Blu-ray and VGA

[dreadman]

Hi everyone. I plan on building a new pc and including a radeon hd4870 and a blu-ray/hd-dvd drive. I planned on recycling my current AOC 19" VGA flat panel monitor just to keep costs down but I was reading that blu-ray discs may not playback on the monitor because it isn't hdcp compliant.

Can anyone shed some light on this? Thanks in advance

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: dreadman
I planned on recycling my current AOC 19" VGA flat panel monitor just to keep costs down but I was reading that blu-ray discs may not playback on the monitor because it isn't hdcp compliant.

You read correctly. You will need a new monitor that's HDCP-compliant, preferably one with an HDMI input. Welcome to anandtech, BTW.

 

[mpilchfamily]

Here is some reading material so you can better understand what the protocol is all about and why the parts need to be HDCP Complaint.
http://www.digitalconnection.com/FAQ/HDTV_12.asp

As you will find the system requires a hand shake from each component the HD video passes threw to ensure its not being pirated.

 

[dreadman]

Thanks for the link mpilchfamily and the welcome myocardia. Anandtech seems to be a good place for info.
I guess one of the parts of adopting new technology is that it makes other stuff obsolete.
Just for curiosity sake though, what would have been the outcome if I had used the proposed setup?

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: dreadman
Just for curiosity sake though, what would have been the outcome if I had used the proposed setup?

If you mean what would happen if you use your old monitor, the answer is everything would be the same as it is now, unless you tried to play a Blu-Ray movie. You would just get a blank screen while trying to play Blu-Ray.

 

[zerogear]

Or, you can get a HDFury (dongle on monitor) (check monoprice.com). It allows 1080p playback through VGA inputs. Its about 60$. I think its worth it if you don't want to bother with buying another monitor.

Link: http://www.monoprice.com/produ...id=4559&seq=1&format=2

 

[Evander]

I thought non-hdcp monitors (or to be more accurate, the playback software or the hardware) force the image to downscale to standard def or am I confusing this with something else? If that was the case I don't it would matter much anyway on a screen only 19 inches

Edit: Here is a cut and paste from cyberlink faq that seems to indicate vga support:
http://www.cyberlink.com/stat/...u/trouble-shooting.jsp
PowerDVD displays an error message "The playback of this content is not allowed with an digital output device. Please use a analog output device."
Issue

PowerDVD displays an error message "The playback of this content is not allowed with an analog output device. Please use a digital output device" when you are trying to play a Blu-ray Disc title.
Cause

PowerDVD detected that your system doesn't meet the requirement required to play the Blu-ray Disc title with a digital connection.
Solution

1. Use standard VGA connection between your graphics card and display. This will output video content with analog connection and display.

Edit 2:
It seems AnyDVD HD is another option. It seems somewhat pricey but has other functions as well, though personally I'd guess it wouldn't be worth it for a 19 incher:
http://www.slysoft.com/en/anydvdhd.html
but if you do buy they are having a 20% off sale til sep. 28

 

[dreadman]

Thanks for the update guys. At least I have a few options instead of just..buy a new monitor which wasn't really in the budget.
Out here in the caribbean that would run me an extra $2500 at least. From what I see anydvd hd looks like the solution.

 

[Calculator83]

I personally would still purchase a monitor capable of 1080p as you'll be in ways wasting your new gaming machine.

Though since u live in the Caribbean, why not get a jetski. LOL

 

[dreadman]

That would be ideal and I plan to in the future. The way I see it is that if I use the video card at the monitors native resolution which is 1440x900 I should get decent framerates in almost any game that I
throw at it. As far as the jetski, I'd prefer a kawasaki ninja. More of a landlubber. lol

 

[Calculator83]

Originally posted by: dreadman
That would be ideal and I plan to in the future. The way I see it is that if I use the video card at the monitors native resolution which is 1440x900 I should get decent framerates in almost any game that I
throw at it. As far as the jetski, I'd prefer a kawasaki ninja. More of a landlubber. lol

U know, I was all up for a motorcycle a while back, then when i finally got one and all, hehe "ninja' no girls would get on the back of it cuz they were like,, no it's too dangerous. So i ended up just riding it by myself, which is fine, but i felt ripped, since part of it was to make me look cool.

Jetski though,, i think seals the deal for anyone, it's like,, hey u wanna go out,, i got a jetski. who'd say no.

U'd really want a higher res monitor though. Because the games out these days are made with much higher resolution textures than way back when. so to really immerse urself in the visuals, you do need a high res monitor.

 

[Dillybob]

Yeah. Look for a monitor with at least 1920x1200....your games will look awesome, and it can step back to Full 1080P HD.

Why would a monitor out there be that much more expensive? Is it the shipping or something?

 

[Calculator83]

Originally posted by: Dillybob
Yeah. Look for a monitor with at least 1920x1200....your games will look awesome, and it can step back to Full 1080P HD.

Why would a monitor out there be that much more expensive? Is it the shipping or something?

OMG, ur so Naive, it's the Pirates of the Caribbean, and they have a draken

 

[Dillybob]

?

 

[dreadman]

It's a few things actually. Places that accept international credit cards, shipping costs and also the possibility of taxes when it lands at the port 20% duty and 15% sales tax.
Oh by the way our exchange rate to US currency is 6.3 to 1

@ Calculator83
haha you are really trying to sell this jetski idea
Sorry to hear the chicks didn't take to the motorcycle. My major reason for wanting one is to zip through traffic. If it makes me look cool then that's an added bonus

 

[Calculator83]

Originally posted by: dreadman
It's a few things actually. Places that accept international credit cards, shipping costs and also the possibility of taxes when it lands at the port 20% duty and 15% sales tax.
Oh by the way our exchange rate to US currency is 6.3 to 1

@ Calculator83
haha you are really trying to sell this jetski idea
Sorry to hear the chicks didn't take to the motorcycle. My major reason for wanting one is to zip through traffic. If it makes me look cool then that's an added bonus

Remember that tom Cruise scene in Top Gun when he was more/less doing this chick on his motorcycle, that was my dream before i got into it, but it was shattered like so many other things by reality. DAME REALITY