PC to LCD TV connection advice

[moonshake]

Hey there,
I have my PC currently connected to my CRT Tv via S-Video-component 14meter cable and it´s Xonar sound card to a Sony stereo receiver.
I use to reproduce divx, xvid, and mkv files with subtitles from my PC to the TV.
The thing is that I´m willing to upgrade to a Samsung B651 32´LCD and would like to continue streaming movies from the PC to the TV.
Can someone recommend the best way to do this?
I know the Samy has DLNA features for playing mkv and avi files from the PC (wifi or ethernet connected) but the problem is that in that case the TV has to play and decode the files (with limited codecs, low processor power, etc) and I´ll have to connect it to the receiver too, loosing the high quality audio of the Xonar sound card.
I have an old Linksys wrt54gl router witch insn´t 802.11 N compliant for high bandwidth media streaming over wifi and I´ll try to avoid external HD´s, USB sticks and Players like Popcorn, Asus O!play, etc.
What do you recommend?
Sorry for the long post...
Cheers

[Donnie27]

Hey there,
I have my PC currently connected to my CRT Tv via S-Video-component 14meter cable and it´s Xonar sound card to a Sony stereo receiver.
I use to reproduce divx, xvid, and mkv files with subtitles from my PC to the TV.
The thing is that I´m willing to upgrade to a Samsung B651 32´LCD and would like to continue streaming movies from the PC to the TV.
Can someone recommend the best way to do this?
I know the Samy has DLNA features for playing mkv and avi files from the PC (wifi or ethernet connected) but the problem is that in that case the TV has to play and decode the files (with limited codecs, low processor power, etc) and I´ll have to connect it to the receiver too, loosing the high quality audio of the Xonar sound card.
I have an old Linksys wrt54gl router witch insn´t 802.11 N compliant for high bandwidth media streaming over wifi and I´ll try to avoid external HD´s, USB sticks and Players like Popcorn, Asus O!play, etc.
What do you recommend?
Sorry for the long post...
Cheers

Sure, but I'm not sure about nVidia's HDMI support, research it? Since I have multiple computers in my house, the one I use for a Home Theater PC only uses a cheap 3650 (bought on sale for $36 with free shipping). It came with an HDMI to DVI-D adapter so all you had to do was connect a HDMI 1.3a cable to it and wa-la! I'm using 1080P on my 46" TV. I recently replaced the adapter and went with the full cable that does the same thing.

HDMI to DVI-D Cable (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000SSM4Y4/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000653J1G&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1GN9H5HW1TY2NQZTH3QD). This is an example and better can be found for about $20.

http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-HDMI-DVI-D-Cable-Cord/dp/B000653J1G

The Belkin cable is $19. Again though, I'm not so sure about nVidia's support. Then you can leave you sound card to receiver as it is.

Many TV's also support DVI-D (important, it must say DVI-D because just plain DVI is the older standard. Many LCD TV's ship with DB-15 strictly for computers. That cables aren't that expensive.

Check this one out at Anandtech?

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=1577&p=3

[moonshake]

Thx Donnie,
I think the Nvidia 8800GTS comes with a dvi-hdmi adapter, the problem is that the TV is located 14 meters away from my PC.
I´m using a custom 14m cable now with my CRT and a similar lengh HDMI cable is ridicously high priced...
An excellent solution would be a good quality - high bandwidth wireless video sender but I don´t know if these toys exist nowadays.

[dengyong]

45' HDMI cable $49.99 with free shipping. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812189139&cm_re=hdmi_cable-_-12-189-139-_-Product

[moonshake]

Hey dengyoung.. Thanks for the advice! We don´t have the egg here in Europe but I should have no problems getting a similar cable. They recommend the Ivuna Cables a lot in AVforums. Anyone knows if lengthy cables like this (http://ukhdmi.com/Ivuna_HDMI_Cable_15_Metres_QQ101582) or this (http://ukhdmi.com/XO_Platinum_15_Metres_HDMI_to_DVI_Cable_QQ101723) works without issues at 1080P? Should I look for any special type of quality and / or specifications?

