Blu Ray over analog video on HTPC?

PowerDVD 7.3 allows it. At least the version that came with my LG burner did. Explicitly says on the box HDCP is not required for VGA output.

I run it on two TV's like this... HDMI is a hassle on my 1366 x 768 screen. VGA just works.

I think both the prior posts ^^ miss the point. One guy doesn't even have a 1080p set and he says "VGA works just fine" but the question wasn't if VGA would work but rather if VGA provided the TRUE 1080p capabilities THROUGH the VGA port...which it seems no one has yet answered on this thread so I will try to provide a bit of guidance along those lines. Some of the 1080p-capable flat panels can NOT accept 1080p signaling through the VGA port but CAN accept 1080p signaling through the HDMI and/or DVI ports just fine.

His question was whether or not PowerDVD "down-rezzed" the 1080p picture of a Blu-ray movie. And his question was answered. No, the VGA output of your HTPC will be the SAME as the digital one. Whether or not his DISPLAY can handle 1080p over analog is another question. But not the one he asked.

Don't forget, high-def video is only 1/2 of the high-def equation. What are you going to do to get high-def sound?

Yes, that Westinghouse can take 1080p over the VGA connection. Whether or not your MB can handle the video? I'm not sure. I've always used a dedicated card to offload video. The 3650's are sooo cheap. Heck, even a passive 8600GT would be killer in that system!

I don't think any newer TV's will have a problem accepting VGA output at HD resolution. It will essentially treat the TV as a standard computer monitor and more than likely give you true 1080p. If you're TV is only 1080i, then the TV will then scale it.

Bottom line... If you're TV has PC/VGA input, then you'll be able to run the native resolution of the screen just fine. If and when they impliment the ICT, then you could have a problem, but nothing AnyDVD can't fix.

An E4500 at stock speeds will be able to handle MOST HD, however, I found when I ran like this, some codecs ran 95%+ CPU usage. I do agree with the above to run a cheap passive card if you're sticking with the E4500 (which is also a good choice).

I really don't think I missed what he was asking the first time ndabunka.

Unfortunately contrary to intuition, many of the smaller sized (32 to 37-inch) LCD's do NOT allow full resolutions from the VGA ports. You would THINK that they all would, but the truth is that many only offer a "crippled" resultion output when using VGA. That was one of the reasons I was very careful when I bought my office 1080p 37-inch display less than 3 months ago. Toshiba (32RV530) and the 32 & 37" Panasonics are the ones I recall with this type of restriction but even some of the "much touted" (on these forums at least) Samsung's (specifically the LN32A550) don't allow full 1080p resolution through the VGA port in the smaller sizes even though the TV supports the resolution through the HDMI ports. I know it does seem counter-intuitive but it's reality. Here are some of those links.
Link #1 - http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...395&highlight=
Link #2 - http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...934&highlight=
Link #3 - http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...259&highlight=
One of these kinds of threads has an update to that original comparison spreadsheet that includes the details on which systems provide full resolution through the VGA port (as an additional row). I just can't find it now so it must have a more elusive title.

I think his original post was centered around whether or not the HTPC could pass out HD and not be down-res'd from that.

Contrary to your first post , he asked about the OUTPUT Being that this is an HTPC section of the forum and not the TV section...

Didn't know about the TV's having issues... No problems with any of mine.