I’m trying to send video from my computer to my TV. No big deal, right? The only video output on the computer is HDMI, whereas the TV can accept only Composite, Coaxial, S-Video and Component. Searching the internet for what I had thought would be a cheap little connector doohickey turns up no results, but I did find this:
All I want to do is playback content that I have paid for and own on a TV I have paid for and own. If this is for real, my choices are buy a new TV with HDMI input (no chance), buy a converter box for a minimum of $250 (more than my TV cost), or add S-Video or Component output to my computer.
I just did a bit of digging around on the Canadian side of the border, and I see no HDMI-to-component-video adaptor cables here either, even though such a thing might be legal here. It occurs to me that a convertor would be a better word for such a beast, because HDMI is a digital format, and component video is analogue.
HDMI carries digital video, digital audio, and digital control signals. To create component video, you’d need a digital decoder and at least three D-to-A convertors and a sync generator and probably a bunch of other suff including a power supply. $250 for a convertor box doesn’t sound that bad, especially because it would essentially be generating and syncing a whole set of analogue video signals from scratch.
I find that mind bogglingly stupid if it’s the case.
I would suggest that the vast majority of home computers are attached to a screen (not a TV, even an LCD one), and that the vast majority of computer monitors are not HDMI enabled. And that’s a product even the PC add-on industry would not make with the possible sales numbers.
If the only SPARE video out is HDMI, then OK, I can accept that. Could you not possibly get a HDMI->DVI adapter to connect to your monitor, then a DVI->component adapter to connect to your TV. I know it’s buying two pieces of equipment for one task, but it will surely be cheaper than converting HDMI to component.
I should have been more precise, there is a VGA out, but it is used by the monitor. The HDMI to DVI to Component idea sounds good, I think I’ll try that. Thanks.
This isn’t just an HDMI issue, since it looks like your tv doesn’t accept RGB (ie., it doesn’t have a hi resolution input. You would still need to get a scan converter card or box even if you were dealing with only analog.
What are you wanting to watch on the TV which is coming from your computer?
I’m planning on using BeyondTV to record and play back standard definition stuff that is broadcast at inconvenient times. Are you are saying the signal that will be sent from the HDMI out will be useless to the TV, even though it will be coming through a Component connection, unless it is processed by a scan converter?
See Sunspace’s reply.
DVI has the ability to carry both digital and analog. An HDMI->DVI adapter would work with a digital signal, and a DVI->Component adapter would work with an analog signal, but plugging one into the other won’t convert between the two.
Ah, OK, now I get it. Crap. Forget that, then. Is there a way to add Component or S-video out ports to a computer without adding a graphics card? Perhaps via firewire?
The website is mistaken. Briefly, HDCP exists on top of HDMI, not part of it. In other words, it’s optional. HDCP only comes in when playing back DRM-encumbered HD media.