DVI to VGA or VGA to VGA?

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › DVI to VGA or VGA to VGA?

atk1

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#16882 2-Nov-2007 07:43

What would give me the best picture please...
The DVI out of my PC video card to the VGA input of my Plasma?
Or from the intergrated VGA output of my PC to VGA of Plasma?

Shuttle PC and Pana 42" 70A

Thanks

sbiddle

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#93395 2-Nov-2007 07:57

The picture should be fairly similair from both. The quality of the picture will however vary depending on the video chipset.

You'd just have to check the video card does do DVI-A (analogue) from the DVI connector as quite a few don't any longer which means DVI->VGA adapters don't work.

rhysb

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#93399 2-Nov-2007 08:31

You can tell if you port supports DVI-A by looking for 4 pins, 2 above and 2 below, a long flat pin to the left of the connector. If your port only has the long flat pin, then it only supports DVI-D.

walt12

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#93401 2-Nov-2007 08:41

DVI -> HDMI, or
VGA -> VGA

I have a 37-70A and either give very good pictures, currently using the DVI -> HDMI approach. Just make sure your card supports HDCP for future HD use.

sbiddle

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#93405 2-Nov-2007 08:52

walt12: DVI -> HDMI, or
VGA -> VGA

I have a 37-70A and either give very good pictures, currently using the DVI -> HDMI approach. Just make sure your card supports HDCP for future HD use.

The problem with using HDMI input is that many TV's don't accept 1:1 pixel mapping over HDMI. A lot of newer sets now do and before buying any new TV's it's something you want to research if you ever plan on hooking it up to a PC.

VGA input is fine in 99% of cases but the downfall of VGA is that it can't support HDCP which isn't a problem in itself right now but in a few years time it potentially could be.

atk1

60 posts

Master Geek

#93570 3-Nov-2007 08:12

Sweet, I have got it hooked up DVI to HDMI at the moment. The picture is good but the text is blurry and it is missing abit of the outside of the desktop. Will try VGA to VGA and DVI to VGA today. Thanks

SNicolle

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#93571 3-Nov-2007 08:23

Two questions:
DVI -> HDMI where did you get your cable and approx how much?

1:1 pixel mapping, where could I check this information (I don't really trust store sales people)

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atk1

60 posts

Master Geek

#93573 3-Nov-2007 08:41

Im pretty sure I brought it from this crowd over a year ago...
http://www.cablesdirect.co.nz/catalog/entry?entry=47
cheap as. I dunno about the 1:1 thing but Im guessing it aint cause the video card is set at 1440 X 900 and the Plasma is only 1024 X 768
The video playback looks great but like I said the text is a little blurry

sbiddle

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#93574 3-Nov-2007 08:56

atk1: Im pretty sure I brought it from this crowd over a year ago...
http://www.cablesdirect.co.nz/catalog/entry?entry=47
cheap as. I dunno about the 1:1 thing but Im guessing it aint cause the video card is set at 1440 X 900 and the Plasma is only 1024 X 768
The video playback looks great but like I said the text is a little blurry

You should be running your screen at 1024x768 resolution as this is the native panel resolution.

If you're using the HDMI input you can possibly try 1280x720/50p if your set supports this. 1440x900 would be scaled horribly for the panel so I'm not surprised the picture quality isn't the best. If you are using the HDMI input you will have the overscan issue to deal with (Windows screen extends outside the display panel). This is because a normal TV signal is approximately 5% bigger than the screen and is chopped off, depending on the video card you are using you can possibly set the overscan settings in the display properties (both NVidia and ATI Catalyst can handle this) or run a program such as Powerstrip to force the correct settings. For this reason alone the VGA input can be the best way of hooking a PC up to a TV.

42" Plasma's aren't ideal for connecting to a PC since they are 1024x768 which is a 4:3 ratio rather than the 1280x720 or 1366x768 which is a 16:9 screen ratio so 1:1 pixel mapping can be a problem over anything but VGA.

lchiu7

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#93600 3-Nov-2007 14:48

atk1: Sweet, I have got it hooked up DVI to HDMI at the moment. The picture is good but the text is blurry and it is missing abit of the outside of the desktop. Will try VGA to VGA and DVI to VGA today. Thanks

Sounds like you have an overscan issue with the Windows desktop since the HDMI input is designed for video, rather than PC input. You can usually fix that with the software that comes with your video card by scaling the desktop down. But that can use a loss of 1:1 pixel mapping which can lead to the blurry text you talked about.

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

walt12

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#93750 5-Nov-2007 08:00

2 points:

1. Blurry text over HDMI is a good sign that there is a pixel mapping issue.

2. Hook-up according to your intended use. If it's pure HTPC (i.e. video, TV, pictures, music) then DVI-HDMI will be fine (provided overscan is adjusted for). If you also plan to surf the web, view documents, basically use it more like a PC, then better hooked up via VGA.