ATI HDTV Component Video Adapter $29 from shop@ATI

[virtuamike]

Was browsing AVSForums and found this

Now all I need is an HDTV

 

[Bagger]

You know I was wondering just how much something like that would cost. I'd been looking around at HDTVs (dreaming, of course) and I kept thinking "Why don't any of them have SVGA input anymore?". I wonder if the output from this would look as good as my brother's PC does hooked up to his RCA MM52110 52" HDTV @ 800x600 via SVGA input?

 

[DUKAT1]

Thanks. Been looking for this to become available.

$29 for the adaptor isn't too bad, but I can't believe the only shipping options are $15 and $20!:Q

Now if they would only enable off the air reception of HD signals with the AIW's tuner section, we would really be in business.

 

[MarcG]

WOW! 6 months ago I couldn't find an RGB to Y/Pr/Pb transcoder for less than $110 shipped. If the quality is okay with this, even $20 shipping keeps it less than half of any other option (6 months ago, at least).

 

[hk29]

This isn't a transcoder ... it doesn't convert a svga signal to a component.

This adapter comes with a software that makes ATI8500 output a component signal which then is passed through the adapter.

This may not work with other video cards ...

 

[crzyc]

rca transcoder goes for like 50 on ebay....

just get that

 

[unsped]

I orderd a dongle I haven't gotten confirmation though. shipping is rediculous.

 

[DUKAT1]

Mine has been shipped, & will hopefully arrive tomorrow. Can't wait to watch dvd's in full "correct proportion" widescreen 1080i.

 

[broadwayblue]

do any of you actually read the articles on this site?

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.html?i=1640&p=3

 

[Lance22]

It says that the dvi to component wont work with all radeons, only the AIW's...any idea if this is true? false? Is the quality the same for the both?

I have a 32" panasonic tau hdtv right next to my computer and i just ordered the $98 radeon from new egg...im wondering which adapter i should get...

the vga to component or the dvi to component...

If anyone has any info, id appriciate it, thanks.

 

[unsped]

it says the dvi version is only for all in wonders, since they don't have the vga port.

I see no way they could enforce this though.

Also I called and asked ATI if it would work on the 64mb 8500LE ... there answer was ... "its an oem product, buy it an find out".

Pretty irritating people to deal with.

Also if you want to display dvd's in 720p, 1080i etc... you will need to have dvd's without CSS or Macrovision. The DVD consortium limits dvd output to 480p. Then again if your smart enough to be doing this , you probably know how to get around css. Apparently ATI's drivers have a *way* of sensing CSS ... I doubt it would catch powerdvd or similar ... probably just something ati's dvd player checks for.

 

[Lance22]

Originally posted by: unsped
it says the dvi version is only for all in wonders, since they don't have the vga port.

I see no way they could enforce this though.

Also I called and asked ATI if it would work on the 64mb 8500LE ... there answer was ... "its an oem product, buy it an find out".

Pretty irritating people to deal with.

Also if you want to display dvd's in 720p, 1080i etc... you will need to have dvd's without CSS or Macrovision. The DVD consortium limits dvd output to 480p. Then again if your smart enough to be doing this , you probably know how to get around css. Apparently ATI's drivers have a *way* of sensing CSS ... I doubt it would catch powerdvd or similar ... probably just something ati's dvd player checks for.

Do you have any idea if one would be better than the other? dvi or vga? If the quality and clarity is the same, then ill just get the vga one...but i have a feeling that the dvi connector would have better output?

 

[unsped]

the quality between the dvi vs. vga should the exact same.

the quality is dependant on the quality of ati's ramdac, the signal is the same with the dvi, or the vga adapter, since the component signal in the end is the same.

the dongle is not a transcoder, which means that it is not doing any conversion ... so what its plugged into will make no difference.

