[cambridge_mass]

Hi there - I'm a real newbie and would be grateful if anyone out there could help me out with a basic setup question. I have a MyHD card and am waiting for a HDTV-ready LCD TV to arrive (GoVideo TW1730) which has the following inputs:


• Composite Video In

• S-Video In

• Component Video In (Y/Pr/Pb)

• PC Video In (15 pin D-sub)


I want to use it as a PC monitor some of the time and as a HDTV output for the MyHD card at others and am wondering how to make the highest quality connection. From what I've ready, component gives the best quality - am I right in thinking that I should be looking for a VGA to Component breakout cable to connect to the MyHD card? I'm a little confused as to how exactly the three-way blue cable supplied with the MyHD card works - it connects to the 'Video Input' slot on the card, but various things in the documentation indicate that it also works as an output. For instance, I'm wondering if I can use the red/white/yellow composite connection as an output to the monitor (and if so, is the quality of composite much lower than that of component?). Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

[Cliff Watson]

Here is the order of video quality from low to high;


Composite (480i max) > S-Video (480i max) > Component (1080i or 720p) > VGA (max supported by TV and/or graphics card).


You didn't give the max resolution or the native LCD panel resolution of the TV, but in general VGA will give you the best sharpness for the desktop and for MyHD HD video.


The hookup would be with one of the blue 15-pin connectors connected to your graphics card and the other blue cable output connected to the TV VGA input. This is called 'loopback' mode and will allow you to switch between the desktop and MyHD output using the remote or keyboard.

 

[cambridge_mass]

Hi Cliff - thanks for the speedy answer. That's extremely helpful. The resolution of the TV is 1024x768.


Just to make sure I understand you: the part of the blue cable marked 'MyHD' plugs into the card itself, the part marked 'Monitor' loops up to the regular PC monitor output and the part marked 'VGA' connects to the 'PC Video In' (15 pin D-sub) input on the TV to give maximum picture quality?


Thanks again - much appreciated.

 

[HarBlar]

Hi Cambridge_mass.


It's my understanding that if you want the highest quality input you should go with the pc video in (vga connection). While component is high quality it is still a compressed video signal. VGA connections are pure RGB supplying the 3 primary colors plus separate horizontal and vertical sync information allowing uncompressed video data to be transmitted from source to display.

I'm somewhat of a newbie myself, but this is what I've been able to surmise after reaserching the subject for the past month or so. If I were you, I'd stick with the vga to vga connection, however I know very little about the "MYHD" card and how it works. Hopefully someone else has more knowledge of this device to help you make a better decision.

Good Luck!


-HarBlar

 

[Cliff Watson]

Quote:

Originally posted by cambridge_mass Hi Cliff - thanks for the speedy answer. That's extremely helpful. The resolution of the TV is 1024x768. Just to make sure I understand you: the part of the blue cable marked 'MyHD' plugs into the card itself, the part marked 'Monitor' loops up to the regular PC monitor output and the part marked 'VGA' connects to the 'PC Video In' (15 pin D-sub) input on the TV to give maximum picture quality? Thanks again - much appreciated.

The plug marked MyHD (with 26 pins) connectes to the back of the MyHD card. The one marked VGA (male pins) connectes to the conputer graphics card and the one marked monitor (female plug) connec ts to a VGA extension cablt to the VGA input on the TV.


In MyHD Config Panel you would set the output of MyHD to RGB (same as VGA from graphics card) and set the output resolution to 1024x768 native resolution of you TV.


Oh I almost forgot. The Composite, S-Video and l/r audio connections on the blue cable are inputs, not outputs.

 

[cambridge_mass]

Thanks Cliff - I just tested out that configuration with my current set-up and it worked like a charm. You just saved me from buying a bunch of expensive component cables that I didn't need!


Thanks HarBlar for the post on VGA - with all the talk about component on this board, I would never have realized that VGA was the highest quality.