Component to HDMI

So newer TV gets cheaper than not-so-new; my LCD has 2 composite, 2 component, and 4 HDMI; guess I got it just in time! So what's the model of this TV?

yeah, at Costco the other day I saw what looked like a very nice Samsung 3D full field LED backlit TV. Mid-40s size. $659, as I recall. But when I looked on the back, it had only two HDMI inputs and a set of combined composite/component inputs.

That's a measly three inputs.

Welcome to the new world of TVs, I guess.

It occurs to me to ask OP whether his friend's TV has NO composite inputs (hard to believe) or just none free? In that case a composite switch-box would solve it.

Search on A*n for a Video Switch box, and the first item is an RCA, similar to one I used a lot previously, along with several others. This worked well, and is also not $$. Handles composite video as well as audio, S-video too. Consider it if the HDMI idea doesn't pan out.

Why do you say the shared (composite / component) inputs are especially bad?

I would consider moving the device on the shared component/composite input to connect to one of the ReplayTV's inputs, and then have the ReplayTV connect to the TV with component. This would only work if that device was composite (or had S-Video out).

SUBJECT: An Answer from DEEP Left Field...
.
If you visit the DVDR Recorders (STD- Definition) Forum and SEARCH, you'll find a *LOT* of discussion on this topic (i.e. CONVERTERS).

IIRC, you'll also discover that to get GOOD QUALITY, you'll need to spend ~$300-400 on a converter (i.e. Fury 3).

I chose a different route. I bought a NEW Magnavox 2160A DVDR w/HDD (@~$229, IIRC, from Walmart.Com), then a REFURBISHED 513, then a REFURBISHED 515 (~$160-200 from JR.Com). Direct FiOS Cable (i.e. no STB) delivers *BEAUTIFUL* 16:9A 480p from the *UNSCRAMBLED* OTA Channels to the Magnavox DVDR HDD, which, @ SP, looks great to me via HDMI on my 32" Panasonic 720p LCD (with my 60+ year old eyes). The Magnavox DVDR(s) ALSO feeds *BEAUTIFUL* 16:9A 480i via S-Video to my 5XXX ReplayTV(s) which also looks great to me via Component, which I can then share on Poopli as TRUE 16:9A @ MED.

YES, I made sure that *ALL* of my HDTVs have INPUTs for:

• HDMI
• Component
• Composite (S-Video is *DEAD*! )

.
I also have (multiple, sometimes cascaded) Automatic Switch Boxes for:

• HDMI
• Component
• Composite

.
So, by planning WAY AHEAD, I'm now pretty much set until my current 3 HDTVs die.

BOTTOM LINE: Buy a REFURBISHED Maganavox DVDR for LT $200 before you waste any money on an 'El Cheapo' ~$100 Converter. You won't regret it!

Good Luck!
Edited by ClearToLand - 11/23/12 at 6:10pm

I answered this on an earlier post about "Why keep your Replay". I bought this little device. http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325&tag=avsforum00-20&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FLenkeng-LKV351-Component-Converter-Scaler%2Fdp%2FB007YGR0AQ%2Fref%3Dpd_ybh_6 and it works great. Small investment and great results. Been using it for 3-4 months now and could not be happier with it. Even makes sports look a lot better. Keep in mind, I record all sports in high quality mod anyway.

Wondering if it has more to do with the DRM police I suspect their demand for support of High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) via HDMI IMHO.