VGA to DVI-D cable

[ljCharlie]

I'm looking to use my HDTV as my PC monitor. I'd like to know if a VGA to DVI-D cable will work in my case. If it is, any recommendation on which brand will work the best?

Any suggestion is appreciated.

[c_hernandez32]

No. VGA is in the Analog Realm and DVI-D is digital. You can convert a DVI-I output to VGA as the D shaped DVI pins carry both digital and analog RGB. This can be found on most PC graphics cards with DVI out. Your best bet would be to buy a VGA to component adaptor or upgrade your graphics card.

[edDV]

I'm looking to use my HDTV as my PC monitor. I'd like to know if a VGA to DVI-D cable will work in my case. If it is, any recommendation on which brand will work the best?

Any suggestion is appreciated.

To get you started, unless your HDTV has a connector that directly supports RGB computer resolutions, you have a complex path before you.

Before you go too far down this road, realize that you are trying to convert VGA (RGB analog) to DVI-HD which is digital (Y, Cb, Cr), uses specific scan rates and probably contains HDCP encrytion issues. It's quite a complex interface engineering project.

Some VGA cards can be adapted to the component analog inputs on your HDTV by using "Power Strip" scan rate conversion software. Most HDTV sets only respond to 480i, 480p, 540p or 1080i scan rates. Some suport 720p.

The "easier" shortcut is to use ATI selected cards (see ATI support site) plus their ATI component analog adapter to your HDTV analog component inputs. The catch 22 for that solution is you also need a dual head display card (or second pci graphics card) connected to a computer monitor to set up the ATI adapter before you can get a picture on your HDTV.

An easier yet option is one of the transcoding VGA to analog Y, Pb,Pr adapters in this link. They aren't cheap.
http://www.ramelectronics.net/html/PC-TV_video.html

After doing all this, you may not be satisfied with the image quality (as a computer monitor) especially if you are using 1080i interlace. It will look fine for playing a DVD, but not as good as using a progressive DVD player.

[ljCharlie]

Many thanks for all your help. I'd appreicated.

Okay, so what about this route. What if I buy a video card that has DVI-I out, will I be able to connect it to my HDTV that has DVI-D in? If am able to, will the resolution be good enough for being a monitor?

ljCharlie

[c_hernandez32]

I'm pretty sure you can. We did it at work with a PC and a Samsung DLP. But there might be some issues with HDCP. Some thing about the TV being complaint or something like that.

What are you going to use it for? Text is horrible on older projection types. And there is the possibility of burn in from the task bar or other icons. If you have a plasma, CRT, or Projection TV make sure to use only when you need it or leave a screen save that moves alot to prevent damage to your TV.

[edDV]

Many thanks for all your help. I'd appreicated.

Okay, so what about this route. What if I buy a video card that has DVI-I out, will I be able to connect it to my HDTV that has DVI-D in? If am able to, will the resolution be good enough for being a monitor?

ljCharlie

I know of no HDTV sets with a DVD-D in except maybe an obscure LCD.

Just give us the model number of your "HDTV" and save us the guesswork.

[c_hernandez32]

Its DVI-D. The D shaped pin comes in two "flavors." DVI-D is the standard on most HDTVs. DVI-I is the standard for most graphics card. It has both the 19 pins for digital signal and has a cross on the end that carries RGB+Sync. They look almost the same, except for the extra pins on the end. Most HDTVs now are switching to HDMI, but with an adaptor you can convert it to DVI-D.

[edDV]

Many thanks for all your help. I'd appreicated.

Okay, so what about this route. What if I buy a video card that has DVI-I out, will I be able to connect it to my HDTV that has DVI-D in? If am able to, will the resolution be good enough for being a monitor?

ljCharlie

Its DVI-D. ...Most HDTVs now are switching to HDMI, but with an adaptor you can convert it to DVI-D.

By that I meant that the D connector will not respond to a computer input at computer scan rates unless stated by the HDTV maker. Often the only supported rate is 640x480 + HDTV scan rates. A LCD HDTV is most likely to accept computer scan rates, a CRT is least likely.

ljCharlie tell us which model HDTV you are using.

[ljCharlie]

My HDTV model is Sony KE42TS2. If it will shorten the life of my HDTV or make the texts and pictures look horrible than perhaps I'm better off not hooking up my HDTV to be my monitor.

ljCharlie

[c_hernandez32]

Is that a tube TV, Projection, or LCD/LCD Projection?

