[krbuck]

Hi all!


I have a nifty new HTPC in the works, and as the pieces are arriving at my home here and there I'm trying to get the connections all planned out. As I install and configure my new HTPC, I'll also be moving all my equipment to a closet across the room.


My question: In my forum searches, I have seen that some folks have experienced a "green band" when using the VGA input. Rather than buying a transcoder, I'd like to just use a straight VGA cable from my Radeon 9000pro card, and component cables from my HDTV cable box. Will this work ok? Is the "band" a showstopper? Is there a workaround?


I do have a Denon 4802 to do component switching if needed, but again, I don't really care to buy a transcoder.


Many thanks to all you nice folks.


--Karl

 

[cheridave]

Karl,


I don't have a HTPC in my system but I don't see why what you have proposed won't work. The VGA on the Panny is after all for "PC" which is what you plan to do. I think the "Green Band" issue was from HD-STBs. I have read favorable reports in the "HT Forum" about HTPC and DVDs. Good luck with your set-up and be sure to report back when you have it completed.


Dave

 

[Spoffo]

Panny will tell you that the VGA input on their plasmas is intended for and optimized for computer input, so you should be golden. The problems some of us have had with the VGA input is when we feed it 1080i signals from a stb.

 

[bodhidiver]

i have a panny 42 consumer model and i use the vga with a GF3. DVD is freaking incredible. your gonna love it.

 

[boykster]

I use my panny 42 (commercial WD version) with an HTPC for Divx, DVD, and HDTV (MyHD) playback using the VGA port, and all is well...absolutely no green banding issues...



Rich

 

[krbuck]

Thanks so much everyone for the help!


Now I just need to get a good VGA, SVideo and Component cable set around 30 ft.

 

[barbja]

Quote:

Originally posted by Major Astro Now I just need to get a good VGA, SVideo and Component cable set around 30 ft.

My equipment closet is a good 50 "wire" feet from my TVs. Just yesterday I had a guy run new cables for me to my plasma in the bedroom and he just ran 6 RG6 cables for Composite (1), S-Video (2), and Component video (3). $37 worth of cable (including the cat5 and speaker cable I had him string in there just for grins); crimped-on F-type ends with F-to-RCA adapters. If it hadn't been for the sloped ceilings and ultra close quarters in the attic at the drop point, I could have done it myself.


My installer told me that the composite signal may look better than S-Video because my plasma probably has a better comb filter than my sources. I had him run lines for the S-Video anyway. I have an RG6 splitter-combiner that I use with my RPTV, so I used it to check it out. I couldn't tell any difference between composite and S-Video on my Panny 37", so I'm using the composite input. On the other hand, I CAN tell the difference between composite/S-Video and component video. Both inputs look great though he did have to install a ground isolator to get barely-there hum bars to go away on the composite line.


I did ask him about VGA and he said that if I wanted VGA, a pre-made VGA cable would have to be strung. I don't know if that is true or not. Couldn't you use VGA breakout cables on both ends of some RG6 cable?

 

[krbuck]

Its true I could run break-out cables, but since I'm removing my dvd player in favor of my soon-to-be-built HTPC, I have the opportunity to bypass my Denon 4802 as a video switcher and connect everything directly to my Panny:


Tivo Svideo=>Plasma Svideo

3100HD Cable box component=>Plasma Component

HTPC VGA=>Plasma VGA


Nice and simple, but lots of cable to run.


--Karl

 

[IEBA]

I'm sorta in the same boat trying to figure out cabling.

The room was built before DVD so there's no component cable to the projector. Now I have a progressive-capabile DVD with Y, Pb, Pr output and a Panny projector with two VGA inputs, one is settable to RGB, as well. As this room is the basement, and all the wiring is in-wall, I anticipate some breakage must occur, but I want to minimize it by doing it right the first time.


What do I need to get the best picture from the RCA's on the DVD to the D-sub VGA on the Projector... about 15 feet up the wall and in the ceiling, and where's the best place to get it?


Thanks.