Why not use an HDMI to DVI cable?

[tno]

It occurs to me that there is no Dislays forum so this'll have to do.

In todays monitor review, Klug mentions that "unless you’re using an HDMI to DVI cable, you should be running the LCD at native resolution." Why is that? I'm currently running my HT set-up as follows: HTPC (DVI) to Receiver (HDMI) to Sony 1080i CRT (DVI). Everything is HDCP compliant so it all works. I'm leaving this CRT behind and in the interim will be using a Dell W3000 (older LCD model) that only has DVI. I will once again be using the same two HDMI to DVI cables. The TV is 13//x768, is it necessary to set the HTPC to output the native rez and not 720p if I'm going to be using the HDMI to DVI cables? What changes in this usage model if I used DVI to DVI? Or even HDMI to HDMI?

Thanks in advance,

tno

 

[Patrick Wolf]

Well he was talking about scaling before he said that, so I'd think he meant VGA results in scaling quirks if you're not using the native resolution. There's nothing wrong with using a DVI to HDMI cable. They couldn't use a HDMI to HDMI cable since that monitor only has DVI & VGA inputs.

 

[Modelworks]

Most LCD tv native resolution is what the tv is specd for
720 = 1280x720
1080 = 1920xx1080

So if the set is 720p and you use 1366x768 you are scaling the image to fit as it can only have one native resolution.

The only problems I have seen with dvi to hdmi is some sets that only allow the standard resolutions for input. Some of them that only have HDMI expect to only have HDMI standard resolutions on those ports and will say something like 'signal out of range' if you use anything else. Usually in those sets they use a different circuit for the DVI connector, if there is one, that is more tolerant of resolutions.