To DVI or not to DVI (1 Viewer)

[Chris Strasz]

The question I and i'm sure many others prior to their HDTV purchase have contemplated - is a DVI connection important?
I'm not here to start a flame fest or a battle of opinions . However, I am just curious of the facts about DVI. Does anyone know where I can find a good article(s) on what hollywood proposes with this technology, how it will work, how non dvi tv's will function if this becomes a standard, etc?
I ask because for weeks now i'm contemplating which hdtv I want to get in December and it's litterally racking my brain. I'm 21, and don't really have too much money to just throw around here so I want to make an investment in a good high quality TV that i know will serve it's purpose for a good 4-5 years.
I've narrowed it down to both the Toshiba 50HDX82 and the Pioneer SD533HD5. Both are pretty much in the same ballpark for me in terms of price at a local A&B store. However, the differences make me even more on the fence as to which one to get.
Toshiba - Between the Upconversion to 540, reliability issues, and damn speaker hiss, I'm hesitant to get this one. On the plus side, however, is it's generally good picture quality, DVI Input, and good stretch modes. Not familiar too much with it's line doubler but i've heard it works pretty well.
Pioneer - The lack of accepting a 720 signal and not having DVI makes me hesitant to purchase this set. That's it - nothing else. I'm not even as worried about the 720 issue since a STB can probably upconvert this to 1080 (from what I hear, most sets upconvert this signal anyways). But the DVI thing really bugs me because I'd hate to be shutting myself out of good video quality and having a tv that's not capable of hdtv pay per view or whatever DVI will be. I've heard it's stellar in terms of stretch modes, line doubling, 480 input, etc.
So with that said - where can info be found, and what do you all suggest. I know i'm going to hear both 'go for the pioneer don't worry about DVI' and 'stick with the toshiba and get the dvi' probably. I guess i'd just like to hear the opinion of all you experienced folks Thanks!

 

[Neil Joseph]

For any readers of this thread who may be inquiring as to what DVI is. Take a look at this article on Dell.com...
http://www.dell.com/us/en/arm/topics...s_2000-dvi.htm

 

[Dave Neth]

Thats a pretty good article.

But what I have had a hard time tracking down is the following:

1. what, if any, practical purpose this DVI interface will have on a TV RIGHT NOW.

2. what, if any, future purpose will this interface serve besides acting as a copyright enforcer and reciever connection?

Is there anything cool you can do with it? Like I dont know, hook it up to your computer?

Lets say for instance your not buying into this whole pending copyright idea - and you are somewhat confident that the industry will not shoot itself in the foot by exluding all of the non-DVI intrefaced TV's when they release future recievers - then what is the advantage of having a DVI interface?

 

[John Beavers]

then what is the advantage of having a DVI interface?

For me it's simply a matter of covering all of one's bases. If DVI becomes the standard, I'm brown stuff out of luck if my expensive new RPTV doesn't have it. It's not a big issue in my current RPTV shopping, as the new Pioneer Elites are only $500 more than the old "on sale at greatly reduced prices" models (which don't have the AVI interface).

 

[Chris Strasz]

Man if i could score the new elite 530 for under 4G's (preferebly around 3500) I would be set in which one i'd want to get...provided the s video is fixed.

-Chris

 

[MickeS]

Wouldn't this, at least theoretically, provide a better picture since only one D->A conversion would have to take place at the receiver end if you're using a digital display like DLP? or am I mistaken there? Of course, this doesn't apply to CRT's though, which I guess is what the question is. :b

/Mike

 

[Neil Joseph]

If you could hook up your computer to your TV/projector via the DVI port then you could use the computer to scale the resolution up rathe than have the projectors "doubler" do it resulting in a better picture quality.

 

[Scott Tucker]

buy a RPTV with both firewire and DVI and be done with it. I think the new Hitachi integrateds have both, and from what i've seen they look awsome.

