To DVI or not to DVI (1 Viewer)

[Jerome Grate]

Well in a month I will be blessed with a rear projection T.V. I'm looking at about 47 inch to 55 inch T.V. Some great deals out there and I'll get to them in another thread after I've digested the models and their capabilities. I understand DVI (Digital Visual Interface) whereas it transmits the digital signal directly to the set as oppose to component that has to convert the signal to analog and play it back.

I've read on this forum about using the DVI input for DVDs in progressive scan mode and having it upconverted to 1080i via DVI output from DVD player to the television. Now that certainly interest me, but is it really needed. I'm leaning towards making sure the new set has DVI, but some really good deals with sets without DVI, and some with HDMI and HDCP inputs. Thanks for the input in advance.

 

[Frank@N]

My 2 cents...

Try to get something with the newest interconnects so your forward compatibility is assured (for future players both DVD & HD).

Unless you get some kind of incredible closeout deal that justifies the sacrifice.

Another factor to consider, CRT-based sets apparently don't benefit as much as LCD/DLP/Plasma sets when it comes to all-digital interconnects.

 

[alan halvorson]

I'd make absolutely certain that the set has DVI or HDMI inputs and is HDCP capable. Whenever high-def DVD comes out (next year?), you wouldn't want to be left high and dry with a display that won't display them in high-def, would you? I hate that HDCP is being forced upon us honest folks, but there doesn't seem much we can do about it.

 

[Jean D]

as far as I was told, the picture quality of DVI isnt much different VS. Component when used with a rear-projection tv's. You can still get 1080i with component.

If your set on getting a rear-projection save the extra cash and dont worry about DVI. next year or whenever the HD-DVD players come out just make sure they will play 1080i through the component outs, thats what I plan to do. but I dont know for sure what connections they plan on the HD-DVD's useing.

 

[John S]

Only you can decide if that trade off is worth it or not. I actually do think the industry will cave, and offer HD-DVD out the component video ports. But that does certainly remain to be seen. I'm very pleased with the current offerings from upscale'n DVD players on Component Video, so at least I know it will always at least be that good. (Real real good by the way, in my humble opinion)

If I currently had DVI on my CRT RPTV, I would still use Component Video as my AVR switches it just fine and makes for a more "wife/significant other" friendly system.

 

[Jerome Grate]

Thanks, keep em coming.

 

[Jean D]

This is acctually interesting to me cause my 55" hd rptv doesnt have DVI. only component, so Im hoping for the best.

John,
What kind of dvd player do you have that upconverts to 1080i? Im very interested in one, do you recommend?

 

[John S]

The venerable new Zenith DVB-318. I use it at 1080i out the Component Video, and for my setup it is "The 2nd Comming", "All that and a bag of chips" ect..ect.. lol

Seriously at $160 (US) it deserves a try. But, so far, I don't have one really negative thing to say about it.

There is a large thread about these players in the Audio / Video source section here. As I said, the results seem to vary, but most CRT projection based system owners give it extreme high praise. I find it just as good as when one of the networks simply scales a movie to 1080i and features it on their HDTV broadcasts. Pretty darn good all in all, and I was extremely skeptical about the improvement. No more, I am sold. (A few buddies have also bought it since I got mine for their older HDTV's, and also give it high praise)

 

[Ted Lee]

for a while i was running an upconverting 1080i dvd player (samsung 931) via dvi to my mits 65" (313 series) rptv.

i did a lot of comparing between dvi and component. i would say they were really close, but i'd give the nudge to the dvi connection. specifically the pic was a little brighter and the curves a little smoother.

again, i would say i only noticed the difference because i was specifically looking for it. on a stand-alone review, the component output still provides an excellent pic.

 

[Jean D]

So Ted,

lets say your getting a new tv. You have a choice of getting a new RPTV with DVI and also without, but you really would rather not spend the money on the one with the DVI. Would you buy the DVI one anyway? Would it be worth the extra few hundred dollars? I guess thats basically what Jerome wants to find out, and Ted you sound like the most qualified one of us so far that has chimed in given youve had your own experiance with the DVI in RPTV.

 

[DaveGTP]

I hate to say it, and I used to feel differently, but you should make sure to get something with HDCP-DVI if you want to get HDTV.

It seems at every turn the consumer is losing to the copy-protection obsessed industry. It used to be the other way around.

I don't have any faith that 1080i over component will be available, anymore.

IEEF has some links to companies selling HDTV TIVO-type HTPCs that will go via component...apparently legal until July 1, 2005, and legal to resell, as long as manufactured before the date:

http://www.eff.org/broadcastflag/

 

[Ted Lee]

just about all new rptv's have dvi anyway...and the *really* new ones have hdmi -- so that's a mute issue.

but, to answer your question -- yes, i would spend the additional money. imo, it's worth it. there is a discernable improvement. and, if you ever get a fixed-pixel display (dlp/lcd), the results should be even better.

plus, with all the new dvd players featuring upscaling and dvi/hdmi connections, it would be a smart-choice to make sure your tv can handle it.

oh yeah, i forgot to mention - "hdcp" isn't a type of connection. it's a copy-protection thing. afaik, most of the newer sets are all hdcp compliant.

double oh yeah - check out this thread for some good info about upscaling dvd players: http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...hreadid=199904

 

[Alan Wise]

All,
I tend to concur with Ted.
Last week I connected my Hitachi 50V500 LCD-RPTV to my Comcast/Motorola 6200 HD-CATV Box via the DVI.
I do indeed see an upgrade in picture detail that I did not have with the component cables.
However, when performing the same swap onto my Sony KP-57WS510 CRT-RPTV I did not see any diference what so ever.
Both TV's have been personally "tweaked" via the help of threads on this forum, and that of another I belong to.
Both TV's have their own merits.
To agree again with Ted, you will not find any of the top selling (or performing) RPTV's not having the DVI, or HDMI, connection option.
This would include Sony, Hitachi, Mitsubishi, Toshiba, Pioneer, etc....

Good Luck, Al.