connect the pc to the I/O box via VGA from your pc, setting the output res to that of its native capability that should work fine.

Sorry, that was a bit all over the place wasn't it :$

 

[tang0]

for some reason i cant set my hdtv to hd in options, i use a vga cable, its greyed out

maybe i need a dvi ?

 

[rhymin]

dvi-hdmi lead/adaptor

works much better than vga on my samsung tv

get native 1920x1080 no problem

 

[bluetech]

If the TV has either a VGA or DVI input, and your graphics card has two video outputs (which I'm pretty sure it does...) it would be easiest to run the tv straight from the graphics card with nothing between. This can be done simply be setting up the tv and your normal monitor in a dual monitor configuration and simply setting the tv res to that of its native capabilities.

EDIT: Oh hang on, I think I figured out your post above lol

If you connect the pc to the I/O box via VGA from your pc, setting the output res to that of its native capability that should work fine.

Sorry, that was a bit all over the place wasn't it :$

I have tried this a while back. If memory serves me correctly I could put out at the usual default res' of 800 x 600 and 1024 x 768. I know the screen is capable of more.

I have heard of using a tool to make a custom driver.


Anyone heard or used this idea?

THanks for the replys

 

[bluetech]

for some reason i cant set my hdtv to hd in options, i use a vga cable, its greyed out

maybe i need a dvi ?

For HD on a TV I am beginning to think that digital is the way, so a DVI to HDMI cable may well do the trick.

 

[woodsy2k]

I have tried this a while back. If memory serves me correctly I could put out at the usual default res' of 800 x 600 and 1024 x 768. I know the screen is capable of more.

I have heard of using a tool to make a custom driver.


Anyone heard or used this idea?

THanks for the replys

What you should be able to do is choose a custom res to output from the pc end. If once connected, right click on the desktop and then properties. Go settings > advanced and then choose the tab at the top that quotes what graphics card you have. As it's an nvidia it makes life easier. Then in the pop out menu there should be an option for resolution and refresh. in there you should be able to choose your monitor and choose a custom res. Set this to the res of the tv.

As someone has correctly said imo, DVI to HDMI would be the best option if your card so has DVI as a spare output.

 

[MPK]

Your plasma has a native resolution of 1024x768. This you can only achieve if you connect via the VGA port. However, this is analog and won't give you as good a picture quality as digital. Also, it won't be HDCP capable so you won't be able to upscale DVDs or play Blu-Ray/HD-DVDs.

I would therefore recommend the DVI connection, for which you'll need a DVI-to-HDMI cable or an adapter. You then have to set the resolution to 1024x720p, which will give you the best picture quality on the Pioneer. The upscaling from 720p to 768 is done by the panel.

However, there is one major disadvantage of the digital connection, it produces about 5-6% overscan, which means some of your menus (e.g. media player) will get cut off. If you only use it for movies in Dual View mode it will be fine though as even DVD players will produce a similar overscan.

 

[james.miller]

Your plasma has a native resolution of 1024x768. This you can only achieve if you connect via the VGA port. However, this is analog and won't give you as good a picture quality as digital. Also, it won't be HDCP capable so you won't be able to upscale DVDs or play Blu-Ray/HD-DVDs.

i do all of that with vga

 

[MPK]

i do all of that with vga

Well, your analog picture will not be as good as a digital signal as you have D/A and A/D conversion inbetween. Of course there are ways to bypass HDCP but that won't be that easy with Blu-Ray/HD-DVD.

What I forgot to mention: You can adjust the overscan with some trickery (used to be easy with nvidia drivers, but not anymore), but you will loose the HDCP capability of your card.

 

[james.miller]

Well, your analog picture will not be as good as a digital signal as you have D/A and A/D conversion inbetween. Of course there are ways to bypass HDCP but that won't be that easy with Blu-Ray/HD-DVD.

What I forgot to mention: You can adjust the overscan with some trickery (used to be easy with nvidia drivers, but not anymore), but you will loose the HDCP capability of your card.

well i have a ps3 playing bluray over hdmi and a pc playing hd-dvd over vga , both @ 1080p. im in a good position to comment the difference isn't as large as many people like to think.

Of course there are ways to bypass HDCP

for the time being, hdcp doesnt even apply to vga connections.

the quality of the vga output is laregely dependant on the card and the display, obviously. but that isnt my point. my point was that you said you cant watch bluray/hd-dvd or upscale dvd's over vga when you certainly can

 

[MPK]

Do you also have a 1080p screen? I only have a 1280x768, so can't comment on 1080p. Didn't know that VGA doesn't need HDCP. I changed froma VGA connection to DVI and noticed a significant improvement in terms of picture quality. Sharpness, colour, black levels, etc. The only downside is the overscan, but for watching movies that's ok.

 

[james.miller]

yeah ive got a sony kdl-40w2000. it also does does 1:1 @ 1080p over vga so no overscanning either with a little tweaking i can get the image very very close to what my ps3 produces which tbh is the best imagine ive ever seen on my tv. The ps3 is better no doubt, but vga is still very very good

 

[woodsy2k]

the difference isn't as large as many people like to think.

Indeed.