DVI-->component converter

[Fike]

I am building a media pc using my older HDTV that has component inputs--no DVI inupts. Will this device reduce quality of the signal?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814999903

 

[jtvang125]

Does the tv have hdmi inputs? If so you can use a dvi to hdmi cable. Using component outputs on my video card I notice washed out colors and blacks look like a dark purple. I switched to the dvi output and colors are more vivid and blacks are actually black now. I may just need to calibrate the video card properties but didn't want to do that when dvi looks excellent with the default settings.

 

[Fike]

no, unfortunately the TV only has component inputs.

 

[Tiamat]

Your graphics card needs to have DVI-I connector as this is the DVI format that carries both Analog and Digital. Typically you will get a DVI-I to Dsub 15 or 5pin BNC. I have not seen any good quality DVI-I to xxxx to RCA Component cables unfortunately.

Will that convertor pass a signal, probably, but there is no guarantee you will be happy with the quality :/


Actually, bluejeanscables has DVI-I to D15, and D15 to 3RCA...
DVI-VGA
VGA-Component

I cannot comment on the quality of picture though. BJC makes good cables for the money however.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Tiamat
Your graphics card needs to have DVI-I connector as this is the DVI format that carries both Analog and Digital. Typically you will get a DVI-I to Dsub 15 or 5pin BNC. I have not seen any good quality DVI-I to xxxx to RCA Component cables unfortunately.

Will that convertor pass a signal, probably, but there is no guarantee you will be happy with the quality :/


Actually, bluejeanscables has DVI-I to D15, and D15 to 3RCA...
DVI-VGA
VGA-Component

I cannot comment on the quality of picture though. BJC makes good cables for the money however.

Not only that, but I thought that these converters only worked with certain cards that could output a component signal from the DVI connection and not just any DVI-I card.

The radeon 9X00 series are the ones that used this kind of connector.

 

[Tiamat]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: Tiamat
Your graphics card needs to have DVI-I connector as this is the DVI format that carries both Analog and Digital. Typically you will get a DVI-I to Dsub 15 or 5pin BNC. I have not seen any good quality DVI-I to xxxx to RCA Component cables unfortunately.

Will that convertor pass a signal, probably, but there is no guarantee you will be happy with the quality :/


Actually, bluejeanscables has DVI-I to D15, and D15 to 3RCA...
DVI-VGA
VGA-Component

I cannot comment on the quality of picture though. BJC makes good cables for the money however.

Not only that, but I thought that these converters only worked with certain cards that could output a component signal from the DVI connection and not just any DVI-I card.

The radeon 9X00 series are the ones that used this kind of connector.

True, the card actually has to be able to pass analog through its DVI-I port. Which cards can do this, unfortunately I do not know :/

 

[iRONic]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Not only that, but I thought that these converters only worked with certain cards that could output a component signal from the DVI connection and not just any DVI-I card.

The radeon 9X00 series are the ones that used this kind of connector.

Yup. From a review on Newegg;

I want to see ALL my pixels...

Reviewed By: balance-not-bias on 11/27/2006
Rating + 5Rating + 5Rating + 5Rating + 5Rating + 5
Tech Level: high - Ownership: 1 month to 1 year

Pros: 1. Works as advertised. 2. Often the only way to see 1080i on an HDTV (see below). 3. Easy setup. 4. Good Price.
Cons: 1. If jarred can overflex and break your DVI connector - HINT: Get short DVI extension cable. 2. Does not do 1080p. 3. Windows XP setup is tricky. 4. Works only with ATI Mobility Radeon 9x00 series video cards. 5. Requires up-to-date drivers - HINT: Get them from omegadrivers.com.
Other Thoughts: This is a great little device! I have it between my Dell Inspiron 9100 notebook and my JVC 1080p 46" LCD HDTV. Since I live in the sticks in Japan I must use a rusty old broadcast antenna until I can afford digital cable or sattelite service. My only other video sources are 480p DVD and computer video. The only way I can see past 480p is to use my notebook as a media PC and pipe 1080i into a component video input. The JVC HDTV has an SVGA port but it can't go higher than 1024x768. A DVI to SVGA adapt cable produced really cruddy video, and an SVGA to HDMI cable only rose the bar to crummy - both totally unacceptable. But this DVI to Component Adapt is a whole nuther animal! 1080i with it is nothing short of beautiful! There is no picture breakup whatsoever. Fonts are easily visible right down to the tiniest sizes. I only wish this little gem could do 1080p. Then I would get every little pixel my HDTV can deliver. If an upgrade becomes available I'll be first in line to get it!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you?

 

[Rio Rebel]

There are also VGA to component cables, if you need to go that route.

I can't speak to the quality or the signal loss in the conversion, but I can tell you that the difference between component and DVI or HDMI is greatly exagerrated. In most cases, when people perceive a significant difference, it is usually because their display is better calibrated for the digital input out of the box. I have a projector that gives a considerably better picture from the DVI input, but once I took the time to calibrate it properly, there is very little difference.

