How to get the computer to send a HD signal to a HDTV?

[kristian1]

Hi guys!

We recently bought a 37" Philips LCD HDTV to the office. I have some 720p resolution quicktimes from Apple that I want to test on the TV (and later do our own high res material for trade shows and such).

The TV has a DVI input on the back and my comp. has a DVI output, is it as simple as to connect a real DVI cable and set the resolution to 1280 x 720 in Windows?

I had some problems with a regular VGA-cable. The tv has software modes for input, select "PC" for a pc connection (resolutions 800 x 600, 1024 x 768, 1280 x 1024) and a mode called "HD" for 720p and 1080i.

I tried selecting 1280 x 720 on the comp and setting the TV to "HD" but it just said "no signal". Setting the TV to "PC" and 1280 x 1024 gives me a stretched image.

Does anyone think it will work if I connect a DVI cable between the PC and TV or do I need some other device/software between them to get a "HD" compatible signal?

Thankful for help!

//Kristian

[Baldrick]

what does the manual say about the hd modes? maybe only for the dvi input.

[edDV]

The tv has software modes for input, select "PC" for a pc connection (resolutions 800 x 600, 1024 x 768, 1280 x 1024) and a mode called "HD" for 720p and 1080i.

//Kristian

You are so lucky your TV has that feature. I wish my Philips HDTV did.

Read the manual connect DVI to DVI and it may well respond as if it was a computer monitor. Use 1280x1024 resolution. You say it has VGA also? That should also work at 1280x1024.

720p (1280x768) and 1080i (1920x1080) will take much more work and probably a different computer display card or geeky software like Powerstrip..
http://www.ramelectronics.net/html/powerstrip.html

Post more specific computer and display card information next time.

"Setting the TV to "PC" and 1280 x 1024 gives me a stretched image."

Get display software like PowerDVD or WinDVD to properly display a MPeg HDTV image at computer display resolutions. If that doesn't work, try VLC. If the Quicktime viewer won't work for 1280x1024 go ask in a Qucktime forum or just stop using Quicktime.

[GullyFoyle]

I thought Zoomplayer was the bees knees for pc to tv playability.
It has all those nifty user settings.

[kristian1]

Hi again,

The manual is pretty bleak on power features, but I will look at it again when I get into work.

My graphics card is a ATI Radeon 9600 if I am not mistaken and has VGA and DVI out.

>Read the manual connect DVI to DVI and it may well respond as if it was >a computer monitor. Use 1280x1024 resolution. You say it has VGA also? >That should also work at 1280x1024.

This already works, no problems - it has DVI only - I use a converter dongle.

>720p (1280x768) and 1080i (1920x1080) will take much more work and >probably a different computer display card or geeky software like >Powerstrip..
>http://www.ramelectronics.net/html/powerstrip.html

Ok, I will have a look at this today and see if I can get it to work, I guess (for the TV's sake) is that it wants a properly formated signal out, with all the Hz in the right places for instance. Maybe Powerstrip is the solution. I will pick up a DVI cable today too and see what gives.

Thanks, looking forward to a solution.

Kris

[kristian1]

Ok, tried with a DVI-cable and that didn't immediately solve the problem so I guess trying PowerStrip might be the next step. Anyone know what exactly I should enter into PowerStrip, my guess is that the HD signal has a specification of some sort. So man Hz vertically, so many horizontally etc.

Best regards

Kris

[leebo]

My graphics card is a ATI Radeon 9600 if I am not mistaken and has VGA and DVI out.

Kris

ATI has it's own software available on it's website for this.
Install the latest Catalyst driver for your card. Also install the latest display software (forgot what it's called, but they're available bundled in one download).

There will be settings for HDTV in the control panel (ATI's, not the one in Windows). Select the detailed view.

It works great with my Sony HDTV CRT using a DVI to HDMI cable.

Is there some reason you're using VGA out rather than the DVI out to your monitors DVI in?

[edDV]

Specific model numbers for the HDTV and ATI card would help. ATI cards vary in the way HDTV is output.

That card supports the ATI HDTV component video adapter (Y, Pr, Pb) and if you call ATI they will steer you in that direction rather than using Powerstrip which they don't support.

The ATI HDTV component video adapter will output a true 1080i or 720p analog HDTV signal from one of your ATI outputs (DVI-I or VGA).
http://www.ati.com/products/hdtvadapter/faq.html

So the two strategies are to either convince the HDTV that it is a computer monitor, or to output HDTV resolutions and scan rates from the ATI card. For most lower end HDTV sets, only the latter is possible except at 640x480 resolution.

[kristian1]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the tips, updating the ATI drives made it work like a charm. Wish I had thought of that

thanks again

Kristian