Scott

 

[Chris Strasz]

Easier said than done I'm not a fan of hitachi's stretch modes or their upconversion on 480 signals. But that's just me.

 

[BruceSpielbauer]

>>> Wouldn't this, at least theoretically, provide a better picture since only one D->A conversion would have to take place at the receiver end if you're using a digital display like DLP? or am I mistaken there? Of course, this doesn't apply to CRT's though, which I guess is what the question is.

 

[scott cerv]

There is nothing wrong with DAT I use it everyday. See, I'm a taper and love that media as it sounds better than CD. Not, much, but it does. Anyway, I just bought a Mit's so I voted w/ my $$$
SC

 

[MickeS]

Some of us can't afford to risk not getting DVI if it turns out to be the standard for cable and satellite distributed digital content. It's not like with DVD-players where the cost was a tenth of what a TV set is, and where there was a viable and working alternative.

 

[Dave Neth]

Well, Bruce
You've won me over - I am yet to hear or read of an argument that is as compelling FOR DVI as I have against it.
This was exactly why I was asking for the "practical" uses of DVI... because quite honestly no-one could gve them to me. Everyone always talks in terms of future standards, and copyrighting and pay per view. It reeked of industry strong-arming and a move toward restrictive content providing that would affect the consumer. If this all that DVI is, then I for one absolutely refuse to support something like that with my money.
Unless I discover something else in my research, my purchase next month will be a non-DVI machine.

 

[Gabriel_Lam]

If you have a digital display (LCD, DLP, DILA/LCOS, Plasma), you'll get noticably better quality from the DVI input than an analog input. I've noticed that with my LCD projector, comparing DVI, HD15 VGA, 5BNC RGB, Component, S-Video, and Composite. I've also noticed it with DLP projectors, and LCD monitors. The difference is not subtle.

To those who think DVI does absolutely no good has never used a digital display, pure and simple.

The maximum length of DVI cabling is well over 100 meters, though it gets expensive over 5 meters. 5M is the maximum length for no signal degredation over copper wiring. I'm not sure where Perry got 3 meters from.

 

[Doug_B]

Gabriel,

The maximum length of DVI cabling is well over 100 meters, though it gets expensive over 5 meters. 5M is the maximum length for no signal degredation over copper wiring. I'm not sure where Perry got 3 meters from.

Thank you for the well-timed lead-in. I am curious if you have any links to merchants selling DVI cables of long length, preferably ones you believe to have decent quality. As I'll likely be getting a DLP projector soon with a DVI interface (one of the new HD2 models, ceiling mounted), I'd like to know there's a decent quality DVI cable out there for me to purchase once I have the need or inclination. I suspect I'll need about a 15 meter run. Worst case scenario would be quality on par with a component cable run of the same distance, if my only reason to use the connection is due to copyright issues.

Thanks.

Doug

 

[Gabriel_Lam]

Doug:
Sorry in advance for the prices. I've really only started looking around at places, and have only compared 3-4. 10+ meters requires fiber, which really bumps up the cost. On the flip side, you can go pixel perfect upwards of 1920x1200 (16x10) at 60hz.
Anyhow, this seems to be the best place to get the cables (according to the people who've tried em on the AVS forums):
http://www.dvigear.com/lonlendvicab.html
If you don't need integrity up to that high resolution, you may be able to use copper and a repeater.

 

[Doug_B]

Gabriel,

Thanks for the info and link. Yup, it's expensive at that length. Since I'm starting out only with a standard (non-HTPC) DVD player as a source, I don't think I'll be getting a DVI cable at this time. Maybe I can lay a conduit (PVC?) in my wall and ceiling to avert the hassles of running cables more than once. In my case, the room is already finished, so I'll be getting some help to do this, if it's possible.

Doug

 

[Gabriel_Lam]

Yeah, a thick (3" or so) PVC pipe is the best idea. I wish I had done that. I'm going to be trying to pull cable without it. It's going to be a royal pain.