I use MCE 2005 on my 3Gig P4 through a NVidia 6600GT component dongle.
My video card detects the set as an HDTV and can dual display in 1024x768 on my 19 inch monitor and 1080i on my HDTV with component connection at the same time. HDTV signals from my DVB tuner card come through at full rez and full screen on the tv. Overscan is adjustable with the video card's software driver bundle. The only downside is the black bars on the side of the tv with 4:3 SD programming captured with my hauppauge PVR-150 from my C Band system.

I am trying to connect a 50HP66 to a Dell computer using the VGA connector. With the PC set for 1024 X 768, the picture is in the middle of the screen with bars on either side. I expect this since 1024 * 768 is not a wide screen format.

The display has a setting WXGA when turned on allows for 1280 by 768.

When I turn on the WXGA feature the 1024 * 768 picture is stretched. Looks funny, but I can still read the display.

When I attempt to reset the computer to 1280 by 768, the screen goes black until the PC times out and reverts to 1024 X 768.

What am I missing? Is the PC timing out before the display can synchronize to the new format? As far as I can tell the refresh rate is always 60Hz.

Thanks
DGB

When I attempt to reset the computer to 1280 by 768, the screen goes black until the PC times out and reverts to 1024 X 768.Have you tried the new resolution on a computer display?
Don't try sending anything to a TV before you confirmed it works on your PC monitor.
You might want to try on your monitor the Sony GDM-W900 driver.

It sounds like enabling WXGA just stretches the picture.
You want to send native WS signal to your TV and make the TV leave it as is.

Diogen.

Replaced the video card. Everything is working as it should now.

dgb

Has anyone tried hooking up their HTPC to the Panasonic TH-50PX60U?

It doesn't come with a VGA input so I'm unsure if its suitable for running Windows Media Centre.

TIA

I Hear Lots of People Saying i'll need a super high end video card with HDCP Complient on it. the only card i can see that has it is a 7950GT2, i have the 7900GTX SC and dont want to buy another expensive video card for the purpose and dont want to downgrade my video card, is there any tv tuner cards i could use for it or anything else like that?

HDMI is only one of several hardware changes coming in Vista. Here's a good summary of things that you should consider in your next PC: http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0%2C1697%2C2000438%2C00.asp

Ted

You don't need an HDCP compliant card to connect to a TV. HDCP will only come into play when it is required for the playback of protected content.

I have a 6600GT connected to my Plasma TV via HDMI, using a DVI to HDMI cable.

My video card also supports component output, which I could have also used to connect to the TV.

Thanks for all the inforomation, its helped quite a bit, from what i can tell, the HDCP will only come into play when trying to play Blueray or HD-DVD from the PC to the TV. if i bought media centre 2005 and setup my PC as a PVR would i get any errors trying to do so?

Basically, yes. Testing is limited right now (only one such card exists) so I can't tell you what the exact error will be. It might refuse to play, or it might downgrade the content to 480p.

This also will come into play on OCUR-enabled PCs with direct digital cable connections (Cablecard) but that's a moot point in Canada. With the state that the HDCP hardware and software implementations are at now, I wouldn't focus on that until later. Just make sure your PC has a slot for future upgrade of the video card.

Pete

I'm trying to use my panasonic TH-42PX60 but i cant seem to find a good resolution that will show the whole screen clearly. i found this option with my nVIdia 7900GTX SC where i can make a custom resolution, i'm wondering if anyone found a good one that will make the screen perfect.

usually the native resolution works best if you can get it (1024 x 768).

I guess this means that non-squre pixels are being used ?????

With the native resolution it is off a little and blurry. im using a wide screen monitor/TV that why it doesnt work but all of the resolutions are weird. i've been playing around with custom resolutions but ntohing seems to be working.

How do you have the TV connected? S-video or composite cables (AKA TV out on most video cards) will deliver poor results with a large screen HDTV. Some HDTVs have dedicated DVI or D-sub connectors for PCs. Others may work by using a HDMI to DVI cable but it is not recommended. In your case, the best way to connect the set may be with component video cables. GeForce 7900 GTX cards should supply this. (You may need an adapter cable.) In any case, you will need to adjust the output to a standard HD resolution (1280x720, 1920x1080i) and adjust the size to reduce overscan. Your video drivers may do this or you can use a utility called Powerstrip. I find 1280x720 to be the best resolution.

i'm using a dvi-hdmi cord, whats wrong with using that cord? i know my video card came with an component adapter should i be using that? i'll check out the power strip ya the only thing i dont like is the over scan of the image. please explain why dvi-hdmi is bad as i dont have alot of experinece with this

Your plasma is overscanning, which means you need to use something other than the "native" resolution. Use Powerstrip. Annoying, for sure.

I also just noticed this weekend that 42" plasmas are made in non-16:9 resolutions. Panasonic, too. Not just brands like Prima. 1024x768, which is 4:3. Rectangular pixels?? Not sure. But they are called HD because they can show 720p. But they scale horizontally, so they aren't showing 1280 pixels wide. Odd.

Rather than start a new thread I thought I'd post a question in here as the topic name certainly applies. I currently output video off a toshiba laptop to a standard def TV through s-video and it works relatively well. Am in the process of choosing a hi def TV and am wondering if anyone has went from (laptop has no DVI output) pc 15 pin vga to hdmi or if there is a way. Looking on the net can only imagine a 15 pin to dvi connector then a dvi to hdmi cable. May or may not work I guess, just curious thanks in advance. I expect to put together an HTPC box with a video card that has a DVI output in the future, but wondering if it's even worth trying the HDMI with laptop or should I just stick with the 1366 res pc connection.

VGA will not work on HDMI.


VGA is an analog signal. DVI was designed to carry either (or both) analog and digital signals. Your VGA to analog would only carry the analog signal.

HDMI will carry only digital signal. You laptop cannot produce a digital feed without DVI connects.

You could connect your laptop to a TV that has a VGA input - I do believe that most (all?) LCD and plasma TVs have VGA aka RGB input as do many DLP TVs. Therefore you likely could connect your laptop to most PCs.

I have the Acer 3201 connected via VGA to an AIW 9600 pro; the monitor is recognized in the displays area and runs at native res (1360 x 768 @ 60 Hz). ATI has a DVI to component adapter you can buy. There is some overscan area when playing video but not in the GUI.

I now have the same set and with a NVidia 6200, it is possible to center everything up just perfectly. No Powerstrip needed.

I will eventually test with a DVI connector, but don't anticipate issues.