Connecting a PC to display via DVI or PC (vga) input (1 Viewer)

[PatrickKing]

I want to connect my PC to a TV (hasn't been bought yet). I have a DVI out on my video card, but DVI cables of any length (I need 30ft.) over 20' cost upwards of $200.00. If I instead, use the VGA input of the display, would the display be as good as with DVI? I would use an A/B switch to select between pc or tv monitors.

 

[Kyle J]

I have also pondered this, and I don't know. I checked the adaptors for the DVI, and it is missing a lot of pins. I don't know if it would work for the TV or not.

 

[JuliusW]

Hello,

I have been using PC video output to watch DVD for some time now. I can definately say that the use of DVI is better than the (HD-15).

Basically, it comes down to the fact that the DVI is a digital output and your standard HD-15 is not. This means that there will be some D/A or A/D conversion and thus the introduction of noise and or delay in the signal.

If your display or monitor has a DVI input, than I would highly recommend using it. One caveat on using my knowledge; I have not needed to run my cables longer than 8 to 10 feet, so I do not honestly know how much signal degradation you would get in either case. My guess, would be that the signal-to-noise in video cables would drop considerably as the length increased. And thus the outrageous prices for longer cables, assuming their goal is to still put out a reasonable quality signal at those longer lengths.

I have seen a substantial loss of fidelity in picture quality at 15 to 20 feet of regular RGB cable with magnetic shielding while working on a project with a friend. I imagine that the same would generally be true for regular DVI cable.

I hope this info can be of some help to you.

-Julius

 

[PatrickKing]

Julius, thanks for the info. I discovered today that my Radeon video card also has s-video out. NEW Question: could I run (without fear of signal degradation), 3o feet of s-video cable? I have to figure all this out now as I am in the process of building my HT and am just about ready to insulate and drywall!

 

[John Parris]

A word of advice-- 10 meters is approaching the maximum limits for DVI signal transmission... so be careful there. If cost is really an issue, check out www.pacificcable.com -- got a 5M DVI-D single link cable from them without any problems (for my projector).

Make sure whatever cable you get is compatible with your TV (ie there are multiple DVI connector standards: DVI-I, DVI-A, and DVI-D... there are also single link and dual link DVI cables-- you'll probably need a single link cable, but you never know).

Do NOT (repeat: DO NOT) use the S-video output from your video card. You can, and it will work, but it will be absolutely terrible. The composite output on a $75 standalone player would probably be better. Believe me... I've tried the S-video outputs on the Radeon cards...they're dismal. Plus you can only get an interlaced low resolution signal out of them, so what's the point, right?

 

[PatrickKing]

John - thanks for the advice. I had talked myself into doing just that - using the S-video out. I guess my best option will be to locate the PC nearer to my TV and run a long VGA cable to the PC monitor in the back of my HT. My intention all along was to have the PC/hutch in the back of the HT. If no one was using the TV, I could use it to surf the net using RF keyboard and mouse.

 

[JuliusW]

One more thing to think about before you seal up those walls. If you can, why not install a pipe/conduit so you can pull a wire/cable from point A to point B. Then you can try a few different cables and see what the results are. When you are satisfied, keep the one you like.

Alternatively, you can just go to a local hifi store, and ask if you can try a number of different long length cables, whether it be S-Video, VGA, or DVI again keeping the one that works best for your setup, and returning the others. Any reputable store would be accomodating.

-Julius