HDMI to old TV?

[igknighted]

It's a hardware question, didn't know where to put it.

So, my laptop only has an HDMI and a VGA output. In the past I have always used S-Video to connect to my TV, but it is an old TV and has no way to accept an HDMI input. I have read that there is no way to convert HDMI output to s-video or old school AV due to different signal types... is this true? And is there any way to (cheaply) connect the HDMI on my laptop to the TV?

[mips]

And is there any way to (cheaply) connect the HDMI on my laptop to the TV?

Definately not cheaply as it requires a whole bunch of electronics to generate the anologue signal.

Here is one example:
http://www.sharbor.com/products/GEFN9100028.html

.

[igknighted]

Definately not cheaply as it requires a whole bunch of electronics to generate the anologue signal.

Here is one example:
http://www.sharbor.com/products/GEFN9100028.html

.

Yikes! At that price, I might as well buy an HDTV!

Oh well, that was what I was afraid of. It never even crossed my mind when I upgraded my laptop, and then I pulled out my trusty svid cable the other night to watch a movie and it hit me.

[mips]

Oh well, that was what I was afraid of. It never even crossed my mind when I upgraded my laptop, and then I pulled out my trusty svid cable the other night to watch a movie and it hit me.

Pretty sad that it does not have s-video as that is probably the most prolific interface available out there. I don't know anyone with a tv that has hdmi.

[igknighted]

Pretty sad that it does not have s-video as that is probably the most prolific interface available out there. I don't know anyone with a tv that has hdmi.

It seems most modern laptops are coming with that now (they all have HD video cards).

[Frak]

An HDMI or DVI output? I would see more DVI (which is HDMI anyway).

[grazed]

you can pick up vga to composite/s-video/component converters for $60~ at most electronic stores.

[grazed]

An HDMI or DVI output? I would see more DVI (which is HDMI anyway).

they're vastly different.

HDMI encrypts the signal, as well as passes through digital audio.

[Frak]

they're vastly different.

HDMI encrypts the signal, as well as passes through digital audio.
What I'm saying is, does he have an HDMI port, or a DVI port. Some vendors label the DVI port as an HDMI port. Oh, and yes, there are DVI to HDMI converters. Most decent HD TV's with HDMI-in also have an HDMI-audio-in port.

[bufsabre666]

they're vastly different.

HDMI encrypts the signal, as well as passes through digital audio.

might be a stupid question but im ganna ask it, why in hell do we need to encrypt a signal that can only be transfered over a piece of hardware? is someone stealing your signal?

[mips]

might be a stupid question but im ganna ask it, why in hell do we need to encrypt a signal that can only be transfered over a piece of hardware? is someone stealing your signal?

DRM. They don't want you intercepting and decoding the signal so you can copy it to your hard drive or something. They are getting very anal but sooner or later it will be hacked unless it works like irdeto etc.

[laceration]

they're vastly different.
...not

The DVI signal is electrically compatible with HDMI video signal; no signal conversion needs to take place when an adapter is used
source:wikipedia
By adapter they mean a cable that is HDMI on one end and DVI on the other--just like the one I have connecting my computer and monitor. The differences are that HDMI can also carry audio and will support the HDCP copy protection scheme. HDCP is what encrypts the signal, not HDMI.

[mips]

People, irrespective of whether he has a DVI or HDMI port he is still going to require electronics to conver the digital signal to an anologue signal.

[Frak]

People, irrespective of whether he has a DVI or HDMI port he is still going to require electronics to conver the digital signal to an anologue signal.
You need hardware that can accept an uncompressed HD signal and recompress it in MPEG2 then transmit it via ATSC or NTSC. That would be somewhat expensive at best.

[grazed]

...not

source:wikipedia
By adapter they mean a cable that is HDMI on one end and DVI on the other--just like the one I have connecting my computer and monitor. The differences are that HDMI can also carry audio and will support the HDCP copy protection scheme. HDCP is what encrypts the signal, not HDMI.

dvi does not support that, so thus, different. let alone the fact that it doubles as a digital audio cable...

[grazed]

You need hardware that can accept an uncompressed HD signal and recompress it in MPEG2 then transmit it via ATSC or NTSC. That would be somewhat expensive at best.

not really. 30 bucks. there's a ton of different models and makes available, you can find them at just about any electronics store.

http://www.amazon.com/VideoSecu-Presentation-Converter-Laptop-1L7/dp/B000X3FAJU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1230319759&sr=1-2

[Frak]

not really. 30 bucks. there's a ton of different models and makes available, you can find them at just about any electronics store.

http://www.amazon.com/VideoSecu-Presentation-Converter-Laptop-1L7/dp/B000X3FAJU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1230319759&sr=1-2
That may work with DVI in the presence of a converter to VGA, but that would be at the mercy of the Video card accepting the connection as a normal VGA (ever wondered how DVI-to-VGA worked?). If it is indeed HDMI, it wouldn't matter because HDCP is illegal (ATM) to crack and it would take a pretty powerful PowerPC to on-the-fly compress the raw signal.

[grazed]

That may work with DVI in the presence of a converter to VGA, but that would be at the mercy of the Video card accepting the connection as a normal VGA (ever wondered how DVI-to-VGA worked?). If it is indeed HDMI, it wouldn't matter because HDCP is illegal (ATM) to crack and it would take a pretty powerful PowerPC to on-the-fly compress the raw signal.

or he could just connect it to his vga port.

[Frak]

or he could just connect it to his vga port.
That'd work. It'd look horrible, but it'd work.

[grazed]

That'd work. It'd look horrible, but it'd work.

it would look fine for movies and such, the same, if not better than his s-video connection was.

i have had one of these for years and used it for the same purpose.

[Frak]

it would look fine for movies and such, the same, if not better than his s-video connection was.

i have had one of these for years and used it for the same purpose.
ewww... S-Video

[Redache]

That'd work. It'd look horrible, but it'd work.

VGA would be fine, I have an HDMI and VGA port on My Studio 15 and I don't realy see much difference between Picture Quality, VGA runs at 1024x768 and the HDMI runs at 1280x768 and I really can't see the difference.

Whilst yes a TV has 640x480 or something of that ilk, any interface would look crap on that resolution.

HD Tv's are cheap now, mine can do 1080p (Although only with my Freesat box it appears) and that was about £350 2 years ago (It's an AOC as well, decent quality for cheap!).