Mini to my TV.. HELP PLEASE !!! =)

[getbigg21]

Hello-

I just purchased a 32 inch lcd hdtv. i also just got a new intel mini. I'm thinking about hooking up the mini to the new hdtv. now i have a HDMI input on the back and also a VGA input on the back of the tv. should i get a DVI to HDMI cord and do it that way or should i just buy a vga cord and hook it up that way? will i get a great picture either way?

all and any help would be appreciated.

thanks all=)

 

[khisayruou]

Both ways will give you great picture. hdmi/dvi are however the highest in quality. If cost is important to you, a vga cable is usually cheaper. If your a purist and cost is not important, then go the hdmi/dvi path. Hope that helps.

 

[balamw]

Also depends what else you plan to hook up to the HDTV, e.g. if you only have one HDMI port you might want to keep that for your digital cable/satellite connection and use the VGA for the Mac.

FWIW many HDTVs also claim to only support VGA PC input @1024x768, even if their mative resoiution may only have 720 lines.

B

 

[mmmcheese]

Also depends what else you plan to hook up to the HDTV, e.g. if you only have one HDMI port you might want to keep that for your digital cable/satellite connection and use the VGA for the Mac.

FWIW many HDTVs also claim to only support VGA PC input @1024x768, even if their mative resoiution may only have 720 lines.

B

Even worse, many cheap "HDTVs" only support 480i natively and downsample HDTV signals to the native resolution.

Of course people are saying OMGBBQ! I got a plasma TV for $1000...even if it looks like crap, they think plasma and just assume it looks better. Yay for consumer whores.

 

[aswitcher]

DVI to VGA should work up to about 5 meters.

DVI-HDMI is better but has issues.
When you first connect it will likely overscan and you will lose some of your screen edges off the TV. Usuable but annoying.
If you go into display properties you can turn off overscan, but then your picture will be 720p - meaning it will likely have a black border around it when it maps 1 to 1 pixels with your likely 1360(1366)x768 screen.

I use VGA and it looks and works fine.

 

[getbigg21]

yeah i was thinking about using the VGA that way i will have my hdmi port still open if i am going to add anything else. also when adding a hi def receiver, should i just use the component hookup's for it and use my hdmi for my dvd player or not?

 

[aswitcher]

yeah i was thinking about using the VGA that way i will have my hdmi port still open if i am going to add anything else. also when adding a hi def receiver, should i just use the component hookup's for it and use my hdmi for my dvd player or not?

Not sure. HDMI is best, so you will hav e to choice or get one that does pass through HDMI or a HDMI switch if you want both on HDMI

 

[Josias]

I would go for DVI-HDMI in any case.

You will get a lot better picture, be able to place the TV further away from the Mini, and the price difference between the cables are like 10 or 20 bucks. Though it will occupy your HDMI port, I would still do it. You could get a DTV tuner for the Mini instead. And use the Mini as a DVR. Gangsta!

 

[balamw]

when adding a hi def receiver, should i just use the component hookup's for it and use my hdmi for my dvd player or not?

HDMI is best

All this changes with HDCP, coming soom to an HDMI port near you. At that point you won't have a choice of where to hook up your HDCP enabled devices. Don't even think about component video anymore.

Since many HDTV seem to have only one HDMI port, there will be a decent market for devices w/passthrough and/or HDCP compatible switches.

Even worse, many cheap "HDTVs" only support 480i natively and downsample HDTV signals to the native resolution.

To use the HDTV label, the minimum screen resolution required is 720p (1280x720) and it must accept 480i, 480p, 720p and 1080i signals. There are probably a few 480p+ LCD TVs on the low end, but they can't use the HDTV logo (some are called EDTVs).


B

 

[ChrisFromCanada]

DVI to VGA should work up to about 5 meters.

DVI-HDMI is better but has issues.
When you first connect it will likely overscan and you will lose some of your screen edges off the TV. Usuable but annoying.
If you go into display properties you can turn off overscan, but then your picture will be 720p - meaning it will likely have a black border around it when it maps 1 to 1 pixels with your likely 1360(1366)x768 screen.

I use VGA and it looks and works fine.

Listen to what this poster said because it is true. If you have a 1366x768 TV (which you probably do) DVI --> HDMI will probably only give you a 1280x720 picture thus giving you black bars around your picture. If you use VGA there may be a slight loss in quality, but at least you will be able to get the full picture. I just set up my intel mini and this the exact process I went through.

 

[mmmcheese]

All this changes with HDCP, coming soom to an HDMI port near you. At that point you won't have a choice of where to hook up your HDCP enabled devices. Don't even think about component video anymore.

Since many HDTV seem to have only one HDMI port, there will be a decent market for devices w/passthrough and/or HDCP compatible switches.


To use the HDTV label, the minimum screen resolution required is 720p (1280x720) and it must accept 480i, 480p, 720p and 1080i signals. There are probably a few 480p+ LCD TVs on the low end, but they can't use the HDTV logo (some are called EDTVs).


B

Oh I know what is supposed to happen...it doesn't stop them from advertising them as HDTVs though.