Of course, if you're upconverting, and can only upconvert over DVI or HDMI, then you will see a significant difference. But that's a different discussion.

 

[Tiamat]

Originally posted by: Rio Rebel
There are also VGA to component cables, if you need to go that route.

I can't speak to the quality or the signal loss in the conversion, but I can tell you that the difference between component and DVI or HDMI is greatly exagerrated. In most cases, when people perceive a significant difference, it is usually because their display is better calibrated for the digital input out of the box. I have a projector that gives a considerably better picture from the DVI input, but once I took the time to calibrate it properly, there is very little difference.

Of course, if you're upconverting, and can only upconvert over DVI or HDMI, then you will see a significant difference. But that's a different discussion.

After some thinking, don't you need a transcoder for VGA to Component (usually costing $100+) or am I wrong? I don't really understand the basis of it, but I heard that you cant just have a simple wire with one end being VGA and the other being Component... I could be wrong though...

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Tiamat

Originally posted by: Rio Rebel
There are also VGA to component cables, if you need to go that route.

I can't speak to the quality or the signal loss in the conversion, but I can tell you that the difference between component and DVI or HDMI is greatly exagerrated. In most cases, when people perceive a significant difference, it is usually because their display is better calibrated for the digital input out of the box. I have a projector that gives a considerably better picture from the DVI input, but once I took the time to calibrate it properly, there is very little difference.

Of course, if you're upconverting, and can only upconvert over DVI or HDMI, then you will see a significant difference. But that's a different discussion.

After some thinking, don't you need a transcoder for VGA to Component (usually costing $100+) or am I wrong? I don't really understand the basis of it, but I heard that you cant just have a simple wire with one end being VGA and the other being Component... I could be wrong though...

I have a VGA to Component cable and for the few cards I've tried with it, it does not work to convert VGA to Component.

I used to have one of the DVI --> Component converters to use with my 9800pro and then used a 6600gt that has native Component output via a dongle.

Afaik a straight VGA --> Component cable will not work unless the videocard can be set to otuput component via the VGA output. I think the Radeon 8500 was set up to have the option for VGA --> Component for example, but I don't think you can just use one with any card without a transcoder.

 

[Tiamat]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: Tiamat

Originally posted by: Rio Rebel
There are also VGA to component cables, if you need to go that route.

I can't speak to the quality or the signal loss in the conversion, but I can tell you that the difference between component and DVI or HDMI is greatly exagerrated. In most cases, when people perceive a significant difference, it is usually because their display is better calibrated for the digital input out of the box. I have a projector that gives a considerably better picture from the DVI input, but once I took the time to calibrate it properly, there is very little difference.

Of course, if you're upconverting, and can only upconvert over DVI or HDMI, then you will see a significant difference. But that's a different discussion.

After some thinking, don't you need a transcoder for VGA to Component (usually costing $100+) or am I wrong? I don't really understand the basis of it, but I heard that you cant just have a simple wire with one end being VGA and the other being Component... I could be wrong though...

I have a VGA to Component cable and for the few cards I've tried with it, it does not work to convert VGA to Component.

I used to have one of the DVI --> Component converters to use with my 9800pro and then used a 6600gt that has native Component output via a dongle.

Afaik a straight VGA --> Component cable will not work unless the videocard can be set to otuput component via the VGA output. I think the Radeon 8500 was set up to have the option for VGA --> Component for example, but I don't think you can just use one with any card without a transcoder.

Ah, that makes some sense. Although as a laymen on this sort of stuff, I would of figured they were all compatible in some fashion or another and just required a rerouting of the individual pins LOL (the non-digital stuff that is).

 

[Shawn]

If I were you I'd get a video card that has component out. My Radeon X1650 came with a cable that looks kind of like an s-video connection on the end that goes into the video card and splits into 3 component connections.

 

[Rio Rebel]

Ah, that makes some sense. Although as a laymen on this sort of stuff, I would of figured they were all compatible in some fashion or another and just required a rerouting of the individual pins LOL (the non-digital stuff that is

I don't know...I have a component-only plasma, and I bought an iScan Ultra to deinterlace the signals going in. I tried to convert a VGA to VGA cable to use with it, and never could get it right. I eventually just bought a VGA to component break-out cable.

 

[imprimis]

I'd appreciate some advice as to what direction I need to go.

I plan to build a htpc and connect to my 720p plasma. The htpc will record HD from my OTA antenna and be used as a HD dvr. I'm thinking of using my old ati radeon x1950 pro as my video card in the htpc.

problem is, the owners manual for my hdtv (samsung s4253) states that "A pc will not operate when connected to the tv with a hdmi/dvi cable". i've searched dozens of forums and mfr sites about converter boxes etc. to make this happen but i'd like to make an informed decision before i buy.

this is a pic of the rear panel of the tv

i want to view my hdtv recordings in full 720p from my htpc which will also serve as my dvd player.
what else do i need (if anything) to make this work. i'm not averse to upgrading my vid card if necessary, though i'd rather spend the $ elsewhere if possible.

thanks in advance.