[jason str]

Any cable that fits your needs will be fine, don't look for expensive cables you will never notice any difference from the cheap ones.

[Serra]

I know the Samy has DLNA features for playing mkv and avi files from the PC (wifi or ethernet connected) but the problem is that in that case the TV has to play and decode the files (with limited codecs, low processor power, etc) and I´ll have to connect it to the receiver too, loosing the high quality audio of the Xonar sound card.

I guess this is where I get a bit lost. How exactly are you / would you be connecting to your receiver for audio to lose quality? I guess I'm curious because if you use a digital input/output, the Xonar sound card makes no difference at all as it just passes through anyway. I am not aware of whether TV's can even output on analogue audio cables these days, and if not then I really don't see what the issue would be. If I am wrong in that assumption about your TV only outputting digitally then yes, your workaround makes perfect sense.

[moonshake]

I guess I'm curious because if you use a digital input/output, the Xonar sound card makes no difference at all as it just passes through anyway
No... I´m using the Xonar as DAC, it´s connected via analogue stereo cable to the receiver (it´s an old Sony with no digital inputs). I´ll not change this audio connection. If I connect a new TV to the receiver via analogue - maybe through the headphone out? - i´ll be using the crappy TV´s opamps, and I really prefer the sweet, clear sound of the Xonar.
I´ll be using the long HDMI cable from the PC to LCD TV only for video signal ( and here is where, maybe the 15 meters hurts...)
Sorry about my english

[moonshake]

and for the double post

[Donnie27]

No... I´m using the Xonar as DAC, it´s connected via analogue stereo cable to the receiver (it´s an old Sony with no digital inputs). I´ll not change this audio connection. If I connect a new TV to the receiver via analogue - maybe through the headphone out? - i´ll be using the crappy TV´s opamps, and I really prefer the sweet, clear sound of the Xonar.
I´ll be using the long HDMI cable from the PC to LCD TV only for video signal ( and here is where, maybe the 15 meters hurts...)
Sorry about my english

Your English is good enough:up: Distance? Read the whole thing.

http://www.bluejeanscable.com/articles/how-long-can-hdmi-run.htm


If you're in the longer-than-50-foot category, it gets dicier. We have had good consistent results with the Series-1 cable out to 100 feet, with reports of no trouble in 90% of installations. Cable quality starts to be a real concern at these distances, and performance always is hard to predict, especially because the cable that works on one source/display pair may not work on another. There is, unfortunately, no really good way to know what will work without plugging it in.

IIRC 39 inches in about 1 meter. The problem will be picture, not sound.

You can still use HDMI from the PC to the new TV for Picture only, NOT sound. Normally Analog is better than digital because there is NO delay (like Digital). If it weren't for the Lip-sync feature on my Receiver, I'd more than likely use analog! None of my Cables sold for more than $9.00=P Except speaker wire. Hell, I even bough 200 ft (two 100FT rolls) of 12 gauge speaker wire for $20 each:rofl:

[moonshake]

Hey Donnie, thanks for the help and for the interesting article by Bluejeanscable


You can still use HDMI from the PC to the new TV for Picture only, NOT sound. Normally Analog is better than digital because there is NO delay (like Digital).

About the delay, just to resume, my connections will be like it follows. Do you think I can experiment some out of sync audio or video???

Audio: PC Xonar D2 - 15m analogue cable audio - receiver
Video: PC 8800GTS DVI/HDMI converter - 15 digital HDMI cable - LCD TV

[Donnie27]

Hey Donnie, thanks for the help and for the interesting article by Bluejeanscable

About the delay, just to resume, my connections will be like it follows. Do you think I can experiment some out of sync audio or video???

Audio: PC Xonar D2 - 15m analogue cable audio - receiver
Video: PC 8800GTS DVI/HDMI converter - 15 digital HDMI cable - LCD TV

Try it several ways and use what works best for you. Let NO ONE tell you otherwise. I posted what I did only as a general guide and hope it helps. To answer your question, different systems don't have the same delay problems and modern + old is a very mixed bag. Without hands on, I can't help much but you'll see for yourself. I'd stick with analog to the receiver first and just like you're saying go HDMI straight to the TV.