Flat panel TV / PC hook up question

[kpierce]

I am very much a novice at this so sorry if these are dump questions.

I have a spot on my office wall I would like to install a flat panel, I don't want to have to run wires through the wall so I am going to see if I can make due with what I have.

Desired setup.
1. Hook TV up to cable (COAX)
2. Hook TV up to my desktop PC to view DVDs/CDs, etc. (Slide shows, etc.)

I have a VGA cable already running from my Desktop through the wall to the place that the TV will be located, along with a COAX cable.

I have a dual output card on my Desktop with DVI and VGA. I am currently only using the DVI output and it is working very nicely.

Questions: (around VGA/Desktop)
1. I see there is a VGA to HDMI cable/converter. Will the quality of this video output be sub-standard? If so, should I consider running a DVI cable and convert the DVI to HDMI? Will this gain an resolution quality?
2. If I go with a VGA standard input on the TV (run VGA cable from back of desktop to back of TV), what type of resolution can I expect from that?

I guess a better way of saying this. Will I lose resolution by utilizing the VGA cable currently in place? I am looking for an inexpensive TV, mainly something to have on in the background. So I will probably get a 720p, will the VGA support that resolution or just downgrade it?

I would probably use this to play slide shows when we have people over, so will not be looking at this real close, but also don't want to get this setup and realize it is 'crap'.

I don't plan to use my desktop much for output other than DVDs.

thanks

 

[bandphan]

Whats your budget for the display and size? As for vga to hdmi, that would be iffy in all likelihood.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I don't really see any need for vga/hdmi converters especially on budget.
For best PQ and integrated audio HDMI cable would be desired, however you'd of-course have rather long hdmi cable, which over 40ft wont support full hd anyways in most cases.

For budget friendly just stick with vga cable you have in place. PQ wont suffer at all.

Resolution wise - I never seen anything over 1600x1200 ran using vga cable, Imo higher resolutions are in digital cables realm (DVI/HDMI/DisplayPort)

If you get inexpensive 42" 720p plasma - you should easy use 720p resolution (1280x720 or close to it) with vga cable.

 

[kpierce]

Thanks for the quick response.
I realized my desktop has an HDMI output along with DVI.

I am looking at 32-40" and my budget is around $500-$750. I know cheap but I am on a budget, and this is not my primary TV.

So my revised questions are: (this is around playing DVDs)
1. I was under the impression DVDs only played up to 480. So would I really gain anything by running an HDMI cable from the back of my PC to the TV?

2. I will be using COAX for TV and I realize that without a convert box that will not get any better than 480, is that correct?

3. bottom line: Will the resolution be better (from a PC play a DVD or DVD player) with an HDMI cable. I don't even think DVDs players have HDMI so I am assuming the quailty would be the same if I run this through a VGA cable and HDMI cable, is that correct?

4. PC related question, hope you can help with this as well. Assuming I utilize the DVI as I am currently doing as my main display, can I force Windows 7 to pipe a video/slide show through the second output on the video card with is HDMI. Basically can I have my desktop multi-tasking with my primary work (internet, email, etc) coming through the DVI port, and be playing a movie/slide show through the HDMI port going to this TV we are discussing? One PC two different outputs.

NOW: Thinking through this what about sound? Does the HDMI cable carry sound? I completey forgot about the sound aspect. geeesh. this is confusing!!
thanks for all this great help.

 

[kpierce]

Investigating this further is appears HDMI carries sound so appears that running an HDMI cable is the answer. Utilizing the VGA only would require that I also run audio lines for the sound.

But question remains can I have my PC pushing output to an HDMI(DVD movie) and to a DVI display with my internet, etc.

If it helps my video card is:
NVIVIDA GeForce 9300 GE

thanks

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

1) You can easily get 42" 1080p Panasonic Plasma for your budget

2) Both Software and Hardware can upscale dvd to HD. YMMV. Don't expect real HD PQ, but it's somewhat close to it.

3)bottom line, HDMI cable by itself will not improve pq

4) think of hdmi out on your desktop just as 2nd monitor. If you ever used dual screen pc, you'll know what I'm talking about.

5) yes, HDMI cable can carry audio as I mentioned above.
PC and audio over HDMI - it could be a bit tricky, depends on configuration, but doable.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

But question remains can I have my PC pushing output to an HDMI(DVD movie) and to a DVI display with my internet, etc.

yes , you can

 

[kpierce]

5) yes, HDMI cable can carry audio as I mentioned above.
PC and audio over HDMI - it could be a bit tricky, depends on configuration, but doable.

Can you help me with what you mean by tricky? Is there something I can investigate prior to my purchase? I don't have an HDMI TV I can test with... So want to ensure I can do this before the purchase.

If it helps I am running Windows 7 64 on a Duo Core, and a GeForce 9300 GE video card.

Also from what I am gathering from your comments I will get basically the same picture quality from my PC if I use an HDMI or VGA cable is that correct? If that is the case, then the only outstanding issue in using the current VGA cable it that I would not have sound. So sounds like regardless I will have to run cables. Is that correct?

I have two extra USB cables that were run with the VGA cable. Wonder if I can use sometype of adaptor to get this to be Audio cables.. If no adaptor can I cut the ends of and just use the wires for Sound?


thanks
kendall

Is that true I will get the same quality from the VGA and I would with the HDMI? I am really confused. When I hook up the VGA part of my monitor it is a lessor quality than the DVI so I am confused.

Again, I am new and getting me confused is very easy... Thanks for helping me.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Why Tricky? I have ION HTPC with built-in GeForce 9300 video card and hdmi port. With windows 7 x64 i wasn't able to get surround sound to work over the cable - only stereo. I'm sure I could fiddle with it longer to get it working, but instead I just connected with optical cable.

If you have existing usb cable runs, I guess you can get some sort of usb audio card. From simple like turtle beach usb to tos-link adapter (if your new tv has optical audio in) to sort like Creative external audio card should work for analog audio.

 

[kpierce]

Thanks,
Actually if I can get stereo sound to work, I will consider it a victory.

Sounds like your setup is what I am trying to achieve.

Can you point me in the right direction on how I would set this up in windows 7? I don't even know where to start.

Summary:
GeForce 9300 with a DVI output of the PC
GeForce 9300 with HDMI output to a TV

Curious how do you specify what goes to what output(video and sound)? by default I would want everything to go to the DVI PC Monitor and only on occasion send a DVD movie to the HDMI output.

I can't tell you how much I appreciate you help on this....

 

[kpierce]

Just a thought but doing this in reverse of what I was doing...

Still trying to use the existing VGA cable I have.

What if I get an adaptor that converts the VGA cable to HDMI and plug that into the back of my PC, then do the same VGA to HDMI adaptor and plug that into the TV?

From what understand that would get me the picture, but I would assume that would not work for audio. Is that correct? Or is there some way I can still utilize this existing VGA cable.

Sorry to be a pain, just trying to figure this out.

 

[kpierce]

Why Tricky? I have ION HTPC with built-in GeForce 9300 video card and hdmi port. With windows 7 x64 i wasn't able to get surround sound to work over the cable - only stereo. I'm sure I could fiddle with it longer to get it working, but instead I just connected with optical cable.

If you have existing usb cable runs, I guess you can get some sort of usb audio card. From simple like turtle beach usb to tos-link adapter (if your new tv has optical audio in) to sort like Creative external audio card should work for analog audio.

Can you please tell me where I would look in Windows 7? Wish I could figure out a way to test this before purchasing a TV.

thanks in advance.