Connecting a PC to a rear-projection CRT TV question

[BrunoPuntzJones]

Say I have an HTPC with DVI out (7900GT)

I have a Panasonic 53" rear projection TV (x54 series that does 1080i) that has HDMI in as well as a bunch of other inputs.

I'd guess the easiest way to connect the two would be a dvi/hdmi cable run between the two. And I guess use powerstrip and run some resolution around 1920x1080 (as it is a 16:9 set and not 16:10).

It won't be used for text, just movies, and since there isn't really a native resolution...

Will HD-DVDs (from say Microsoft's X360 player) output over HDMI fine? Or does it run into HDCP issues and should I just get a card that does component out?

 

[zephyrprime]

Your video card probably supports 1080i natively and will display that as an option once it detects that it is connected to a monitor that supports that resolution. HDDVDs should be fine even over HDMI for the time being because I believe the flag requiring a secure link is not currently being set in discs being sold.

For cheap cables, you can check out monoprice.com or ebay or other sites.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

Crap I didn't even think about the card recognizing the display as a TV, completely forgot about it doing that. I bet you're right, as soon as I hook it up it'll know what to do.

*smacks forehead*

 

[Aikouka]

I run my secondary PC on my Samsung 46" DLP without any issues. I even set the resolution to 1280x720 in the normal Windows Display properties. Heck, it even recognizes my TV as I believe it calls it "Samsung DLP." But it is good to remember how you plan to output sound. My TV was designed for a PC input as it has a standard input jack right beside the VGA connector that it uses when in "PC Mode." Do you just want to use normal speakers?

HDCP isn't enabled at the moment, because one of the biggest HD-DVD players, Microsoft's XBOX 360, doesn't support HDCP (whoops ). So the industry is a bit reluctant to turn it on.

 

[Matt2]

Originally posted by: Aikouka
I run my secondary PC on my Samsung 46" DLP without any issues. I even set the resolution to 1280x720 in the normal Windows Display properties. Heck, it even recognizes my TV as I believe it calls it "Samsung DLP." But it is good to remember how you plan to output sound. My TV was designed for a PC input as it has a standard input jack right beside the VGA connector that it uses when in "PC Mode." Do you just want to use normal speakers?

HDCP isn't enabled at the moment, because one of the biggest HD-DVD players, Microsoft's XBOX 360, doesn't support HDCP (whoops ). So the industry is a bit reluctant to turn it on.

Isnt there supposed to be a spring update for the 360 to make it HDCP compliant?

 

[Aikouka]

Originally posted by: Matt2
Isnt there supposed to be a spring update for the 360 to make it HDCP compliant?

To my knowledge, being HDCP compliant requires a chip on board to handle the key. This is similar to how nVidia is handling the HDCP support on their G80 and G84 units where the 8800GT(X/S) have internal HDCP, the 8600GT has an internal unit (I believe, I know it's required, but it may be external) but the other cards have no requirement to support HDCP and they'd be an external chip.

 

[Matt2]

Originally posted by: Aikouka

Originally posted by: Matt2
Isnt there supposed to be a spring update for the 360 to make it HDCP compliant?

To my knowledge, being HDCP compliant requires a chip on board to handle the key. This is similar to how nVidia is handling the HDCP support on their G80 and G84 units where the 8800GT(X/S) have internal HDCP, the 8600GT has an internal unit (I believe, I know it's required, but it may be external) but the other cards have no requirement to support HDCP and they'd be an external chip.

So then I'm going to have to sue MS when my HD-DVD player no longer plays HD-DVDs?

Who else wants in?

 

[Aikouka]

Originally posted by: Matt2
So then I'm going to have to sue MS when my HD-DVD player no longer plays HD-DVDs?

Who else wants in?

It will still play the HD-DVDs regardless of whether or not the HDCP requirement is turned on when the disc is pressed. It will simply play them in a reduced resolution. Also, they predict it may never be turned on because of this or possibly in 4 or so years.

 

[Matt2]

Originally posted by: Aikouka

Originally posted by: Matt2
So then I'm going to have to sue MS when my HD-DVD player no longer plays HD-DVDs?

Who else wants in?

It will still play the HD-DVDs regardless of whether or not the HDCP requirement is turned on when the disc is pressed. It will simply play them in a reduced resolution. Also, they predict it may never be turned on because of this or possibly in 4 or so years.

Well what is the point of having the HD-DVD player if my picture is going to be down sampled cause MS was dumb enough not to make it HDCP compliant?

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

Originally posted by: Aikouka
Do you just want to use normal speakers?

I figure I could run SPDIF out from my audio card and into my receiver and let it handle Dolby or DTS

 

[gramboh]

Originally posted by: Matt2
Well what is the point of having the HD-DVD player if my picture is going to be down sampled cause MS was dumb enough not to make it HDCP compliant?

Down sampling is not an issue in the forseeable future. Will you still be using all this equipment to play HD-DVD/Bluray in 2010-2011? I doubt it.