I bet 5 dollars the dvi adapter is running off of the vga pins on the dvi connector, and not any of the digital dvi pins itself.


ati is essentially doing what hercules did with there gtxp ... using existing connectors to output different types of signals. since the AIW does not have a regular crt connector on the card, im sure thats the reason they have a different connector.

 

[Lance22]

Originally posted by: hk29
This isn't a transcoder ... it doesn't convert a svga signal to a component.

This adapter comes with a software that makes ATI8500 output a component signal which then is passed through the adapter.

This may not work with other video cards ...

The support is in the new catalyst drivers that ati released...thats all u need.

Also, thanks for the info unsped, i think ill get the dvi one so that i can keep it connected with my monitor as well.

 

[beavis4ever]

Originally posted by: Lance22
It says that the dvi to component wont work with all radeons, only the AIW's...any idea if this is true? false? Is the quality the same for the both?

I have a 32" panasonic tau hdtv right next to my computer and i just ordered the $98 radeon from new egg...im wondering which adapter i should get...

the vga to component or the dvi to component...

If anyone has any info, id appriciate it, thanks.

Let me how the DVI adapter works Lance22. I have the same Tau as you, and the same video card. I tried to get a transcoder to work when I had my GF2 MX, and I could never get it to look right. No matter what timings I used. If this thing works, it would be awesome. I bought 2 different transcoders for this TV. What a waste of money. Awesome TV though. TUBES RULE!!! Heh.

Sorry I just had to register for to say that.

 

[unsped]

i would definitely recommend getting the adapter they specify, for instance on the 8500 non AIW's there is a chance a dvi adapter wont work .... since it is expecting the vga adapter


looks like im the poser of the bunch, ill just be running 480i (just using it to bypass the rage theatre conversion circuitry). well when school starts ill bone up for an hd.

 

[DUKAT1]

FedEx delivered mine today. I am leaving for a fireworks display that won't begin for 3 1/2 hours, so I will post results of "how it works for me" tomorrow. I'll probably get home after 1:00 am, but chances are I'll still want to play with it.

 

[bafuu]

I think the HDTV to get is the one that can accept vga inputs. I think if I have the money for an HD I would like to get the new panasonic PT-45LC12.

Review


link

 

[unsped]

im just assuming that a hdtv with a vga hookup has a built in transcoder. its a little different than just outputting component in the first place ... and depending on the quality of the transcoder it has the ability to look alot worse.

 

[RedShirt]

If you have a retail radeon, get the CRT adaptor. Then use your DVI to CRT adaptor to use for your CRT computer monitor. This way if you decide later on to buy a monitor that uses the DVI connection, you still have the DVI connector free (after you take the converter off of it of course).

 

[DUKAT1]

Well, so far I have not been able to get the display correct on my Sony 57"HDTV. Looks great at 640x480, but desktop is waaaayy too large! At higher (720p & 1080i) resolutions, I think the refresh rate is the problem. I think I will need to use powerstrip to set some custom timings, and I will report back later.

 

[rugger29]

So, anyone got news on this? I'm very interested to see how its going for the people who bought the adapter. Did anyone successfully get the adapter to work on a 8500LE ?

 

[kaborka]

Stephen Orr of ATI said on the AVS forum that 720p won't be supported till a later Catalyst release. So it's only 640x480 at i or p for now. Plus, he said the MV detection is built in at the driver level, so it will block higher rez even from PowerDVD and other players. You'll have to rip the DVD to disk and remove MV to enjoy 720p and up (once higher rez are supported by Catalyst).

Here's a link to the main dongle thread at AVS. Orr's comments are in several threads, though. The dongle won't work with other cards, since it uses the Radeon's DACs to build the signals. I'm thinking of getting one for my Tau (480i), too, but I'm waiting till there's a solution for the image sizing and overscan problems. No one's been able to get it to work right yet.

Updated: Apparently, the latest Catalyst will work at 720p and up. In Orr's most recent comments, he said that 540p isn't supported, but that may not be the case. Still no solution for overscan at 480 i or p, though.