All About HDTVs as a PC or Laptop Monitor

[slyboy]

There may be a software setting to correct the video display issue as Diogen has pointed out, but I know from all the laptops I've supported within business environments, we've had to have presentations run with the LCD laptop monitor off to get video clips to run properly on certain hardware. Perhaps the newer laptops are capable of having the video overlay images appear on both sources. I know other video sources, like TV Tuner add-in cards also displayed this same sort of result - we only got them to display after using the Function-F4 toggle on the older laptops the client was running.

Diogen - thanks for that link though. I'm going to try that out at some point when I install WMP 11.

[diogen]

This is not a WMP 11 feature, the same is true for v.9 and 10 at least.
And with many (most?) other players I know and use: ZoomPlayer and TheaterTek in particular.
Things change when you go with MCE2005 - there VMR9 is the default renderer.

Diogen.

[I_Want_My_HDTV]

Originally Posted by timboberoni

Given the length and good quality cables, should I go component or DVI-HDMI?

DVI is rated to 30' and HDMI is rated to 50'+. The usable length depends a lot on the quality of components and cable as well as the environment (noise, etc.)

Monoprice has a 50' DVI/HDMI cable for about US$86. Monoprice also has a 50' component video cable for US$38 and a 50' 75 ohm coax audio cable for $11. These cable are made from RG6 which you could purchase in bulk for about CDN$0.15/ft. Connectors run about $3-$5 each. Brand name cables will cost a lot more.

You will need to be aware of things like ground loops when making connections of this length. Good quality cables and connectors are essential. Silver solder is best when constructing cables from components.

[ajfleck]

Hi, recently I purchased a male rgb component cable (http://image.bizrate.com/resize?sq=1...933144&mid=23). I am going from my video card in my PC that has a s-video out on it and into the rgb plugs in the tv. It works fine except for one thing, as soon as I am in windows the color is screwed up and is blue, like somebody messed with the settings but I cannot find a way of correcting this. During bootup and even in safe mode the color is proper but normally it is blue. I am wondering if anybody would know how to fix this? Thanks.

[technut]

I'm surprised it works at all, going from S-video to component. Hmmm... I think the boot screen (and possible safe mode) are 640x480 resolution, so the signal would be the equivalent of 480p. When Windows is booted you are probably using a higher resolution that doesn't match anything your TV understands. I still can't believe it works as well as it apparently does. Are you sure that's a standard S-video output on the card and not some kind of hybrid connector (like ATI sometimes uses)?

What brand/model is your video card?

[ajfleck]

My video card is a Geforce ASUS EN 7600GT. I made a mistake though . It's not S-Video, it's just the TV-Out haha. Umm, but it goes from the TV-Out to three RGB female jacks, which I have my three RGB male cables into which has three rgb male on the other end as well. The 640x480 theory seems to possibly be correct. I will test it and post a reply. Thanks!

[ajfleck]

Well, I am kind of confused. The 640x480 resolution works however I cannot set it this low for my TV when I am in windows normally. Only if in safe mod or forced on startup. Windows Media Center won't change the resolution to 480p either, it just leaves it as is and says it changed.

[jvincent]

It sounds like you are connecting it to the component input of the TV.

If that is correct, it may simply be that once windows loads you are trying to run a timing that the TV is having trouble syncing to.

Are you only connected to the TV or do you also have a monitor connected?

If you have a monitore, are you running clone mode or extended desktop?

Dual monitor setups with HDTVs as the second monitore can be "finicky".

[technut]

Did you install the specific drivers for the card or are you just using the standard Windows drivers? Did that video card come with a manual or electronic manual on the driver disk?

I'm not familiar with that card, but maybe someone else can make a suggestion on how it should be configured. Or maybe see if there are drivers available for it online and get those installed.

[BerinG]

Is it possible to use this videocard on a CRT- direct view 1080i HDTV to display in HD resolutions? I currently use it for output but only using Composite cable.. so everything is blurry etc.. There's only component and HDMI (and i think HDMI is the only one left that I can use) inputs on my TV. I could potentially change one of my other machines from component to HDMI just to free one component input for use with the computer if its necessary.

Wondering if anyone actually had this exact combo.. I doupt it but hopefully people can still help me figure out how to set this up. I was thinking of getting the DVI to component adapter from ATI but they do not work with nVidia cards (from what i could find).. So I was thinking maybe just use a VGA to component adapter since both are analog.. but not sure that this would work either.

Is my best option just to use a DVI to HDMI cable? is it going to be less of a hassle this way? I know these TVs produce alot of overscan but I have fixed most of it using the service menu (my xbox 360 had lots of overscan in certain games)..

