Philips TV Monitor COmpatability Question

liamtech

Heya Folks - I have a 32" MPEG4 TV in my front room, which has been adopted by my daughter and is a no go area for the rest of the family (at least during the hours of 9am-7pm - damn those all day cartoon channels on freesat).

Anyway i was thinking of grabbing a walker 32" or somethhing cheap for the kitchen. I was browsing the web and noticed this curious specimen:

http://cgi.ebay.ie/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220710884614

I reckon it only went up recently as i didnt see it before and i live on the bay! Bascially im wondering a few things about it - It has Component IN, so if i snipe myself a compatable HD sat box then im sorted - BUT - Even though there is sod all HD stuff on saorview id still like to watch what little there is. also eventually TV3 is going HD so i kinda want to future proof a little. However there is only on component video input on this monitor tv screen /(not sure which title suits)

Is there a way of converting HDMI to DVI - i know or at least im pretty sure the oposite is possible - If not is there such a thing as a component splitter (sort of like a scart splitter box i suppose) -

Hope ive made sense in my questions - My thinking is grab the TV, (assuming it isnt bid up to much), grab a hd sat box, and grab a HD freeview Box. Anyone have any idea if it would work, or am i making trouble for myself-

The freeview box i was looking at is
http://cgi.ebay.ie/Bush-DVB680-HD-FREEVIEW-TERRESTRIAL-RECEIVER-BOXED-NEW-/120659747534?pt=UK_ConEle_SatCableFreeview_RL&hash=item1c17e1a2ce

Obviously this is for saorview -

I might just buy a Ross satellite kit from BnQ for the freesat channels

Of course i could also get a combi box - which just occured to me - BUt the HDMI - DVI questions still stand i suppose - Think it works out a bit cheaper that way

fat-tony

HDMI would be an issue as the TV doesn't support it so the HD Content Protection handshaking wouldn't take place. This is a moot point really, as the monitor is not full HD - more HD Ready. That said, the picture on it could well be quite acceptable if you could find a receiver which had component output. The original SKY HD boxes had component out as well as HDMI, but you might find it difficult to locate a terrestrial receiver with component out. It's well equipped, connectivity-wise, if you would be happy with less than full HD. Weighty beast at 19Kg!

liamtech

Having a look now to see if any of the Combi Boxes have Component out - I Reckon some do - Having a look at some Freeview HD boxes to see if they have component - Most of the cheap comag HD receivers have component as far as i know - but again i need to get my facts straight before i buy anything - does anyone have a component satellite/terrestrial or Combi box with component out? To be honest im not worried about it only being hd Ready - My Main TV is FULL HD, and this is really just a christmas treat for the dinning room - i reckon it has to be better quality than a walker TV which was my original idea

watty

AFAIK the Component out on All EU broadcaster approved boxes is SD, not HD.
No different to SCART really.

Also many monitors will not do 50Hz or 25fps / 50Hz interlaced.

Assume a monitor is only any use for a PC, Games Console or US/Japan market


In fact it's really USA/Japan market or PC as
it says Optimal
1366 x 768 @ 60Hz

So although it claims 576i and 1080i 25 fps 50Hz, it's likely by onboard conversion and it will look rubbish.

The only thing it will do well is WXGA 60Hz PC.

Waste of money IMO.

Lot better valuse even in Power City.

liamtech

i though Component is designed as a HD alternative to HDMI - My brother has an XBox 360 hooked up with component to his HD Ready TV and im fairly certain its HD - maybe im missing something - I appreciate your help folks, as i dont want to buy something thats gonna be of no use

watty

Component was used in USA & Japan before HDMI was invented. They used Component instead of SCART.

SCART could equally do HD. But Europe decided HD broadcasting would only be HDMI connected. So there are no HD SCART.

Games consoles, esp. the XBox have component as a low cost US/Japan legacy connector. Yes they can do 720p 60, 720p 50, 1080i 30/60 1080i 25/50, 1080p 50 and 1080p 60 depending on model, market and title via Component.

In Europe if it has not at least HDMI, it's dishonest to claim HD Ready, as most HD reception & playback devices other than PCs & Consoles only do HD on HDMI.

You can't get Freeview HD, TNT HD or Saorview Certification unless any non-HDMI connector is SD only.

Component is essentially an obsolete Analogue era 525line standard allowing 480p on DVD players in USA because NTSC (30fps 60Hz) has dreadful pull down artifacts from 24 fps film. It was expanded to manage 1125line (1080i 30/60 and 1080p 60) prior to Digital era. SCART was never really used in USA.

1366x768 is also only WXGA PC resolution.

fat-tony

Component predates HDMI but does not have the content protection of HDMI (which is there to prevent/reduce theft of full-HD material!). The SKY HD box I mentioned (I have one) will do 1080i HD over component (as there were TVs at the time which had no HDMI), but SKY removed that feature in its next box.
Watty is quite correct in that monitors really only work well at their native resolution and then typically at 60Hz refresh rate. The fact that Philips have detailed all the alternative 50Hz resolutions in the specs lead me to believe that it could be a reasonable display. Are you willing to gamble €150 plus postage? The Walker sets are not bad, though - have a browse in Power City.

liamtech

I am starting to realize that i may have to get hold of a Thompson HD Sky box which apparently will work - Shocking to be Honest - There must be some other way to do this!

liamtech

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=hdmi+to+dvi+converter&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=10844392635936512431&ei=REoGTbTpJ8GWhQeRp5XuBw&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CCkQ8wIwAw#

Might get my hands on one of these and try it on my monitor - if my freesat box works on my 17" dell then it should work on a 32" monitor i suppose -

I see its possible to get a COmponent to HDMI convertor but not at any sort of bargain price

watty

yes, don't buy what is really just a PC monitor!

