Where to find a bi-directional HDMI to displayport cable?

[Lazarus52980]

I am attempting to get my Blu-ray player working with my displayport monitor (its an HP ZR30w if that matters). I started by purchasing a cable from Amazon that I THOUGHT was an HDMI to displayport cable, but it turns out it is a displayport to HDMI cable, and is not bi-directional. I am not able to find anything on amazon that IS bi-directional. Could anyone tell me please where I might find either a bi-directional cable, or a true HDMI to Displayport cable?

I feel stupid having purchased the 1st one, but I guess it was only a few dollars...

Help is greatly appreciated.

 

[giantpandaman2]

You probably have to go the HDMI-DVI route.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/search.asp?keyword=HDMI+DVI

 

[Lazarus52980]

You probably have to go the HDMI-DVI route.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/search.asp?keyword=HDMI+DVI

If I have to I will do that, but I was hoping to use the Displayport, since I already have the DVI taking up being attached to my computer. I was hoping to be able to switch back and forth easily by just changing the source...

I guess if push really comes to shove, I can just buy a Blu-ray player for my PC...

 

[giantpandaman2]

BD drives are pretty cheap now. Got an external one for $30 a few months ago. Internal is usually even cheaper.

 

[mfenn]

I am attempting to get my Blu-ray player working with my displayport monitor (its an HP ZR30w if that matters). I started by purchasing a cable from Amazon that I THOUGHT was an HDMI to displayport cable, but it turns out it is a displayport to HDMI cable, and is not bi-directional. I am not able to find anything on amazon that IS bi-directional. Could anyone tell me please where I might find either a bi-directional cable, or a true HDMI to Displayport cable?

I feel stupid having purchased the 1st one, but I guess it was only a few dollars...

Help is greatly appreciated.

It doesn't work that way. The cable is nothing but wires, the source device has to actually be able to generate the proper signal. The only reason that DP (computer) to HDMI (display) works is that the computer's video card is smart enough to send an HDMI signal out over the DP connector.

You'd need some sort of active adapter to do what you want, and that is a hell of a lot more expensive than a BD-ROM drive for your PC.

 

[_Rick_]

There's also that entire business of HDMI not licensing adapter cables to DP, because they are afraid of interoperability.

 

[DonGateley]

The only hope that I can find for this job is the Startech HDMI2DP active converter. It's around $80 at Amazon, BestBuy and Newegg. I have yet to try it but will as soon as my Dell U3014 arrives. If HDMI Inc. has shut off the possibility of doing this a class action suit would be appropriate.

 

[mfenn]

An active adapter like that should work, but at $80, that is more than a Blu-Ray drive for your PC.

 

[Insert_Nickname]

An active adapter like that should work, but at $80, that is more than a Blu-Ray drive for your PC.

But you need some software to play bluray discs too. And that doesn't come cheap...

Unless its bundled with the drive. And then its most likely an old version that needs an upgrade to play newer titles.

 

[ViRGE]

The only hope that I can find for this job is the Startech HDMI2DP active converter. It's around $80 at Amazon, BestBuy and Newegg. I have yet to try it but will as soon as my Dell U3014 arrives. If HDMI Inc. has shut off the possibility of doing this a class action suit would be appropriate.

Or you could just use the HDMI port on the U3014? Otherwise I don't know who you intend to sue. HDCP support is not a listed feature of the StarTech device.

 

[DonGateley]

Or you could just use the HDMI port on the U3014? Otherwise I don't know who you intend to sue. HDCP support is not a listed feature of the StarTech device.

The problem is that there is only one HDMI port on the U3024. Thus funneling in more than one source requires a switch. For DRM reasons Windows 7 and above respond badly to the PC's HDMI being switched out in favor of a different switch input. When you change the switch to an input other than the PC, Windows senses the disconnect and protects the media industry from passive digital video capture by going to single display mode and collapsing any windows open on the extended display to the primary display. This cannot be changed. Show stopper.

This can be solved by reserving the monitor's single HDMI input for sources like disk players and cable devices and taking the PC's HDMI through an adapter to another of the monitor's inputs. DisplayPort is optimal because it carries sound but the HDMI consortium seems hell bent on preventing you from doing that.

I've just verified that going from the PC's HDMI through a dirt cheap HDMI to DVI converter to an extended display works with my existing Samsung display but that requires getting sound via another path from the PC. Not a show stopper but inconvenient in occupying a PC audio channel that's not needed with HDMI and in requiring an audio switch to the speakers as well to select its source from either the PC or the monitor.