Hi, I have an LCD monitor that I want to run cable television to. I hooked it up to a Comcast Cable box only to find out that it is not HDCP compliant (suckage).

For my OLDER monitor that has RCA jacks I've been running the cable through a VCR and then running old school RCA cables to the monitor.

However, the monitor I want to use only has VGA and DVI inputs so I'm wondering what my options are, on the cheap. I found an S-video/RCA to VGA cable (amazon.com/NEW-CONVERTER-S-VIDEO-CABLE-ADAPTER/dp/B000S675JU/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1219682831&sr=8-1%22) but all of these devices seem to get horrible reviews.

So my question is, if I were to use this RCA-to-VGA cable will video coming from a VCR output to my monitor? Basically this is a VCR question since I'm wondering how the video is output from it, what format it is in...etc.

Thank you!

You can use VGA to component. That will give you HD quality.

Will component (from the cable box) to VGA bypass the HDCP issue?
If so would component to DVI be a waste or be affected by HDCP?

Are digital connections like DVI and HDMI from the SOURCE the only ones affected by HDCP?

In order to convert component to VGA, you have to use a transcoder.
http://www.digitalconnection.com/Products/Video/9a65.asp

Ok, if I need to have a converter then scratch the component-to-VGA deal.

Back to the original issue though of an RCA/S-video to VGA...can this be achieved with the referenced cable alone based on the output from a VCR??

Or, is there any other cable that could pull it off?

If you're looking for HD resolutions... no.

If you only need a video hookup, any cable may suffice. Here are some inexpensive adapters that may work for you.
http://search.ebay.com/vga-composite_W0QQ

Strange...I have been researching basically the same thing for the last few days. I am not sure if I have found an answer or not, but I did find this item: VGA to S-Video or RCA Adapter on cablesunlimited.com

I emailed them to ask if this would work and here is the reply I received:

"Check your TV owner’s manual to see if it can be setup to recognize the signal from the cable box through the VGA connection. PCs and TVs use different signals. When you are connected to the PC the TV is setup to recognize a VGA signal and convert it to play on your TV. The signal from the cable box is different from the computer. The TV needs to be setup to recognize this different signal from the cable box. A vast majority of TVs do not have this capability."

The manual obviously didn't say anything like this so I emailed the manufacturer. The manufacturer told me it had never been tested and they don't know if it would work or not.

I then found a very similar adapter from a different manufacturer and it says on the description of the item:

IMPORTANT: THIS ADAPTER WILL ABSOLUTELY NOT CONVERT AN S-VIDEO OR COMPOSITE VIDEO SIGNAL TO VGA. YOU CAN NOT USE IT TO DRIVE A VGA COMPUTER MONITOR WITH A CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SOURCE DEVICES SUCH AS A DVD PLAYER OR VCR.

my conclusion is either that some of the adapters will convert while others won't or none of them will do what we are trying to achieve.

My case is slightly different from you though. My monitor is actually an LCD TV that happens to have a VGA input. the coaxial input and RCA input randomly stopped working but the VGA and HDMI still work. I am debating on whether I want to try one of these adapters or just call comcast and upgrade to HD.

Let me know if you have bought one of these adapters and if it worked for you. Thanks.