HD-DVD player on a PC

[QueBert]

was given an HD-DVD player with a bunch of movies today, I don't own a Television but I thought I could at least hook it to my PC. I have a TV card, not in my PC right now it's an old Haupaugge(sp?) so it probably would suck for this. I don't need anything fancy, just would like to watch a few movies every now and then on my PC.

 

[Slick5150]

You'd probably be better off just hooking it straight up to your monitor. Not sure what connections are on the HD-DVD player, but you could either go HDMI->DVI to your monitor, or component->VGA works quite well generally too.

 

[QueBert]

if I hook it straight to my monitor I will have to run the sound to my sound card, what's the best way to go about doing that? My monitor does have a 2nd VGA port (it's a 22" CRT) I might look into a a component -> VGA cable that sounds good to me.

 

[Shawn]

I'm pretty sure that won't work unless the monitor is HDCP compliant.

 

[Slick5150]

Most newer monitors are HDCP compliant, but if you go Component->VGA you don't have to worry about that anyways. Though i think the Toshiba HD-DVD players limited component output to 1080i, but that won't make a huge difference.

What kind of speakers do you have hooked up to the PC? Can you split a second signal directly into them? Or do you have to go through the PC? If so, what kind of soundcard?

 

[BassBomb]

First off make sure video card and monitor are HDCP compliant and then use DVI-> HDMI (best) or DVI->DVI (also good)
For sound depending on what type of speakers you have I would use analog outputs (Stereo Mini -> L/R RCA

 

[PurdueRy]

Originally posted by: BassBomb
First off make sure video card and monitor are HDCP compliant and then use DVI-> HDMI (best) or DVI->DVI (also good)
For sound depending on what type of speakers you have I would use analog outputs (Stereo Mini -> L/R RCA

It wouldn't matter if the video card is HDCP compliant

 

[QueBert]

my monitor definitely isn't HDCP compliant it's a 10 year old CRT, my video card is an 8600GT which I believe is. I could run the player to the 2nd DVI port with an HDMI -> DVI cable, but I'll still have to split my speaker jack for audio, I have Logitech 5.1 forget the model # I bought them about 4 years ago, pretty decent and I might even be able to get surround sound out of them with the player. And I can probably pick up a ton of HD-DVD's on fire sale, I don't care it's dead and buried, there are some good movies on HD-DVD. I bought Untouchables today.

 

[PurdueRy]

Originally posted by: QueBert
my monitor definitely isn't HDCP compliant it's a 10 year old CRT, my video card is an 8600GT which I believe is. I could run the player to the 2nd DVI port with an HDMI -> DVI cable, but I'll still have to split my speaker jack for audio, I have Logitech 5.1 forget the model # I bought them about 4 years ago, pretty decent and I might even be able to get surround sound out of them with the player. And I can probably pick up a ton of HD-DVD's on fire sale, I don't care it's dead and buried, there are some good movies on HD-DVD. I bought Untouchables today.

Are you suggesting that you want to connect the HDDVD player to the video out of your computer??

 

[QueBert]

Originally posted by: PurdueRy

Originally posted by: QueBert
my monitor definitely isn't HDCP compliant it's a 10 year old CRT, my video card is an 8600GT which I believe is. I could run the player to the 2nd DVI port with an HDMI -> DVI cable, but I'll still have to split my speaker jack for audio, I have Logitech 5.1 forget the model # I bought them about 4 years ago, pretty decent and I might even be able to get surround sound out of them with the player. And I can probably pick up a ton of HD-DVD's on fire sale, I don't care it's dead and buried, there are some good movies on HD-DVD. I bought Untouchables today.

Are you suggesting that you want to connect the HDDVD player to the video out of your computer??

I just thought about what you said and I must have been thinking about my old AIW card, yeah the 2nd DVI on my 8600 is a video out DOH what a horrible idea, well back to HDMI -> VGA directly to my monitor. Thanks for pointing out the flaw in my plan

 

[Shawn]

Originally posted by: QueBert
my monitor definitely isn't HDCP compliant it's a 10 year old CRT, my video card is an 8600GT which I believe is. I could run the player to the 2nd DVI port with an HDMI -> DVI cable, but I'll still have to split my speaker jack for audio, I have Logitech 5.1 forget the model # I bought them about 4 years ago, pretty decent and I might even be able to get surround sound out of them with the player. And I can probably pick up a ton of HD-DVD's on fire sale, I don't care it's dead and buried, there are some good movies on HD-DVD. I bought Untouchables today.

This isn't going to work. You can't go from HDMI -> VGA because HDMI is digital. There is no cheap or easy way to get that HD DVD player to work on your old CRT monitor. You would have to get something like this.

If you want to watch the movies on your computer you will need an HD DVD drive, AnyDVD HD, and WinDVD 8.

