HDTVs with VGA input question

[vicaphit]

I am thinking about buying a 26" LCD HDTV. I require a VGA input because I want to use it as a monitor also.

Here is my question. Am I going to get monitor quality picture on the TV using the VGA input? I know using Svideo on a CRT tv looks like crap, and it's impossible to read text on them. I wanted to know if this will happen too, it is the deal breaker.

Also, would it be better to use a VGA or a DVI to HDMI cable. I have a 7600gt, so I don't even know if that can do HD

[HONkUS]

You should be ok if the TV is atleast 720P. The reason Text looks like crap on SDTV is because SDTV is interlaced meaning every other line is a solid black line in other words if you have a line of text thats 4 lines high you lose half your text. Also if you can you'll want to go with DVI instead of VGA. It offers better picture quality. If your HDTV doesn't have a DVI port then get on amazon and get a HDMI-to-DVI dongle.

Hope this helps!

[vicaphit]

Very helpful honkus!

I have a DVI port on my computer, and all of the TVs I have looked at have HDMI inputs, component inputs, and VGA inputs

Do they make DVI to HDMI connectors? at circuit city they had a dongle to go from DVI to HDMI, but then I would have to buy the HDMI cable, and that would cost me about $70... I am not spending that much on cables right now!

Edit: Found out they do make the connectors, they are $50...yikes

[HONkUS]

check the amazon link on my first reply you can pick one up for 5 bucks.

I never buy cables from a store, to say they overcharge would be a HUGE understatement.

[vicaphit]

wow, $12 versus $53...nice, thanks for the link

[bubba]

there is monoprice.com, they are dirt cheap I buy cables and stuff from them for work. haven't had an issue yet.

[vicaphit]

I just bought a Polaroid 26", and ordered a DVI to HDMI cable from monocables. I hope it looks better than the current s-video setup I have

Also, Digital TV rocks! instead of the usual 5 over the air channels, I recieve 3 times that now, and with better reception!

[nickwaits]

Hey guys,

Sorry to post on such an old thread, but I have a question regarding this same situation. My computer only has a VGA port, not a DVI port. I have a 1080p LCD HDTV with VGA, DVI, and HDMI ports. I want to stream 1080p x264 quality video files to the television. Would it better for me to:

1) Connect the pc and television directly VGA to VGA (I understand VGA does not transmit audio so I would have to connect the audio from my sound card to the television)
2) Purchase a VGA to DVI cable for the PC and connect them DVI to DVI (which I am pretty sure will not transmit audio either)
3) Purchase a VGA to DVI adapter for the PC along with a DVI to HDMI cable and connect them VGA to DVI to HDMI (which I have no idea whether it would or would not transmit audio)

Basically, is there a VGA to HDMI converter that isn't extremely expensive? If not, if I use an adapter to convert VGA to DVI, will it effect the video quality or not? Then if it doesn't should I connect the converted DVI on my computer directly to the DVI on my tv or would it look better for me to convert the DVI to HDMI and plug it into my tv that way?

Any help would be much appreciated.

[DMB2000uk]

Well DVI can be converted to HDMI pretty easy because they are both digital based connectors, but I'm not sure how easy you can go to DVI/HDMI with VGA (analouge) to start off.

Maybe get a cheap HDMI graphics card then just go all HDMI?
(Probably doesn't do sound though, so you'd need some kind of nice audio out from your PC, if you are wanting surround sound, then it gets a little more complex (unless you have an optical or coxial output on your mobo/audio card ))

Dan

[nickwaits]

Yeah I'm using a notebook so upgrading the video card would be a big and expensive frustration. I have a Soundblaster Audigy 4 though so I have the sound card covered. What would be the outcome if I used the following two cables to convert VGA to HDMI:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/produ ... 1&format=2
http://www.monoprice.com/products/produ ... 1&format=2

I'm generally just concerned with the video quality because my Soundblaster can send audio to my tv & surround system in high quality. So if using the above mentioned converters doesn't transmit audio then it's no big deal. That is as long as the video quality is not effected.

[DMB2000uk]

Yeah, looking at the connectors makes it clear that the analogue to digital thing isn't going to work with any number of connectors/cables like that.

The way that the VGA to DVI adaptors work is that the signal is still analogue based but running through a DVI port instead, that is why they are DVI-A (A for analogue) connectors/cables. The HDMI to DVI cables are using DVI-D (D for digital) connectors. There are slight differences in the plugs that mean they shouldn't plug together, but even if they did it wouldn't work. You can get DVI-I (I for I don't know) cables that work with both analogue and digital DVI signals but that won't help this situation any.

You're going to have to go with the VGA cable then.

Dan

[camaroguy1998]

Try a VGA to VGA cable, you'll probably be amazed at how good it looks at the right resolution!
I'm using that setup on my 50" Plasma and it has a great picture. Just try and match the resolution to your TVs recommendations!
Audio will have to be done with a separate cable! Depending on your connections will depend on what cable you will use.