VGA to DVI cable?

[mr-scarface]

OK so my friend has an xbox, a laptop, and a 1080i HDTV set (the older ones). He streams the videos stored on his laptop through the xbox onto the TV.

Now I want to borrow his xbox from him for a month or so. But he won't be able to watch his videos if he doesn't have the xbox.

So I told him that I'll buy a cable that allows him to connect his laptop directly to the TV. The laptop only has a VGA output, while the TV only has a DVI input. So I need a VGA to DVI cable. Our local stores unfortunately don't carry these, they only have the adapters and not the cables. Anyone ever had any issues with these?

[usually_quiet]

VGA to DVI adapters/cables will only work if the DVI port on the TV is DVI-I or DVI-A. Look at Wikipedia to find out how to identify the type of DVI port present on the TV.

[mr-scarface]

I'm pretty sure this is the TV:

http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-electronics/support/Televisions/CRT-Projection-TVs/...PT-53WX53.T#ts

It says it has DVI-HDCP. Another thing I should mention is that I've been able to connect my own laptop to this TV in the past, by using an HDMI to DVI cable, and it worked perfectly.

[usually_quiet]

I'm pretty sure this is the TV:

http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-electronics/support/Televisions/CRT-Projection-TVs/...PT-53WX53.T#ts

It says it has DVI-HDCP. Another thing I should mention is that I've been able to connect my own laptop to this TV in the past, by using an HDMI to DVI cable, and it worked perfectly.

There is no picture of the DVI connection provided for that TV.

Is the DVI end of the cable you used DVI-D or DVD-I? If it is DVI-D, there is no possibility of using a DVI to VGA cable with the TV. DVI-D is digital only.

[mr-scarface]

Hehe I'm super-confused right now. All I know is that it was a monster brand cable, and it worked fine.

The one I want to buy for my friend's laptop is this:

http://vancouver.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell-computer-accessories-VGA-to-DVI-Cable-6-Ft-W...AdIdZ264266205

[usually_quiet]

Hehe I'm super-confused right now. All I know is that it was a monster brand cable, and it worked fine.

The one I want to buy for my friend's laptop is this:

http://vancouver.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell-computer-accessories-VGA-to-DVI-Cable-6-Ft-W...AdIdZ264266205

I found a small picture in the TV manual and a picture of a DVI-HDCP connector here http://www.tech-faq.com/dvi.html. It's a DVI-D dual link port. There is no chance a DVI to VGA adapter or cable will work. VGA is analog RGB, DVI-D is digital only. It has no pins for transmitting RGB.

[mr-scarface]

Damn that sucks. I appreciate you looking into this though.

Are there any workarounds to the problem?

[usually_quiet]

Damn that sucks. I appreciate you looking into this though.

Are there any workarounds to the problem?

No cheap ones. You would need a VGA to DVI converter. They start at about $100. Here's an example. http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?mc=13&p=AVH100F&d=Aluratek%20AVH100F%20VGA%20to%2..._HDMI_Supplies
I never tried one, and have no idea if it this or any similar device truly provides a satisfactory result

[mr-scarface]

Not worth it. I can almost buy my own xbox with that money!