Best DVD output?

[tfox2069]

I'm wondering where in the spectrum of video output options for DVDs does VGA stand when outputting to an HDTV?

Lowest - RCA cables
Next - S-Video
Next - Component Video
? - VGA

Also, is progressive DVD output better or worse than VGA?

I hope someone can clue me into this!

- Tom

[aurigus0]

VGA is on the top of that list, but not many TVs/Projectors use that any more (at least home theater ones) - I believe at the top higher than VGA is DVI-I input, the same ones used for Flat panel monitors sometimes.

[Cayars]

Here is the order you would want to connect your components from Best to Worst:

Digital Connections
DVI or FireWire (IEEE 1394). I don't know of any output cards for the PC that actually support firewire so this really doesn't matter yet.

Analog Connections
VGA
Component
S-Video
Composite
RF

Hope that helps,
Carlo

[tfox2069]

Thanks guys, you rock!

I'm in the hunt for a DVI cable to output from my ATI AIW 7500 to see how that looks...now if only my cable company would start broadcasting in HD like they said they would in December.

[onwiththeshow]

Thanks for the info, merrypig. Couple follow-up questions. I'm using a Sanyo Z2 LCD projector (great machine) hooked up to a Shuttle-based HTPC with an Asylum nVidia 5700 Ultra graphics card. The Sanyo has a DVI-I input and the Asylum has both a 15-pin VGA and a DVI-I outputs.
When I connect via the PC's VGA output to the Sanyo's DVI input(via DVI adapter), I get a great display. Because I heard that DVI is better PQ, I got a DVI-I cable and tried to make a direct connection, DVI to DVI. The result was that images took on a shastly neon green color (i.e., the initial Windows XP screen that supposed to be blue is green instead, along with the type on the desktop, etc.).
The folks at BFG Technologies, who make the card, said the problem was due to the fact the DVI cable is too long (15 feet) but the folks at Pacific Cable had told me that DVI would function fine at that length. Tweaking the Sanyo settings didn't help. Before I go out an buy another cable, I'm wondering you you have any thoughts. Am I barking up the wrong tree with cable lengths?
Sam

[onwiththeshow]

This is the darndest thing. I call up MS Paint and the red looks fine, as does the green but there's no blue. When I go into nVidia advanced color management, there's no way to adjust the blue - it's just a jagged line instead of the unbroken line that let's you curve it up or down. And I just downloaded the newest nVidia drivers.

[onwiththeshow]

Just normal 1024X768 - 32 bit
Same happens at 800.
I'mm wondering if there's a problem with nVidia sending out a digital signal. The Sanyo has settings for the type of input: If I set the input to RGB(Analog) with the DVI cable, I get a perfect desktop except for the green color; if I set it to RGB(PC Digital - which Sanyo recommends), I get a blank blue screen and a warning from the projector that there's no signal.
When I use the VGA cable (with the DVI adapter) and set it to RGB(Analog), there are no problems.

[onwiththeshow]

I'll give Sanyo another holler to see what they say about whether there's a plug-and-play issue. BFG came to the end of its rope on this question. The technician ultimately opined that the card's DVI is intended for a computer monitor and that the pins may be set differently for a projector. That didn't make any sense to me, since for all other purposes the projector serves as a monitor without a problem.
I'll also try the DVI-D cable route.
Thanks a bunch for your interest in this. I'll let you know how it turns out.
Have a great day.

[onwiththeshow]

OK - I feel really dumb, even as a newbie. I restarted the PC with the Sanyo setting on RGB(Digital) and it worked fine. What I had done before was start up with RGB(Analog) because that's what I was using with the VGA adapter.
It's great to find a community where folks try to help out. Thanks again for your help.

[danejasper]

Can BeyondTV capture from digital DVI?

I ask because I haven't seen any stated support for Firewire 1394, and my cable box only supports these two digital outputs. I am a bit concerned because I've heard that the Comcast Motorola 6200 may NOT have the DVI turned on, so I don't really even know if I've got the output yet.

Any tips would be appreciated.

TV without a PVR is really not an option, and now that I've gotten used to High Def, standard is really junk.

-Dane

[Lachlan]

Hi, sorry to hijack, but I have the same concern about DVDs and wanted to clarify. I have an old cheapie DVD drive with my vga cable running from the video card to my infocus x1 dlp projector. The resolution is 800x600, so is that going to be as sharp or not as sharp as HDTV? And I'm wondering about the progressive question too.

Lachlan

[akennedy]

I built an HTPC using an ATI 9600 Pro as my video out (which has both VGA and DVI). I also have an extremely good Sony DVD player that has component out. I played the same DVD on my Samsung DLP 43" TV, first on the high end Sony connected via component cables and then on my HTPC using PowerDVD connected via the DVI port. WOW... what a difference. The quality of the regular DVD player was excellent, but the HTPC with DVI blew me away. There was less noise in the picture and if you are watching on an HDTV, the scaling up is a lot better. I'm sure a good part of this is due to the PowerDVD software whcih does an excellent job.

800x600 is still higher resolution than a DVD (which is 720x480 - 480i) so you should see good results.

Progressive vs. interlaced is something people seem to like to argue about. In my opinion, progressive is the only way to go. 35mm film runs at 24 frames per second and standard NTSC television runs at 30 interlaced frames per second (a total of 60 fields). To transfer film to video you have to add something called 3:2 pulldown - some frames are 2 fields long (1 frame) and some are 3 fields (1 1/2 frames) which is why sometimes when you pause a video you get jitter.

When you watch a film from/on a progressive source, you see a 1 to 1 frame transfer and in my opinion, it is the best representation of the original. Most current HDTVs only go as high as 720P which is great, but those of you who have seen 1080P know how fantastic that can look. Unfortunatly nobody is broadcasting in 1080P (that I know of) and there is almost no source material out there for the consumer.

Originally posted by Lachlan
Hi, sorry to hijack, but I have the same concern about DVDs and wanted to clarify. I have an old cheapie DVD drive with my vga cable running from the video card to my infocus x1 dlp projector. The resolution is 800x600, so is that going to be as sharp or not as sharp as HDTV? And I'm wondering about the progressive question too.

Lachlan

[Lachlan]

ok, when I run a video game, my DLP projector says it's resolution is 480p (720x480 I presume), and I't s a little smaller than the normal computer screen (800x600). But when I run a movie in my HTPC via Power DVD 5.0, it tells me it's still in 800x600 mode. Is there a way to get Power DVD to send it to the projector in HD resolution? or is it better in 800x600?