[ljCharlie]

I don't know what it is. I'm pretty sure it is not tube, LCD, or projection. All I know is that it is a plasma TV.

ljCharlie

[c_hernandez32]

Its a plasma and nothing else. I wouldn't try it if I were you, unless you plan to use it for watching DVDs only. Surfing the internet could be a risk. You can try it, but after a while, white text could burnin. If you must check your manual and see if there is a pixel shifter or orbitor. That shifts and moves the pixels slightly to prevent burn-in. As for the resolution, that depends entirely on your graphics card. The one we used at work automatically adjusted the resolution to fit the DLP. But it was wierd because it didn't fill the entire screen.

[ljCharlie]

Thanks! I called the company regarding hooking to a computer and they do not recommend doing so. However, I thought since DVI-D accepts both signal, it should work....but when I read about the refresh rate and so on, it's likely that this tv will not work for my monitor.

ljCharlie

[edDV]

My HDTV model is Sony KE42TS2. If it will shorten the life of my HDTV or make the texts and pictures look horrible than perhaps I'm better off not hooking up my HDTV to be my monitor.

ljCharlie

It's a 1024 x 1024 resolution plasma.

Specs mention only
"Input Signals: 480i, 480p, 1080i, 720p, Computer RGB"

No mention is made of supported RGB scan rates. If you want to try it, use 640x480. If that works try 1024x768. Your manual may provide more information.

Plasma displays risk burn-in with static displays. That is an expensive set, I wouldn't risk it.

[ljCharlie]

Thank you for all your responses.

So if my HDTV suport RGB scan rate then I should have no problem hooking my computer to it, correct?

ljCharlie

[edDV]

It will probably work at 640x480, it may work at 1024x768.

Plasmas often burn in a stationary image, so you will risk ruining your $6000 HDTV. A new screen might cost you >$5000.

[ljCharlie]

Thank you for the suggestion.

ljCharlie

[amir32002]

I have the same problem...I have a macbook with mini display port. I have the mini display port to VGA converter by apple: http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB572Z/A

now I wanna connect my Mintek DTV-265-D LCD TV to my macbook but it has only HDMI and DVI-D inputs. So I wanna know if I can use a VGA to DVI-D converter but above posts say that it doesn't work but I'm wandering if technically it doesnt work what such converters do:

http://cgi.ebay.com/DVI-male-24-1-to-VGA-female-adapter-for-PC-HDTV_W0QQitemZ180364422...d=p3286.c0.m14

I know that I can use minidisplay port to DVI converter but I didnt want to pay more 30$ for that!

[jagabo]

I'm wandering if technically it doesnt work what such converters do:

http://cgi.ebay.com/DVI-male-24-1-to-VGA-female-adapter-for-PC-HDTV_W0QQitemZ180364422...d=p3286.c0.m14

I know that I can use minidisplay port to DVI converter but I didnt want to pay more 30$ for that!

A DVI-I output on a graphics card has both digital DVI and analog RGB (VGA) output pins. That adapter is for connecting a graphics card with DVD-I to a VGA monitor. It cannot convert an analog RGB signal to a digital DVI signal, or vice versa. And the picture of the DVI end of the connector is wrong. It is showing a DVI-D connector, not a DVI-I connector.

[edDV]

You need a display port to DVI-D cable from Apple. You can't convert VGA to DVI-D. VGA is analog RGBHV.

[PogiJones]

I also ran into this situation. But I didn't do my research before I bought a DVI-D (yes, D, not I) to VGA adapter and a DVI-D to HDMI cable. Big mistake.

But my question is this: Why do they make DVI-D to VGA adapters if it won't convert analog to digital? It seems that any signal going either way will just die inside the adapter.

Here's the adapter I bought:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250517179738#ht_2617wt_939

Do they only build these for suckers like myself?

[jagabo]

There must be some monitor somewhere that accepts DVI signals on a D15 (VGA) port.

[edDV]

I also ran into this situation. But I didn't do my research before I bought a DVI-D (yes, D, not I) to VGA adapter and a DVI-D to HDMI cable. Big mistake.

But my question is this: Why do they make DVI-D to VGA adapters if it won't convert analog to digital? It seems that any signal going either way will just die inside the adapter.

Here's the adapter I bought:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250517179738#ht_2617wt_939

Do they only build these for suckers like myself?

All explained here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Visual_Interface

A display card with a DVI-I port has pins for DVI-D (digital) and VGA (analog RGBHV). You can use adapters to extract the DVI-D or VGA output.

A VGA D-15 connector has pins for RGBHV only.

A hardware VGA to DVI-D or HDMI converter would perform an analog RGB to Digital RGB conversion.