[bonscott87]

I am looking at buying my first HDTV and am looking at the Hitachi 43fxw20B. This TV has just about everything I am looking for BUT it does not have a DVI input. How important do you feel having a DVI input is? Especially looking 3 years down the road.


Thanks!

 

[jeffmcclan]

DVI has become the standard digital connection for new TVs, STBs, etc (excluding Mitsubishi's 1394 connection). If you plan to purchase a new HD STB (HD200, Sammy 160 or 165, etc.), then a DVI TV may provide the best PQ.


The PQ should definitely be better with DVI when used a DLP based set (digitial display electronics). For other television technologies, I would think that evaluation PQ between a DVI and component input would be advisable.

 

[sbonaparte]

Question..


DVI is all digital to the TV and I am assuming the D/A that is used is the TV"s. Right??


Component is 3 seperated colors Analog to the TV??


I believe the bandwidth of component is high enough to support current source technologies so what are you getting with DVI? if the quantity of data is limited at the source? It seems DVI or component allows you to choose which device you want to process your D/A.


Component -> Source device D/A

DVI -> TV device D/A


I am just getting into this and I am trying to understand...


Thank you...

 

[jeffmcclan]

I am purchasing a DLP based RPTV (based on TI's digital HD2 micromirror array). DVI provides a completely digital path for this application and thus reportedly the best PQ.


In a CRT RPTV or LCD RPTV, any advantage of DVI is less certain, and PQ would need to be evaluated vs. Component. Hope this clarification helps.

 

[MDRiggs]

Quote:

Originally posted by sbonaparte DVI is all digital to the TV and I am assuming the D/A that is used is the TV"s. Right?? Component is 3 seperated colors Analog to the TV??

Component is actually luminance and two color-difference signals, which are added and subtracted to obtain the three primary colors (RGB). DVD and TV are based on component-video signals. DVI carries digital RGB. In another thread, someone asserts that STBs actually convert analog RGB to digital to feed their DVI outputs; I don't know whether that is the case or not.

 

[bonscott87]

Thanks guys. I think that I won't worry about the lack of a DVI input for now. Component is fine and this set will probably only be used for 3-5 years max. I plan to build a home theatre room with a projector within 5 years and this TV would be to "get us buy" (so to speak) until then. Maybe by then they will have actually settled on a standard as well.


If anyone has any other advice, I certainly appreciate it.


Thanks!

 

[eweiss]

The red-laser High-Def DVDs should be out in a year -- don't know if they'll require a DVI input or if they will send full resolution through component inputs. The blue-laser "cartridge" high-def movies will be out maybe a year later, and don't know if they will require a DVI input or not.


Also, not all DVI is created equal. If it does not have HDCP (copy protection), some sources may not display full resolution via the DVI input (so they say).

 

[Man-Fai Wong]

Regarding HD-DVDs, while the technology is available, they will still need to convince the movie studios to get onboard, and THAT's probably the biggest obstacle to HD-DVDs. IMHO, a one-year forecast for that to happen is nothing more than a pipe dream. Even if it happens really soon like say 2-3 years, it'll probably be very expensive for a long while yet simply because the studios won't want to kill their current DVD cash cow quite so quickly. Also, the market for HD-DVD will still be a niche one, so that's one more reason to keep them from wanting to make their precious film librarie available on HD-DVD.


Of course, if money is no object, then the potential for DVI to be required by the final HD-DVD spec does present something to consider. But then, if money is no object, you could just buy a new and better(!) display IF and WHEN it happens.

 

[ted08721]

Quote:

Originally posted by eweiss The red-laser High-Def DVDs should be out in a year -- don't know if they'll require a DVI input or if they will send full resolution through component inputs. The blue-laser "cartridge" high-def movies will be out maybe a year later, and don't know if they will require a DVI input or not. Also, not all DVI is created equal. If it does not have HDCP (copy protection), some sources may not display full resolution via the DVI input (so they say).

Will I have to purchase new dvd player for HD DVDS Also have been leaning towards purchase of GW2 which has DVI but no HDCP maybe this would not be wise move?

 

[lrc]

Ted,


According to my GWII owners manual, the DVI connection:


"Can accomodate a copy-protected digital connection (HDCP) to other devices (such as digital set-top boxes) that have compatible interfaces. The DVI-HDTV input terminal is compliant with the EIA-861 standard and is not intended for use with personal computers"

 

[MDRiggs]

Quote:

Originally posted by eweiss The red-laser High-Def DVDs should be out in a year -- don't know if they'll require a DVI input or if they will send full resolution through component inputs. The blue-laser "cartridge" high-def movies will be out maybe a year later, and don't know if they will require a DVI input or not.

Given the potential market and the current absence of settled standards, I think those are extremely optimistic dates, at least for a system intended to support pressed commercial titles (as opposed to home recording). It's pretty close to impossible.

 

[MDRiggs]

Quote:

Originally posted by ted08721 Will I have to purchase new dvd player for HD DVDS Also have been leaning towards purchase of GW2 which has DVI but no HDCP maybe this would not be wise move?

When such things finally exist (I would guess three to four years from now, at the earliest), yes.

