Question regarding my Sony KDS-50A2000 LCD TV

[Greenhalgh]

After browsing a few posts in different forums, I have yet to find a totally clear corse of action as far as connecting my PC to my TV for use as far as games and other multimedia is concerned.

Some places suggest with the right settings, you should connect the PC to the HDMI slot using a DVI-HDMI converter, others say not too...

So with my TV, although it says in the manual "Do not connect a PC to the TV's HDMI input. Use the PC IN (RGB IN) input instead when connecting a PC" I find this odd considering many threads I read say that you should connect to the HDMI slot instead for best picture quality.

I'm most definately a newb when it comes to connecting the PC to the HDTV, and before I go out and get a connector or adaptor for my computer to connect to my TV, I'd like some opinions as to which I should do... go with what it says in the manual and connect via the RGB IN slot, or give the HDMI-DVI converter cable a go and use the correct refresh rate/resolution settings to run it that way. My computer will have no problem with the later, as I have an nVidia EN7950GX2 1 GB video card. Any help is greatly apreciated!

(The only way I can get a true 1080p picture is to go the HDMI path. I can't get the maximum resolution out of my TV via the RGB IN slot, this is why I ask which route would be best)

[edDV]

After browsing a few posts in different forums, I have yet to find a totally clear corse of action as far as connecting my PC to my TV for use as far as games and other multimedia is concerned.

Some places suggest with the right settings, you should connect the PC to the HDMI slot using a DVI-HDMI converter, others say not too...

So with my TV, although it says in the manual "Do not connect a PC to the TV's HDMI input. Use the PC IN (RGB IN) input instead when connecting a PC" I find this odd considering many threads I read say that you should connect to the HDMI slot instead for best picture quality.

I'm most definately a newb when it comes to connecting the PC to the HDTV, and before I go out and get a connector or adaptor for my computer to connect to my TV, I'd like some opinions as to which I should do... go with what it says in the manual and connect via the RGB IN slot, or give the HDMI-DVI converter cable a go and use the correct refresh rate/resolution settings to run it that way. My computer will have no problem with the later, as I have an nVidia EN7950GX2 1 GB video card. Any help is greatly apreciated!

(The only way I can get a true 1080p picture is to go the HDMI path. I can't get the maximum resolution out of my TV via the RGB IN slot, this is why I ask which route would be best)

Simple and direct method is to use the DVI-I to VGA adapter on the computer card and go in through the VGA (DB-15) port on the TV. The TV manual should tell you what resolutions are supported but 1280x720 or better should be there. It will be a rare game that can run at any higher resolution.

The main problems going in on HDMI are getting to 1080p (if possible) and overscan. Almost all HDTV sets overscan 5-10% so the display card must scale down to compensate. The VGA port is intended for computers and usually does not overscan.

For computer or game input, I'd prefer progressive VGA over 1080i any day.

[Greenhalgh]

Thanks for the help edDV it is greatly appreciated! I have a follow up question however regarding resolutions... and I know it may be a total newb question but I'm a bit puzzled none the less. Do most DVD players only output in 480i in terms of their signal? Or is it the DVDs themselves that only use that method? I wonder this because I have an older DVD player (about 3 years maybe 4) hooked up to my new TV and when I play a DVD it says in the upper right corner that it is running at 480i. Wondering if it is because the DVD player itself is just too old or if DVDs in general don't run at any higher res than that, if it is only the HiDef or Blu-Ray discs that offer higher resolutions?

[edDV]

Thanks for the help edDV it is greatly appreciated! I have a follow up question however regarding resolutions... and I know it may be a total newb question but I'm a bit puzzled none the less. Do most DVD players only output in 480i in terms of their signal? Or is it the DVDs themselves that only use that method? I wonder this because I have an older DVD player (about 3 years maybe 4) hooked up to my new TV and when I play a DVD it says in the upper right corner that it is running at 480i. Wondering if it is because the DVD player itself is just too old or if DVDs in general don't run at any higher res than that, if it is only the HiDef or Blu-Ray discs that offer higher resolutions?

There are two basic kinds of DVD disc (NTSC Regions),
I'll ignore 4:3 and 16:9 issues for now.

1. native 720x480i/29.97 frames/s 59.94 fields/s (704x480, 352x480 also allowed)
2. native 720x480p/23.976 frames/s (film originals)

Non-Progressive players play 480i directly. #2 discs get telecined to play as 480i.

Progressive players* output #2 discs with a 2-3-2-3 frame repeat to 720x480p/59.94 frames per second over analog component or DVI/HDMI if present. #1 discs get processed in various ways to 480p.

Progressive HDTV sets usually do better if fed 480p/59.94 from the player. Then all they need to do is upscale that to native resolution for display. 480i inputs require further processing. Cheap sets do this processing poorly.


* when set for progressive output.

[Greenhalgh]

Is it possible though to connect the PC via the HDMI port on the TV? The set won't give me a 1080p signal any other way and although I know the progressive VGA connection will work, I'm wondering if the HDMI connection will. (A friend of mine has a 55" sony grand wega TV similar to mine and connects his PC to the HDMI slot without any troubles Just wondering what kind of problems could arrise if I took the same course of action)

[edDV]

Is it possible though to connect the PC via the HDMI port on the TV? The set won't give me a 1080p signal any other way and although I know the progressive VGA connection will work, I'm wondering if the HDMI connection will. (A friend of mine has a 55" sony grand wega TV similar to mine and connects his PC to the HDMI slot without any troubles Just wondering what kind of problems could arrise if I took the same course of action)

1080p is 1920x1080p @59.94 Hz

If your manual doesn't list supported HDMI resolutions call Sony. They will probably tell you to use the VGA port. Next see what your friend is using with his Sony.

Each HDMI port is programmed to accept specific input formats and reject others. Some "1080p" displays can't accept 1080p. They can only interpolate from 720p or 1080i. Expect overscan on the HDMI port.