HDMI on an older HDTV- it works!

[Eyedoctor2]

For those early adopters who bought an HDTV without an HDMI connection, I can verify that those HDMI to component adapters sold on ebay really do work.

I bought a Toshiba HD-XA2 on clearance on Amazon (now sold out) but wanted to use HDMI so that I could take advantage of the excellent upconversion afforded by this player.

The video put out by this player is stunning. My regular DVDs look HD and the HD-DVDs look 3D. It passed the "wife test" with flying colors.

I can't quite understand how these adapters can be legally sold but I am glad they are. If not the DVD player would not upconvert non-backup DVDs to 1080i.

It might be something I am doing wrong but I had to use the 5.1 analog output of the XA2 to get Dolby Digital/DTS/DolbyTrueHD to work properly. I think it is because the HDMI to component adapter outputs 2 channel audio. Since my AV receiver has 5.1 inputs, this is not a problem. I have to say that the audio is equally stunning.

I am one happy camper.

[edDV]

For those early adopters who bought an HDTV without an HDMI connection, I can verify that those HDMI to component adapters sold on ebay really do work.

I bought a Toshiba HD-XA2 on clearance on Amazon (now sold out) but wanted to use HDMI so that I could take advantage of the excellent upconversion afforded by this player.

The video put out by this player is stunning. My regular DVDs look HD and the HD-DVDs look 3D. It passed the "wife test" with flying colors.

I can't quite understand how these adapters can be legally sold but I am glad they are. If not the DVD player would not upconvert non-backup DVDs to 1080i.

It might be something I am doing wrong but I had to use the 5.1 analog output of the XA2 to get Dolby Digital/DTS/DolbyTrueHD to work properly. I think it is because the HDMI to component adapter outputs 2 channel audio. Since my AV receiver has 5.1 inputs, this is not a problem. I have to say that the audio is equally stunning.

I am one happy camper.

Got a link to the adapter you are using?

Yes they "work" but only with HDCP turned off. If and when HDCP is turned on for new HD/BD discs, or if Congress passes the "broadcast flag" then all this either stops working or the box reverts to SD playback.

Issues: http://www.hdtvsupply.com/hdtocoad.html

[Eyedoctor2]

Hesitate to post a link as I don't want moderators or anyone else to think that I am selling anything.

A search for HDMI to component on ebay should be all it takes. The model I am using is VisionFC4.

To be honest, even if the HDCP stuff happens, I am so thrilled with the upconversion of standard DVDs with this player that it wouldn't bother me very much. I will probably not buy many HD-DVD but will rent them from Netflix instead.

I previously was upconverting with a Zenith DB318 (Faroudja processing) and thought that I had a great picture but this unit blows it out of the water.

Thanks for your input.

[edDV]

Hesitate to post a link as I don't want moderators or anyone else to think that I am selling anything.

A search for HDMI to component on ebay should be all it takes. The model I am using is VisionFC4.

To be honest, even if the HDCP stuff happens, I am so thrilled with the upconversion of standard DVDs with this player that it wouldn't bother me very much. I will probably not buy many HD-DVD but will rent them from Netflix instead.

I previously was upconverting with a Zenith DB318 (Faroudja processing) and thought that I had a great picture but this unit blows it out of the water.

Thanks for your input.

What is your TV model?

Those boxes are fairly straight forward D/A converters (no rescaling*). Only problem is Congress has made them illegal (does politics drive Hollywood or does Hollywood drive politics?).


* HDMI to analog component without rescale is OK but resolutions are unlikely to match for for VGA.

[Eyedoctor2]

Mitsubishi WS-55807

The DVD player does the upconversion and sends out via HDMI. The adapter converts the HDMI video signal into the same resolution analog signal (1080i in my case).

[edDV]

I see where you are coming from with that TV. Early HD adopters are an oppressed minority. Don't get me started on the Digital Millennium Act provisions that prevent early adopter "HD ready" buyers from ever getting their TV in HD. This is clear injustice but the tort lawyers are mostly aligned with Hollywood and are unlikely to rock their boat. I fully expect the "broadcast flag" to be the next wave as they seek to obsolete our TV sets.

[Eyedoctor2]

When I bought the TV as a year end model clearance I used the money I saved to have it professionally calibrated. The picture it has today with the XA2 rivals anything I have seen on display in stores.

I am sure that when they activate the broadcast flag someone will sue to stop them or somebody will find a way around it. Whatever....

Regardless, I am enjoying my "ancient" investment more than ever.

[Scooter_NJ]

At the price blank DVDR's are today...I would have to burn maybe a million backups in order to come close what this device costs.

If only someone would come up with a hack for the HD-DVD and Blu-Ray players to simply pass bought DVD's to component for upconvert. I don't want 5 players...
Divx then (oppo)DVD then HD-DVD then Blu_ray....2 would be fine.

[edDV]

At the price blank DVDR's are today...I would have to burn maybe a million backups in order to come close what this device costs.

'

What do backups have to do with it? Eyedoctor2 is just trying to get a connection from his DVD player to his HDTV.

[Scooter_NJ]

Scroll back and read the earlier posts....

[edDV]

Scroll back and read the earlier posts....

Well I still don't see it but no problem. His issue is that the Toshiba XA2 only upscales to the HDMI output and his HDTV only has 1080i analog component input. HDMI and HDCP were announced after he bought his TV so there was no way to know that "HD Ready" would retroatively be blocked by HDCP and the DMCA. Early adopter HDTV owners should have access to HD DVD players and HDTV broadcasts or "Hollywood" and their Congressional stooges should be forced to buy these sets back. Keep in mind that early (pre 2004) "HD Ready" HDTV sets cost $3,000-80,000.

[Eyedoctor2]

EdDV,

I guess Scooter's point is that I could use the component out of the XA2 instead of HDMI and it would still upconvert ripped DVDs, but not commercial DVDs. I thought about this but didn't want to hassle with having to make a backup copy of every DVD that I wanted to be able to see upconverted to 1080i with this player.

Other consideration is that if I ever buy an HDMI equipped AV receiver, then I can have up to 3 HDMI devices going into the receiver and one output from the receiver into this conversion device.

If you don't mind ripping every dvd you own, Scooter's solution is a lot cheaper and would yield the same outcome.

[edDV]

Ah, I see.

[MacFanBoy]

@edDV here's a link to one I've been using HDMI To Component Video Adapter. I got it for less than $70 and it gives me really high quality picture. I'm using it to connect my blueray player to my HDTV. Its good if you need something to hold you down until you can get a newer flat screen.

[hdmi splitter]

@edDV here's a link to one I've been using HDMI To Component Video Adapter. I got it for less than $70 and it gives me really high quality picture. I'm using it to connect my blueray player to my HDTV. Its good if you need something to hold you down until you can get a newer flat screen.

Thanks, i was looking to get this but was not sure if it would work!