 

[DICK CONWAY]

Yes; its me again with yet another post on the NEED for a DVI/HDCP input on a HD set. For you non-believers out there, read this latest info from: www.multichannel.com - On the left under Sections, click on Broadband Week. A paid subscription is required to read the full story. From the 12/02/2002 issue read: "Cable Industry Struggles With Set-Top DVI Links" and " Ops: Make Room for DVI, We're Going to Need It". I feel sorry for the early adopters who have spent thousands on a analog RP set or in the case of FP; tens of thousands. Don't put yourself in this group by buying a HD set that doesn't have a DVI/HDCP input. The MPAA will use DVI/HDCP to copy protect their movies. Believe it. Dick

 

[Man-Fai Wong]

Well, that really depends on how much you care about what will actually end up requiring DVI/HDCP and when it'll be truly widespread and a # of other factors.


I've never been a subscriber of premium content or pay-per-view or such, so it bothers me not.


And by the time HD-DVD becomes an affordable reality, which will likely be DVI protected, I might be ready to buy a new TV anyway.


Yeah, it would suck if you bought a set w/out DVI thinking you will always have no problem getting an HD signal from your cable or sat provider (or HD-DVD), but those are NOT the "early adopters" for the most part. Most early adopters would probably be ready to upgrade by the time DVI and the feared down-rezzing go into full swing.


And who knows? Somebody just might come up w/ a DVI-to-analog blackbox that effectively upgrades a non-DVI TV, if there's a real market for it. Afterall, your DVI-included TV is basically just a TV w/ the DVI-to-analog converter built-in.


Just my $.02.


_Man_

Quote:

Originally posted by DICK CONWAY Yes; its me again with yet another post on the NEED for a DVI/HDCP input on a HD set. For you non-believers out there, read this latest info from: www.multichannel.com - On the left under Sections, click on Broadband Week. A paid subscription is required to read the full story. From the 12/02/2002 issue read: "Cable Industry Struggles With Set-Top DVI Links" and " Ops: Make Room for DVI, We're Going to Need It". I feel sorry for the early adopters who have spent thousands on a analog RP set or in the case of FP; tens of thousands. Don't put yourself in this group by buying a HD set that doesn't have a DVI/HDCP input. The MPAA will use DVI/HDCP to copy protect their movies. Believe it. Dick

 

[bonscott87]

My thinking is similar. I want to get a set now, but it's not something that I plan to have in 5 years. I figure that I get a smaller set now (43") which is about the largest I can get in the space I have at a decent price (under $1800). Not a ton of money (relatively anyway).


By the time I finally build a big home theatre in 4-5 years, my hope is by then there will be a standard for DVI/HDCP as well as HD-DVD and I can then get the latest greatest and not worry about something being obsolete. I'd also agree that I'm sure someone will come up with an outside converter box, why wouldn't they? But even without it, then I don't need to watch their stupid programs.


Thanks for all the comments, it's been a big help in my decision.

 

[eweiss]

Quote:

Originally posted by ted08721 Will I have to purchase new dvd player for HD DVDS Also have been leaning towards purchase of GW2 which has DVI but no HDCP maybe this would not be wise move?

I read about this in a recent magazine, can't remember which one -- maybe Sound&Vision?


The red-laser can't hold as much info as the blue laser, but they believe that advancing compression technologies will let them put a full HD movie on a single High-Def DVD. Why they expect this to come out in a year is because the technology is already here and red-laser High-Def DVD players will be backwards-compatible with regular DVDs -- you'll be able to play your current DVDs in the new red-laser high-def DVD players.


The blue laser technology can store much more information on a DVD -- but they are using a cartridge system, which means the players for these DVDs are a couple years off, at least, and won't be able to play current DVDs.


I predict High Def DVD players will be available within 2 years. Thus, I would only get a TV with DVI + HDCP.


But, then, I believed in the Y2K disaster ... so don't believe my predictions.

 

[RFMan]

A DVI-to-component transcoder would not be very hard to build. I'm willing to bet that we will see them come to market if the need arises.


However, my weapon against obsolescence is my HTPC. Whenever HD-DVD hits the market, all I need to do is install the new type of drive in my PC and upgrade my software. PCs are going to have 15-pin VGA connectors for a long time, for as long as that lasts, my VGA-to-component transcoder will be all I need.

 

[analog8]

An HTPC won't save you from the DVI HDCP problem.


Intel's HDCP architecture specifically requires licensees to build HDCP on PC's in such a way that the display output is tightly controlled at the hardware level. Hence the HD-DVD player will refuse to output signal in HD to anything except a video card with DVI HDCP.


You can read all about how this will work in great detail in this Intel presentation:

http://cnscenter.future.co.kr/resour...01/ehos255.pdf


I think that HDCP converters will also appear on the market. They may violate the DMCA, but that only applies in the US.


I also suspect there may be a class action lawsuit in the US if content providers attempted to shut off the 'analog hole' and force use of HDCP DVI.

 

[Man-Fai Wong]

I think it might become a catch-22 though. If the content providers--well, movie studios to be specific--feel threatened by the likelihood of such converters and class action lawsuits, it may cause them to drag their feet on adopting HD-DVD even longer than otherwise. So I guess in a sense you sort of do want them to adopt DVI/HDCP sooner than later so that the lawsuits can happen and the converters will show up. And hope that things will work out as they have w/ DVD.


OTOH, it does pain me to think about having to replace my DVD collection if it happens sooner than later...

 

[barron5]

I maybe confused but if they were so worried about producing HD DVD's why are they producing D-Theater movies on DVHS?


Andy