vga, dvi-hdmi, or svideo best cable for pc to 720p hdtv?

[yoda313]

Ok I'm interested in a short term test on using my pc on my hdtv. It is a 32" hdtv with 720p resolution and can accept 1080i but maxes at 1366x768 (I believe that is the max).

My issue is I don't have any cables to hook it up except for svideo at the moment. That will limit me to 480p correct?

Is a vga cable going to give the same performance as a dvi-hdmi cable? I have a vga input jack on the hdtv so that is an option as well as an open hdmi input jack. My video card has both vga and dvi outputs. I just need to know which to buy.

Right now this is mainly for video game testing. Though I do have a hdtv capture card and I'm interested in testing playback on my hdtv.

So bit for bit which cable gives the highest resolution output?


EDIT - I forgot my nvidia came with a break out box to allow for COMPONENT connections. As it so happens my component video switcher has a component cable hooked up to the tv. i will just switch that and give it a try. I'll let you know how it goes.

EDIT 2 - IT WORKS!!! It was incredibly easy. I hooked up the breakout box to the svideo port and boom it works! I set it to 1280x720 60hz before I shutdown. As soon as I had the desktop set it worked on the tv instantly. I love it!

Now i'm gonna check out gaming. SWEET!!!


EDIT 3 - EXCELLENT! I just played a game of nhl 08 and it was great. I don't have m sound hooked up just yet but it will work out just fine.

I can tell reading on the hdtv is a bit tougher than on a tube crt. At least being farther away than I am used to.

I think if I do leave this with the new tv I will invest in a wireless keyboard and mouse.

[edDV]

Ok I'm interested in a short term test on using my pc on my hdtv. It is a 32" hdtv with 720p resolution and can accept 1080i but maxes at 1366x768 (I believe that is the max).

My issue is I don't have any cables to hook it up except for svideo at the moment. That will limit me to 480p correct?

analog 480i

Is a vga cable going to give the same performance as a dvi-hdmi cable? I have a vga input jack on the hdtv so that is an option as well as an open hdmi input jack. My video card has both vga and dvi outputs. I just need to know which to buy.

Right now this is mainly for video game testing. Though I do have a hdtv capture card and I'm interested in testing playback on my hdtv.

So bit for bit which cable gives the highest resolution output?

It depends on the TV. If the HDTV is native 1366x768, then WXGA 1366x768 VGA is likely to give the best match for computer display cards and game consoles.

Analog component 1080i will be deinterlaced downscaled to 1366x768, 720p will be upscaled. In both resolution cases, analog component or HDMI inputs usually overscan by design.

EDIT - I forgot my nvidia came with a break out box to allow for COMPONENT connections. As it so happens my component video switcher has a component cable hooked up to the tv. i will just switch that and give it a try. I'll let you know how it goes.

EDIT 2 - IT WORKS!!! It was incredibly easy. I hooked up the breakout box to the s video port and boom it works! I set it to 1280x720 60hz before I shutdown. As soon as I had the desktop set it worked on the tv instantly. I love it!

Now i'm gonna check out gaming. SWEET!!!


EDIT 3 - EXCELLENT! I just played a game of nhl 08 and it was great. I don't have m sound hooked up just yet but it will work out just fine.

I can tell reading on the hdtv is a bit tougher than on a tube crt. At least being farther away than I am used to.

I think if I do leave this with the new tv I will invest in a wireless keyboard and mouse.

If the LCD-TV native resolution is 1366x768 (most are) use that resolution instead of 1280x720 for a better picture.

[yoda313]

Thanks eddv. I only have 1360*768 as on option on my nvidia 8400. Definitely looks better.

Good suggestion!

[edDV]

LCD panels prefer being driven at their native resolution. 1360 is close enough.

[Heywould3]

if you load ntune for nvidia you vcan make a custom profile at 1366x768. thats what you should do. the reason you dont have that as an option is prolyl becasue your card doesnt see or understand the monitor. i have the 8600gt and vizio 42 hooked up and it has the 1366x768 res but when hooked up to my ati aiw it only had 1360x768 and i used atitool to make a profile and all was great. FYI ntune is a fine tuneing and overclocking tool for nvidia cards made by nvidia so you dont have to worry about third party apps screwing things up

[yoda313]

Thanks heywould3.

I've actually decided to shelve the project for now. It wasn't working having it with the bigscreen in the other room. I'm just not ready to commit it to a htpc just yet. Also I'm not used to reading webstuff and the like on a tv.

I am glad that I can do it fairly easily though. That was nice while it was set up.