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HDMI OR DVI graphics card

nickcardwell

nickcardwell

nickcardwell

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Joined
20 May 2007
Posts
159
In the middle of researching a HTPC,

The pc will be hooked up to a 40" Samsung LCD screen via HDMI connector.

a few questions.

1. Im assuming i will be able to display windows on the screen at 1080i or 720p HD ?
2. Is there anything else i should be thinking of when choosing a graphics card?

the pc will be moved use for mainly browsing internet/using word etc.. but it may be in the future used for playing HD (bluray or hd-dvd ) stuff.

specs im looking at :
abit fatal1ty board
core 2 duo e6600
4gb of ram
vista
 
Depending on time scales it might be worth waiting for the ATI 2000 series low end cards

I have a HTPC and at the moment I have a 1600 series with HDMI out on however as soon as the mainstream ATI 2000 series is out I think this will be the best card on the market for HTPCs
 
So why not just get a DVI <> HDMI converter <comes with some of the newer cards> as far as I'm aware there is no degradation?

That said I'm waiting for a passive 8600 with HDMI ;)

HEADRAT
 
HEADRAT said:
So why not just get a DVI <> HDMI converter <comes with some of the newer cards> as far as I'm aware there is no degradation?

That said I'm waiting for a passive 8600 with HDMI ;)

HEADRAT
Click to expand...

This is what I currently use.

The only reason I can see for a proper HDMI connection at the moment is the ability to use HDCP.

If you're building a HTPC, and want to fit a bluray/HD-DVD drive, for viewing on the TV, you'd want a HDCP complient connection method.

Now, saying that, I'm not sure that disks use HDCP yet?
Certainly the limited number of bluray disks I've tried from my PS3 to a projector via VGA have worked, and I remember reading some time ago that HDCP wasn't going to be used for some time.

That being the case, you could use a DVI-HDMI set up for now, and in a few years, upgrade the graphics card to one with HDMI out, which I'd assume would be plentiful and cheaper by then.

V1N.
 
HEADRAT said:
So why not just get a DVI <> HDMI converter <comes with some of the newer cards> as far as I'm aware there is no degradation?

That said I'm waiting for a passive 8600 with HDMI ;)

HEADRAT
Click to expand...

It is true from what I have seen there is no degradation of the picture, the reason I think the ATI 2000 series will be the best bet is they will allow sound over HDMI as well (good if you have a supporting AMP) and also are HDCP compliant

For the reasons stated above I think the ATI card would be a better option than the 8600

.. and before anyone thinks I am an ATI fan, my main gaming PC has a 8800 GTX and I would not change that for anything ;-)
 
As long as your DVI is HDCP enable then this digital signal will get passed along with everything else via the HDMI converter. As you say the only other reason to wait for HDMI is if you want to use it for sound.

Thanks

HEADRAT
 
Looking at the spec, you really dont need all that if you're not playing games.

The cheapest dual core cpu will do the trick, 2GB of ram and a £50ish mATX mobo, bung a 8500 in there and you're sorted.
 
Lanz said:
The cheapest dual core cpu will do the trick, 2GB of ram and a £50ish mATX mobo, bung a 8500 in there and you're sorted.
Click to expand...

Agreed, most of the new GFX cards will do most of the decoding work for you so you don't need a beefy machine at all.
 
great thanks for your replies.
I automatically thought i would need a beefy graphics card to help (in the future) with blu-ray play back.

I seen some reviews and they said cpu utiliziation hits 100% but with newer beefy graphics cards it goes away down. Yet i think its a fine balance between beefy graphics card and excess heat and psu requirements.


im in no big rush at this moment in time (well would like to purchase by august)

think i will wait for an actual hdmi one (for sound purposes.)

The reason being, im thinking of antec fusion htpc in the living room connected to the 40" lcd , and at the same time have a hdmi switch that allows me to view/use the pc in the kitchen/dining 37" or 40" screen as well. So physically the pc is in the living room and 6m away is the dining/kitchen room tv on as well. (though im going to ask a few questions on the above in another area)
 
ah right thanks for the info.

Just one quick final question.

with some cards have dual dvi outputs.
can i connect one to one lcd and another to another one?

Also get hdtv o/p (1080i) out to each screen ? (well technically , in reality i will only be watching one screen at a time!)
 
I like your switch plan between living room and kitchen. Get a switch that takes in keyboard and mouse on usb as well as video and you could essentially control the pc from either the kitchen monitor or the living room HD tv.

Does anyone know what kind of software you'd need to split these two up into their own virtual machines on the one computer or even if this is possible? So one person could be doing one thing in the kitchen while the other is doing something completely different in the sitting room. Obviously you'd need to connect each monitor direct to the gfx card without the switch and the same for the mouse and keyboard but is it possible?
 
question is how are you doing sound really. if you're just sending picture to the tv then hdmi or hdcp compatible DVI will do exactly the same job. if you want to get audio to the tv aswell then you can use normal sound outputs but the one thing the HD2000 series ati cards can do is sound with the hdmi aswell through the graphics card so you only have one cable to the TV. its all personal preference really, the only difference you will care about is hdmi is just DVI with the sounds on the cable also.

HDCP is around already, i think, probably, HDCP does nothing over an analogue connection though. if you ran a bluray disc with HDCP over a dvi connection thats not HDCP enabled it would downscale the picture to, not sure if its 720i/p or 480p maximum res. which is just retarded and makes no sense at all in any way. over an analogue connection, AFAIK, there are no limits whatsoever and no limited resolutions. I would possibly go with hdmi just for the sake of it and possible future compatibility/resellability to be honest. i didn't read a huge amount about the new HD2000 series lower end cards, but the general gist is very low power, and possibly great value. not sure when they are supposed to be available though.
 
Darg said:
I like your switch plan between living room and kitchen. Get a switch that takes in keyboard and mouse on usb as well as video and you could essentially control the pc from either the kitchen monitor or the living room HD tv.
Click to expand...

I am going to be using a bluetooth keyboard and mouse so it will be wireless.
there is devices out there that allow 1 hdmi input to go to 2 hdmi outputs (the one im looking at now allows 3 hdmi inputs going to 2 hdmi outputs)
You can view Two Different Sources simultaneously or Toggle your preferred Source to one or other Display. You CANT watch the same Source on two Displays simultaneously (which is fine)

as for your other question, years ago there was software that allowed 2 people to use 1 pc (each with their own screen) dont know if its still available.

drunkenmaster said:
question is how are you doing sound really. if you're just sending picture to the tv then hdmi or hdcp compatible DVI will do exactly the same job. if you want to get audio to the tv aswell then you can use normal sound outputs but the one thing the HD2000 series ati cards can do is sound with the hdmi aswell through the graphics card so you only have one cable to the TV. its all personal preference really, the only difference you will care about is hdmi is just DVI with the sounds on the cable also.
Click to expand...

I automatically assumed that IF a graphics card has hdmi output then sound will go through it as well (i know dvi outputs it just video only)

Is that not the case?

for each screen i will be wanting sound to go to both screens via hdmi cable.

Im sure though by the time i go to order the equipment (july/aug/sep time) that more graphics card will have sound connections built in?
 
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