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TV has VGA, but HD-DVD player doesn't

urahonkyurahonky Cynical Old ManRegistered User regular
edited December 2007 in Help / Advice Forum
Hey guys,

A friend of mine just bought an HD-DVD player, and the back of his TV has component and VGA. He owns the Toshiba HD-A3 model, and wants to get the highest quality picture he can out of his unit. What are his options?

I looked around for a little bit and found a Component to VGA adapter converter, but it was like $250. Does he have any other options?

(I posted this in the technology forum, but with only 3 views I decided I could ask you fine folks)

urahonky on

Posts

  • EggyToastEggyToast Jersey CityRegistered User regular
    edited December 2007
    I'm pretty sure he should be using the component inputs (which are digital anyway). Are you sure the TV has a VGA port, and not DVI or HDMI?

    You don't get "better signal" with digital TV with different cables -- a cable can't degrade the signal since that's not how it works. HDMI is typically "better" only in the sense that it carries audio as well, and it's just 1 cable.

    EggyToast on
    || Flickr — || PSN: EggyToast
  • urahonkyurahonky Cynical Old Man Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    I thought so. So really, VGA isn't better than Component because VGA is an analog signal... right? He said it doesn't have DVI or HDMI, as that's the first thing he looked for. So component would be the best option for him?

    urahonky on
  • LudiousLudious I just wanted a sandwich A temporally dislocated QuiznosRegistered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Component isn't digital. Neither is VGA for that matter. VGA is just component with vertical and horizontal controls as well.

    Component is analog RGB. It can get a signal up to (and maybe past?) 1080p, but this is limited in most high def players by some sort of digital encryption, requiring you to use HDMI or DVI, both of which are digital.

    For some reason though, the Xbox 360 hd-dvd attachment allows for 1080p through VGA even though it's actually an analog connection.

    Go figure.

    Anyway, to the original question, he can use Component and get up to 1080i out of it, I THINK.

    Ludious on
    I stream sometimes and talk to myself.
  • urahonkyurahonky Cynical Old Man Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Not quite sure what his TV supports, but he said when he hooked up the HD-DVD player through component he was only able to get 480p. I think he needs to tweak the settings a bit, because that doesn't sound right. I know my dad had his hooked up to his TV through component and was able to get at least 720p.

    Thanks for the info guys. I am a complete audio/video noob.

    urahonky on
  • newerakbnewerakb Registered User new member
    edited December 2007
    Well if the TV doesn't even have DVI or HDMI inputs, what makes you think that it supports above 480p to begin with? Happen to know the brand/model number of the tv?

    newerakb on
  • urahonkyurahonky Cynical Old Man Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    newerakb wrote: »
    Well if the TV doesn't even have DVI or HDMI inputs, what makes you think that it supports above 480p to begin with? Happen to know the brand/model number of the tv?

    That I don't know. That may very well be the case. I'll see what he's got. He just inquired about the signal when I walked into work, and I told him I'd try and find something for him.

    urahonky on
  • newerakbnewerakb Registered User new member
    edited December 2007
    Because the HD-A3 can't even transmit a 480p signal, its only formats are 720p/1080i. But like you said, he may just have to tweak some settings on both the tv and dvd player to get it working right.

    newerakb on
  • urahonkyurahonky Cynical Old Man Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    newerakb wrote: »
    Because the HD-A3 can't even transmit a 480p signal, its only formats are 720p/1080i. But like you said, he may just have to tweak some settings on both the tv and dvd player to get it working right.

    You're right. It might be from the normal DVDs. Because it upconverts old DVDs to 480p. Hmm... Very interesting.

    urahonky on
  • EggyToastEggyToast Jersey CityRegistered User regular
    edited December 2007
    DVDs are 480p -- that's the DVD format.

    it sounds like he's doing something wrong. I was able to get 1080i through component cables on an older rear-projection HD TV. I have to set my DVD player to "Progressive" in order to output in 480p, but that's a pretty basic setting.

    EggyToast on
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  • urahonkyurahonky Cynical Old Man Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Okay I'm going to quit while I'm ahead. :)

    urahonky on
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