dvi-HDMI cables?

[cpeters12]

I am building up a new computer to run a two 46" LCD tv's. Not completely sure which tv's yet.

I am going to be using two video cards similar to the following: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102845

Having two DVI outputs on each. I am wondering what the quality will be like using this kind of a cable or do i need some kind of converter box.

Also, what kind of range to these cables have. Will the quality be degraded after a certain distance. Would any of these cables be fine to use: http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10231
I am looking to use cables maybe a maximum of 50ft. What would i need to make this work.

BTW i will be running video on these tv's if that makes any difference. I would like to retain all the video quality i can.

Thanks

[jagabo]

DVI->HDMI will give you the best available quality. Look for pixel-for-pixel mapping at 1080p on the HDTVs if you want the best quality.

50 feet is getting a bit long for DVI/HDMI but good quality cables should work (the better Monoprice cables should be ok). You don't get a gradual decrease in the quality as distances get longer like you do with analog video. It's pretty much an all or nothing deal. You'll get a perfect picture or you'll get nothing. There's very little in between.

[ricoman]

Get the 22 AWG cable for 50 ft. You may need an inline booster/repeater but some customer reviews said they didn't need one with that heavier guage cable. jagabo is correct about you either have a picture or don't. Let us know how it works out for you. I'm thinking of running HDMI to my bedroom TV.

[jagabo]

You might consider running HDMI/HDMI cables to get a wider range of cables to choose from. Then use DVI/HDMI adapters at the computer end. Or get graphics cards with HDMI outputs.

CL2 cables are meant for in-wall installation and may be a bit stiff for in-room use.

Note that DVI (generally) doesn't carry audio so you will need run audio cables too. Using graphics cards with HDMI outputs will take care that as you'll be able to route audio through the HDMI ports/cables.

[halsboss]

Oh goody, I want to do this too.

Except I was hoping to use my normal pc "normally" with its LCD monitor, and only play down via HDMI when I wanted to watch a recorded program on the TV. Is that possible and with what programs ?

Also, what is the practical length of the HDMI cables without booster ? 10m ?

[johns0]

Note that DVI (generally) doesn't carry audio so you will need run audio cables too. Using graphics cards with HDMI outputs will take care that as you'll be able to route audio through the HDMI ports/cables.

I'm using a regular dvi-hdmi cable and it carries audio from my 260gtx to my sanyo 37" hdtv.You can run hdmi to 15m without a booster.

[jagabo]

I use a graphics card with two DVI outputs. One goes to a normal computer monitor the other to an HDTV via a DVI->HDMI cable (1080p60 RGB). I run the graphics card in clone mode (same thing on both displays) with a 1920x1080 desktop. The computer monitor is only 1680x1050 so I don't see the entire desktop at once. The monitor acts as a window on the the larger desktop. It scrolls around with the mouse.

[edDV]

Oh goody, I want to do this too.

Except I was hoping to use my normal pc "normally" with its LCD monitor, and only play down via HDMI when I wanted to watch a recorded program on the TV. Is that possible and with what programs ?

Also, what is the practical length of the HDMI cables without booster ? 10m ?

The "video quality" doesn't drop with a digital connection but clock sync does. Digital over wires is still subject to analog bandwidth and signal to noise effects which cause pulses to attenuate and/or skew timing. HDMI v3 operates at 340MHz clock rate so is more subject to length problems vs. v1.2 which clocks at 165MHz.

HDMI "Category 1" (cheaper) cables are targeted to 5 meters (15 ft.).

HDMI "Category 2" cables are supposed to be tested to 15m (49ft.).

Read the "Cable Length" topic in this link.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI

[johns0]

Also to get the audio to go out from the dvi is to hook up the spdif out from the audio card/onboard and run it to the video card spdif in.

[halsboss]

Maybe I should buy a video card with a HDMI output as well as a DVI outout, if there is such a thing. But, then how would I get a clip to play out via the specified port, if that is possible ? Does anyone else do this ?

[jagabo]

In clone mode both displays show exactly the same thing. I use this mode because the two devices aren't even in the same room. In dual mode you can drag a player from one display to the other. There's a "play on my" option in explorer to specify which device to display the video on. There's also a span mode which allows the player to span both outputs.

[redwudz]

I run a 45 foot HDMI cable to my projector with no problems. (I forget the wire gage, but it wasn't an expensive one.) It also worked with a 45 ft component cable. Both were from Monoprice. The in-wall cables are a bit stiffer, but not so much as to cause a problem most times. The heavier gage in-wall cables may be a little stiffer. When I get them, I unwind them down the hallway for a couple of days to take the kinks out and then they make the corners fairly well.

With my setup, the computers output through a HDMI switch, so I can select either computer or one of the DVD players. The computers also output VGA to a 22" monitor. In clone mode, both the monitor and the projector display the same image.

EDIT: halsboss said:

Maybe I should buy a video card with a HDMI output as well as a DVI output, if there is such a thing. But, then how would I get a clip to play out via the specified port, if that is possible ? Does anyone else do this ?

Not with any of the cards I use. You can usually have one digital output and one analog output. But it depends on the card. Mine have two DVI-I output connectors. One has a HDMI adapter and the other a VGA adapter. I think you would need two cards to have two digital outputs, but I'm not sure about that. Others may have better info on that. My audio is output from SP/DIF though a coaxial connection to my surround sound amp. I don't use HDMI for audio.

[halsboss]

Thanks, nice informative info ! Just dinged my car, so that project is off for a while for me

[jagabo]

Many cards have two digital outputs. I have a Nvidia 8600 GT with two DVI-I (both have digital and analog, I'm using digital on both). I also have a Radeon 4850 with dual DVI. There are many cards with DVI and HDMI. Most cards with an HDMI output now have an spdif input for routing audio from a sound card to the HDMI port.