How can i get a computer dvd player to work on my tv?

[j00]

or future tv if i can find the right price (jvc 27050 or 27150). i have a 5x dvd drive (samsung) coming in. i DONT have a hardware decoder, and my video card is a visiontek geforce sdr, NO tv out. so right now there is no way i can output to a tv. is there a cheap hardware decoder that has tv out? or am i going to need to buy another video card that has tv out? the tv ill be using it on is a jvc 27050 or 27150 (provided i can find one at the right price, im getting screwed on prices) thanks.

 

[Adul]

you can get a hollywood decoder card for about 70 bucks or less. That is the best way to go unless you want to upgrade your video card.

 

[Workin']

Or you could get a scan converter that will convert the VGA output of any video card into a TV-output. The Averkey imicro is supposed to be good and it's about $90.

The thing I don't like about the Hollywood card is that it only lets you watch DVD's on your TV. It won't output your computer desktop through it's TV-out, so you can't watch any other kinds of video (like Divx or AVI etc.) or play games using your TV.

 

[Johnnie]

I have a Voodoo 3000 with video out.... I am thinking of getting a DVD player... is it possible to send that signal to my T.V.? also..recommendation on a DVD unit..?

My system:
K7 500@700 w/GFD
SD-11
384M Ram
10.2 DiamondMax 7200
20G 7200 WD Caviar 7200
Voodoo 3000 w/TV out
52X CD-ROM
Creative CDRW 8X4X32
ActionTec Call Waiting(soon to have DSL)

 

[kantonburg]

To me personally if you are going to have to buy a new video card or decoder card spend the extra few bucks and get a stand alone DVD player for your TV.

A Toshiba SD-1200 can be had for about $150 now.

 

[Workin']

If THE ONLY THING you want to do is watch DVD's, then kantonburg is right, just get a stand-alone DVD player. It's a lot less hassle. But if you want to watch other kinds of computer video formats or play games on your TV, then you need either a video card w/TV-out or a scan converter. But not a Hollywood Plus decoder card.

 

[clunk]

The Hollywood+ comes with a pass-thru cable to use if you want to watch the DVD on your monitor. I use the H+ for output to TV and just use WinDVD when I want to watch on the monitor (since I've heard that the pass-thru cable can cause signal degradation at high resolutions).

I picked mine up for around $40 at Compgeeks.com. Its an OEM version but came with al necessary cables.

 

[Workin']

But Hollywood Plus won't let you see anything but DVD's throught its TV-out.

So if you want to watch a Divx movie or AVI on your TV, you would be SOL with the H+. And if you wanted to play Quake on your TV you would likewise be SOL with the H+.

 

[beat mania]

Well it is easier to get rid of macrovision and region code with certain computer dvdrom/decoder and a stand alone dvd player.
I was using a computer but now after I got a new TV I need a codefree & macrovision free player because the H+ doesn't have component out ...
I see it more as a feature vs price problem ... of course, the computer player is really ghetto looking out in the living room even though I hide all the cables and puts all the programs on startup so that I don't even have to touch the infra red keyboard, and I even got the remote for H+.

 

[Workin']

Like beatmania said, getting rid of Macrovision is WAY easier using your computer. So if you want to copy your DVD's to video tape, it's a lot easier using your computer to play the DVD.

I have a computer hidden away in a cabinet in my family room, you never see it except to push the power switch to turn it on. I have a remote that controls any fuction of the computer and includes control of the mouse, so I don't have to mess with wireless keyboards and other such silliness. When I feel like playing a game, I just pull out a regular keyboard and mouse connected with long extensions and put them on my coffee table and commence with the gameplay.

So the point is you have to decide what you want to do and then pick the solution that meets your needs.

 

[beat mania]

Workin': what remote is that? I'd love to get one like that.

 

[Workin']

It's the X10 MouseRemote, using maX10 software, not the crap that comes with the MouseRemote.

You can find it at http://www.x10.com/products/x10_mk19a.htm it's about $25

If you get one, don't even think about installing the software that comes with it. Instead, go get maX10, it's at least 100 times better than the X10 software and it's free! http://max10.sourceforge.net/download.html

It'll take you an hour or two to get the software all programmed, but it's pretty simple to do. Make sure you follow the instructions maX10 gives for connecting the MouseRemote reciever to your computer - it's different than the way the instructions that come with the remote say to do it.

 

[AMB]

For a DVD recommendation, I would recommend the Pioneer 105S