Going crazy with DVI/ HDMI.

[df4801]

Can someone please offer some guidance.
I have a front pj with DVI-I input. My cable box/ receiver will be around 30' of cable away.
I havent bought my dvd or receiver yet.
Question is - will DVI inputs make a big difference in picture quality over component? Is it worth the significant extra $ to get a receiver that has DVI or HDMI out? Or would I just run a dvi from the cable box to the pj and let component run from the receiver to the pj.
I will be eternally grateful for any help as I am pulling out what little hair I have left! LOL

 

[mfabien]

DVI-I is a digital to analog connection (29 pins).

STB's use DVI-D (24 pins) which is a digital to digital connection and it is associated with the HDCP Content Protection protocol module. Your DVI-I input will not work with the DVI-D output of a STB because the handshake of the HDCP module in the STB will not be possible with your projector. And any adapter from DVI-I to DVD-D will be worthless.

 

[df4801]

Thank you for your reply.
But I am more confused now.
Are you saying I should just scrap any idea of using the dvi-i port?

 

[krzywica]

Yes

Thank you for your reply.
But I am more confused now.
Are you saying I should just scrap any idea of using the dvi-i port?

Unless you have dvi-d.

 

[JohnA]

Some slight correction

DVI-I is a digital to analog connection (29 pins).

STB's use DVI-D (24 pins) which is a digital to digital connection and it is associated with the HDCP Content Protection protocol module. Your DVI-I input will not work with the DVI-D output of a STB because the handshake of the HDCP module in the STB will not be possible with your projector. And any adapter from DVI-I to DVD-D will be worthless.

NO, don't scrap the DVI-I Port!!!

DVI-I (Integrated Digital/Analog) is able to do both Analog and Digital

DVI-A is only Analog

DVI-D is only Digital

So your DVI-I will accept both the DVI-A and DVI-D inputs, no worries there.

Also when looking for DVI cables look for "Dual Link" The dual link DVI pins effectively double the power of transmission and provide an increase of speed and signal quality; (i.e. a DVI single link 60-Hz LCD can display a resolution of 1920 x 1080, while a DVI dual link can display a resolution of 2048 x 1536.)

Hope that clears things up some.

 

[mfabien]

NO, don't scrap the DVI-I Port!!!

DVI-I (Integrated Digital/Analog) is able to do both Analog and Digital

DVI-A is only Analog

DVI-D is only Digital

So your DVI-I will accept both the DVI-A and DVI-D inputs, no worries there.

Also when looking for DVI cables look for "Dual Link" The dual link DVI pins effectively double the power of transmission and provide an increase of speed and signal quality; (i.e. a DVI single link 60-Hz LCD can display a resolution of 1920 x 1080, while a DVI dual link can display a resolution of 2048 x 1536.)

Hope that clears things up some.

STB's with either DVI or HDMI are HDCP compliant. Any DVI-I in the link is not HDCP compliant. Conclusion, the Video will not get through.

 

[skipsterut]

HDCP Dominates

STB's with either DVI or HDMI are HDCP compliant. Any DVI-I in the link is not HDCP compliant. Conclusion, the Video will not get through.
10-17-2005 05:05 AM

I have a Comcast/Motorola HDTV STB/DVR with DVI that is NOT HDCP compliant -- so it's not true that not ALL STB's with DVI are HDCP compliant.

But you're right about "the video won't get through" in general because if a component requires HDCP compliance and ANY other link in the chain is not HDCP compliant -- then the signal will fail at the point where HDCP compliance is required -- whether it's at the projector, the receiver - or any other point. Bottom line is that "HDCP dominates" and any non-HDCP signal presented to an HDCP complaint component will not be output correctly from that component.

 

[mfabien]

I have a Comcast/Motorola HDTV STB/DVR with DVI that is NOT HDCP compliant -- so it's not true that not ALL STB's with DVI are HDCP compliant.

But you're right about "the video won't get through" in general because if a component requires HDCP compliance and ANY other link in the chain is not HDCP compliant -- then the signal will fail at the point where HDCP compliance is required -- whether it's at the projector, the receiver - or any other point. Bottom line is that "HDCP dominates" and any non-HDCP signal presented to an HDCP complaint component will not be output correctly from that component.

Look at your Motorola STB/DVR and compare the output DVI connection to a DVI-I and DVI-D seen in the following link:

http://www.ramelectronics.net/html/DVI_budget_cables.html

A dual link DVI-I has 29 pins and a DVI-D has 24 pins. On the top side, the DVI-I has a cluster of 4 pins with a large center pin whereas the DVI-D has 1 larger pin on the top side.

DVR's are very recent devices and I doubt a serious company such as Motorola would have installed a useless output connection, which the DVI-I is, for Television reception.

 

[jawilljr]

STB's with either DVI or HDMI are HDCP compliant. Any DVI-I in the link is not HDCP compliant. Conclusion, the Video will not get through.

My front PJ (Sanyo PLV-Z2) has a DVI-I port and it is HDCP compliant. It passes D*'s Channel 201 HDCP test channel. As JohnA says DVI-I has both Digital and Analog lines in the cable. Any DVID-D cable will work with it.

Jerry