You don't need a Walker screen. At LEAST get something with HDMI.

You only need a Walker or "Freeview HD" to use Irish TV via aerial socket. Anything else just needs an HDMI connector. 768 lines is ONLY good for PC or SD.

We have tested multimode monitors. They look nearly 2x better at native refresh and resolution as the screen actually runs at 1366 x 786 @ 60 fps progressive.

The lag/smear of 1920x 1080i 25/50, 1440 x1080i 25/50 and nnn x 576i 25/50 (all the Irish /Sky/UPC broadcast rates) to 1366 x 768 p 60Hz/60fps is not pretty.

liamtech

watty wrote: »

yes, don't buy what is really just a PC monitor!

You don't need a Walker screen. At LEAST get something with HDMI.

You only need a Walker or "Freeview HD" to use Irish TV via aerial socket. Anything else just needs an HDMI connector. 768 lines is ONLY good for PC or SD.

We have tested multimode monitors. They look nearly 2x better at native refresh and resolution as the screen actually runs at 1366 x 786 @ 60 fps progressive.

The lag/smear of 1920x 1080i 25/50, 1440 x1080i 25/50 and nnn x 576i 25/50 (all the Irish /Sky/UPC broadcast rates) to 1366 x 768 p 60Hz/60fps is not pretty.

I dont quite follow what your sayin here - if i buy the walker for 299 it has hdmi for the sat box and built in for the aerial and its hd ready- if i take a punt on the philips, and can some how find a way of porting the HD picture through either component (which your saying may not be possible and its certainly looking that way) or hdmi-dvi then i have the same as the walker but with no saorview. unless i find a component out saorview box - confusing i suppose

But surely there both HD ready so quality wise should be the same -

Thanks for your help by the way

watty

Not at all.

Native 60Hz panel is not same quality as native 50Hz, because ALL European/Irish broadcasts are 25fps 50Hz. Internal conversion to 60fps in the XGA monitor makes for very nasty smear on movement. That eBay "monitor" while made by a European company is more suited to USA/Japan market. Which is mix of 720p 60fps, 480i 30fps / 60Hz, 1080i 30fps / 60Hz, 480p 60fps / 60Hz, 1080p 60fps / 60Hz and almost all dvd & Set-box in USA till recently Component.


Don't buy essentially a PC monitor or screen mainly intended for USA/Japan for Ireland/Europe TV watching. The eBay screen is cheap because its just a poor PC monitor really.

fat-tony

liamtech wrote: »

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=hdmi+to+dvi+converter&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=10844392635936512431&ei=REoGTbTpJ8GWhQeRp5XuBw&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CCkQ8wIwAw#

Might get my hands on one of these and try it on my monitor - if my freesat box works on my 17" dell then it should work on a 32" monitor i suppose -

I see its possible to get a COmponent to HDMI convertor but not at any sort of bargain price

Again, separate to watty's comments about display quality issues;) HDMI and DVI are electrically compatible, but the DVI interface on the monitor almost certainly won't support audio (you'll have to run a separate audio cable for that) and will not support HDCP. You may find that certain programmes may not display on the monitor because the DVI connection won't handle HDCP. Certainly Blu-ray won't work. These adapters are just cross-connecting the relevant pins on the HDMI and DVI interfaces - they are not implementing the copy protection algorithms.

watty

HDMI to DVI convertor may not work at all. Some DVI screens have HDCP built in and some don't. So it could work on 17" screen and not on the new one, or vice versa. Some Set-boxs have HDCP on all the time.

But a major issue is that it's probably converting internally EVERYTHING to a native 1366 x768 p 60 (progressive 60Hz/60fps) which no matter HOW well you do it looks terrible on movement from Irish/UK/Euro TV which is ENTIRELY 25fps 50Hz interlaced.

With separate audio you can have sync issues.

liamtech

my friends ross satellite box displays in either 720p50 or 720p60 - asuming dvi/hdmi/component(an asumption i know) issue is overcome would that not display a half decent picture

watty

no...
the 720p60 is only use for US / Japan transmissions

There is NO useful way to convert domestically between 25fps 50Hz and 60fps/60Hz. It doesn't matter if it's done in Setbox or Screen. It's terrible.


Forget the stupid eBay Monitor.

PLEASE NOTE - This unit does not include the Seperate Tuner Deck -

You got to ask yourself why is it missing the Tuner? maybe it was ATSC and not DVB?

I suspect it was made for US market and is obsolete stock. Why else no HDMI on a Philips screen
http://www.p4c.philips.com/cgi-bin/dcbint/cpindex.pl?slg=en&scy=de&ctn=BDL3221VS/00

Yes. It's from 2004!

The ONLY recommended operation mode in manual is 1366 x768 @60Hz progressive. It's an AV version of a PC WXGA monitor from 2004, NOT A TV screen