 

[QueBert]

Originally posted by: Shawn

Originally posted by: QueBert
my monitor definitely isn't HDCP compliant it's a 10 year old CRT, my video card is an 8600GT which I believe is. I could run the player to the 2nd DVI port with an HDMI -> DVI cable, but I'll still have to split my speaker jack for audio, I have Logitech 5.1 forget the model # I bought them about 4 years ago, pretty decent and I might even be able to get surround sound out of them with the player. And I can probably pick up a ton of HD-DVD's on fire sale, I don't care it's dead and buried, there are some good movies on HD-DVD. I bought Untouchables today.

This isn't going to work. You can't go from HDMI -> VGA because HDMI is digital. There is no cheap or easy way to get that HD DVD player to work on your old CRT monitor. You would have to get something like this.

If you want to watch the movies on your computer you will need an HD DVD drive, AnyDVD HD, and WinDVD 8.

I just ordered a Component to VGA cable off Monoprice for 4 bucks that should do the trick, I have an audio splitter around here somewhere. I'm too cheap to buy a HD-DVD PC drive, a $4 cable I can handle though


too bad I just read the description on monoprice

"IT WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO CONNECT YOUR COMPONENT VIDEO SOURCES TO A REGULAR COMPUTER MONITOR OR HDTV unless you monitor specifically has this capability. Most do not. (Please check the documentation for your computer monitor)" LOL oh well at least it was only 4 bucks I wasted.

 

[Shawn]

Yeah that won't work. Computer Geeks had an HD DVD drive for $18.99. http://www.geeks.com/details.a...K-SD-H802A-DO-R&cm_mmc I picked one up and it works great. It's OOS now though and don't know if it will come back in stock any time soon, if ever.

edit: You could always get this. Then you would be able to play blu-rays too.

 

[biggestmuff]

A 10 year old CRT? So it must be a fairly small non-widescreen monitor. You will not benefit in any way. You'd be better off selling the player and movies.

 

[AmpedSilence]

Originally posted by: Shawn
Yeah that won't work. Computer Geeks had an HD DVD drive for $18.99. http://www.geeks.com/details.a...K-SD-H802A-DO-R&cm_mmc I picked one up and it works great. It's OOS now though and don't know if it will come back in stock any time soon, if ever.

edit: You could always get this. Then you would be able to play blu-rays too.

I have the Computer Geeks drive. worth it for me.

though, the LG link you have is an amazing price! I will have to consider that for a future upgrade!

 

[Shawn]

Originally posted by: biggestmuff
A 10 year old CRT? So it must be a fairly small non-widescreen monitor. You will not benefit in any way. You'd be better off selling the player and movies.

I agree. What movies do you have? I maybe interested in buying some.

 

[sdifox]

err, sell the hd-dvd stuff and get a tv?

 

[abaez]

Originally posted by: Shawn

Originally posted by: biggestmuff
A 10 year old CRT? So it must be a fairly small non-widescreen monitor. You will not benefit in any way. You'd be better off selling the player and movies.

I agree. What movies do you have? I maybe interested in buying some.

I was about to say.. 10 year old CRT to play HD dvd's? I mean, what's the point? Just get regular dvd's.

 

[QueBert]

Originally posted by: biggestmuff
A 10 year old CRT? So it must be a fairly small non-widescreen monitor. You will not benefit in any way. You'd be better off selling the player and movies.

it's 22" and has a far better picture than any LCD I've ever seen, aside from not being widescreen I could watch the HD-DVD's in full resolution, just not wide screen.

 

[sdifox]

Originally posted by: QueBert

Originally posted by: biggestmuff
A 10 year old CRT? So it must be a fairly small non-widescreen monitor. You will not benefit in any way. You'd be better off selling the player and movies.

it's 22" and has a far better picture than any LCD I've ever seen, aside from not being widescreen I could watch the HD-DVD's in full resolution, just not wide screen.

Err, your 22" has 1920x1080 input bandwidth? That must have cost a fortune...

 

[QueBert]

my monitor can do 2048 x 1536, not sure if I can run 1920x1080 but I don't see why not, it should work fine just look smaller due to squeezing the picture to fit 4x3.

 

[biggestmuff]

Originally posted by: QueBert
my monitor can do 2048 x 1536, not sure if I can run 1920x1080 but I don't see why not, it should work fine just look smaller due to squeezing the picture to fit 4x3.

So what. Still waste of time with no benefit what so ever.

 

[QueBert]

Originally posted by: biggestmuff

Originally posted by: QueBert
my monitor can do 2048 x 1536, not sure if I can run 1920x1080 but I don't see why not, it should work fine just look smaller due to squeezing the picture to fit 4x3.

So what. Still waste of time with no benefit what so ever.

Waste of time can be argued, but no benefit? I could watch these HD-DVD movies I have on my monitor, that would be a benefit right there. As it stands I own no TV and have an HD-DVD player and 6 movies I can't watch at all. I would think being able to watch them on a CRT would be better than not being able to watch them at all, but that's just me *shrug*

 

[Shawn]

Solution

 

[QueBert]

I will buy an LCD when the image quality can match my 10 year old CRT, which is still a good ways off