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ecking
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Joined: 12 Nov 2005
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 Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 5:11 pm Post subject: HDTV without DVI? |
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| I recently saw a 20" lcd hdtv for a cheap price I'd like to hook my mini up to, except it doesn't have a DVI port! Is there any other high quality way I can hook my mini up to this screen maybe through those component video ports? Is there a way to use this with the mini as a usable monitor or should I step up to a higher price point? |
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kes601
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poisonfist
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| Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 7:22 pm Post subject: |
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HDMI would be best since it'll keep the digital signal to the TV.
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kes601
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| Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 8:14 pm Post subject: |
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| poisonfist wrote: | | HDMI would be best since it'll keep the digital signal to the TV. |
I agree, but I was assuming the tv did not have HDMI either. You can get a DVI-HDMI cable from the same site I mentioned above. I have used it to connect my DVR box to my TV. |
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ack_mac
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Joined: 04 Oct 2005
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Location: Northern VA (DC)
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| Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 10:06 pm Post subject: Re: HDTV without DVI? |
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| ecking wrote: | | I recently saw a 20" lcd hdtv for a cheap price I'd like to hook my mini up to, except it doesn't have a DVI port! Is there any other high quality way I can hook my mini up to this screen maybe through those component video ports? Is there a way to use this with the mini as a usable monitor or should I step up to a higher price point? |
Can you clarify, does the TV have HDMI? As the above posters mentioned, then you can use a DVI to HDMI converter.
Otherwise you have no choice but to use component cables..
I also recommend using a premium cable like "Monster". I know they seem overpriced, but I have found Monster cables to be far superior to cheaper cables, especially when it comes to digital output (HDMI/DVI)...
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ecking
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| Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 1:58 am Post subject: |
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| I'm not sure if it has HDMI, I'll have to go by the store again. But I kind of doubt it. |
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druber
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| Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 3:20 pm Post subject: |
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It really depends on what your goal is. Do you just want a big monitor for your mini, on the cheap? Do you actually want a high definition display?
All the 20" LCD TVs I can remember seeing that were 4:3 (i.e. not widescreen) had resolutions of 800x600. Pretty poor by monitor standards. They do usually have a VGA port, though, to make connecting it to a computer a bit easier. Do you remember the brand/model of the tv?
I'm very skeptical of $100+ cables, especially in fairly low-fi systems. They're certainly better than the crap that comes with most electronics, wires as thin as twisty-ties. But you'll get most of the benefit of a fancy cable by spending $20 or so (vs $4 for the cheapos, $100 for the "high-end" name brand stuff). Because of course Monster isn't the highest you can go. I've got a couple 1-meter cables in my audio system that would be $300 new? You can pay $10,000 for a cable if you want to. I won't rule out the possibility that there's some audible difference, but I'd expect you'd need a very very high-end system to notice it. Very very very high-end. I don't recommend crappy cables to anyone, but cables can't improve the signal; they can only keep it from degrading. Choose cables to match your system and your budget. |
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ack_mac
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| Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 5:42 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | I'm very skeptical of $100+ cables, especially in fairly low-fi systems. They're certainly better than the crap that comes with most electronics, wires as thin as twisty-ties. But you'll get most of the benefit of a fancy cable by spending $20 or so (vs $4 for the cheapos, $100 for the "high-end" name brand stuff). Because of course Monster isn't the highest you can go. I've got a couple 1-meter cables in my audio system that would be $300 new? You can pay $10,000 for a cable if you want to. I won't rule out the possibility that there's some audible difference, but I'd expect you'd need a very very high-end system to notice it. Very very very high-end. I don't recommend crappy cables to anyone, but cables can't improve the signal; they can only keep it from degrading. Choose cables to match your system and your budget. |
I agree with you here, it makes zero sense to buy a cheap monitor that has low resoltion and then spend just as much on cables 
Likewise, it is idiotic to spend alot of money on an expensive monitor, or TV, then put cheap cables on them..
Monster is, by no means, the best or most expensive cables on the market, but I have found them to be better than most cables. Monster also makes three tiers of cables so you can still find affordable ($20-40) cables at a place like Target (for instance their standard 8' component video cable, which is THX certified, is $29 on the web)...
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ecking
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ack_mac
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| Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2006 9:50 am Post subject: |
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As a TV, I think all three will look good. As a monitor for your Mini it really depends on the type of resolution you will get. You may find that you will have to run in 1024x768 and have black bars across the sides of your screen when using the Mini.. I would also Google the model you want and try to determine if other users have successfully used it as a computer monitor.
I am also hoping to buy a LCD TV for the bedroom in the near future, but really want something around the 30" territory.. I currently have a 56" Samsung DLP and it is so hard to look at anything smaller than 30" now (I know, real sob story huh?)
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Silver Samurai
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| Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 1:06 pm Post subject: |
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Don't buy Monster. They are so overpriced and hyped...
From my experience many people on Home Theatre boards recommend Blue Jeans cables (sorry I'm not able to find a link) and they are apparently cheaper then Monster and better too!
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