*EDIT
I have finally bought a DVi to HDMI cable and plugged my PC and Panny. The computer detects the TV fine. Problem now is I can't get a good resolution to display on the screen. 1080i works (and i could even fix the overscan even with the nvidia drivers/interface) but it flickers (interlaced/30hz) so thats not good.. Other than that, i could only get 480p to work with alot of overscan though. And the option for overscan in nvidia is disabled when not in HD resolution. I was surprised to find that the nvidia drivers were "equiped" that much.. you can create custom resolutions, timing etc.. you have alot of ADVANCED settings that you can use but even trying the listed resolutions didn't work. Even checking the "interlaced" option didn't change anything.

Obviously, id like to have 1080i res. but have heard of people only being able to display 720p. I dont mind, if 720p is usable and text is readable, thats fine with me, and since my TV is only 34", having too small text doesnt help either..

Thank you very much.. Any help would be great

[morikaweb]

I have been trying to configure a Toshiba CRT HDTV for use with my HTPC for almost 2 days with no luck. before I begin my basic specs are:

Mombo: DFI AM75-TC
RAM: 580 megs of mixed sd ram, running at 66 ( I know it sucks)
PROC: Athlon XP 2000+
VID: MSI FX5200 128meg
Sound: SB Audigy 2
TV Tuner: Hauppauge 150 sd tv card, connected via s-vid to a starchoice
505, and via coax to a DVD/VCR combo
OS: Win-XP Pro sp2
Screen: Toshiba 30HF86C Connected via DVI-HDMI

Now the problems:

1. I cannot find much info on this tv. If anyone knows what the native rez is or how to find it please let me know.

2. If I have the computer connected via dvi to the tv, and via vga to a monitor The nvidia control panel gives me lots of options to control the hd signal, and manage the over scan. If I disconnect the monitor though, all these options disappear. Anyone know why this would happen? I still have overscan problems even if I don't have a monitor connected.

3. after hours of tweaking (with the monitor connected so I have access to all the controls) I managed to get the tv to display 720p. the problem is the font, icons, and interface in windows is blurry. Movies I play are fine, but I can barely make out options in the movie players menu. Does anyone know why it would be blurry? Any ideas on how to fix the problem?

If I left anything out that you might need to know, just ask. And I thank you for your responses in advance

[roger1818]

With regards to laptops requiring you to switch off the laptop monitor to watch video, it largely depends on if the laptop has 1 or 2 video cards built into it. Some laptops use 1 video card for both displays and require that both displays have the same resolution and refresh rate. This can obviously be problematic so most newer laptops have 2 video cards. Windows can be configured to display the same thing on both video cards, but it has to write the updates to each card separately. When doing video this obviously requires a lot of overhead and most laptops are not up to the task. By turning off one of the video cards it cuts the amount of work that needs to be done in half and makes the job easier.

[Wayne]

@morikaweb - I have my HTPC hooked up to a 50" Toshiba CRT RPTV. My TV is 5 years old and only seems to support 1080i - and I only have component inputs. In normal windows mode it does look awful - I also get flickering due to the i rather than p.

But I think the issue is that you need a 10 foot UI rather than a 2 foot UI. You need to install media software - like XP MCE, or Beyond TV, Sage, Meedio or something else. And/or you need to change fonts to very large fonts and change the DPI settings as well.

One other thing that I had to do is that I had problems configuring my TV when I had my PC hooked up to both a monitor and TV. The advice I was given, which worked, was to unistall the Nvidia drivers, unplug all monitors other than the TV, reboot and reinstall the drivers.

[timbo]

I see you answered most of your questions for yourself. HDMI - DVI should work for your tv, look to the nvidia as the cause of the flicker.
Recheck your connections before giving up hope. Are they tight?

Keep in mind that your tv will display 480i , 480p , and 1080i only. 720p is not available with crt direct view tv.

[BerinG]

So basicly, my only option or usable resolution is 720x480 in progressive i guess.. too bad that overscan is a big issue with that resolution.. and for some reason, nvidia is not giving me the option to fix it with underscan like in HD. Maybe powerstrip? but im sure that it would only be custom resolution fix

would getting a standalone upconverter help anything ? like for example having a 720p signal converted to 1080i but without getting the flickering.. or just having a 1080i signal that works...What I dont understand is why my Set top box at 1080i doesnt create flickering..neither does my xbox 360.. but the computer does..is it the video cards? or Windows?. i do understand the concept of 30hz and 60hz and interlaced vs progressive but how come other components work fine in interlaced then..