HTPC to HS50

HSC · 30-06-2005, 6:25 AM

Hi All

I understand that 1:1 pixel mapping is only available via the VGA input. However is anyone connecting up via a DVI cable rather than VGA...? I am considering buying a Graphics card that has a dual DVI out.

I think I would prefer to go:
Nvidia DVI out from HTPC
Over DVI to DVI cable
Terminated on the PJ end with a DVI to VGA dongle
1:1 pixel mapping

Will this be ok...?

**UrbanT** · 30-06-2005, 6:53 AM

Hi HSC, have you bought any cable yet? I use a 10m VGA cable. DVI out on the graphics card, using a DVI-VGA dongle that comes with most cards and monitors, and then VGA cable straight into the HS50. A decent VGA cable is normally much cheaper than a decent DVI, and gives you exactly what you've asked for.

Any other question, please ask

HSC · 30-06-2005, 10:36 AM

Hi UrbanT - was hoping you would answer this thread

I have used VGA to VGA only at present (I say 'have' because everthing is unhooked at the moment due to the cinema room being gutted/redecorated at present)

I was looking at a dual DVI Nvidia card but wanted to be sure of no pixel mapping issues via DVI outs.
so you've answered that question - thanks

I guess I wanted a DVI cable to be a bit more "future proof" and not have to worry about signal quality over long distances.....
any views....?

**UrbanT** · 30-06-2005, 10:43 AM

Unless you are burying the cable in the floor, why pay for something you don't need?

The 10m premium VGA from Lindy cost approx £36 and gives a perfect picture. If you don't need it in the future, you could probably sell it and lose no more than a tenner.

If you are burying cables, then you might want to consider buying the cables you feel you might need in the future, but I would imagine HDMI being more future proof than DVI. However, a decent quality HDMI would cost you around £150-£200. My 7.5m DVI cable cost around £130 and isn't used anymore

Alistair_M · 30-06-2005, 5:12 PM

I've tried both HMDI and VGA with my HS50. I bought a 3 m dvi cable, and a Qed Hmdi adaptor

I prefer the VGA picture as it seems a bit sharper and I could get 1:1 pixel for using with my pc. I couldn't see any improvement with using HMDI (only the negatives).

With HMDI I got quite a lot of overscan (maybe as much as 4%) and thats with the 'fixed' HS50.

**UrbanT** · 30-06-2005, 5:38 PM

Hi Alistair. You are right, there is no pixel mapping with HDMI, even on a 'fixed' HS50, which is why theres no point sending your unit away if you use VGA(for those like me on old firmware)

mikeaitch · 30-06-2005, 9:24 PM

I also have both, and I'm likely to fit an SDI card now to ny pc (Sweetspot processor with SDI) to give me max pq from VGA after following some of Urban's tips

I use the HDMI now only for HDTV via satellite

HSC · 30-06-2005, 10:15 PM

thanks guys
I think I'll go the VGA route.

cant wait until the room refurb is finished.....

Canary_Jules · 29-12-2005, 8:44 PM

Hi there. Just upgrading from HS10 to HS50 and was wondering about 1:1 mapping as I have that on my HS10. I understand that the better quality picture comes through the VGA connection on the HS50. What other settings do you guys use then? No messing about in Powerstrip anymore? Just simply set desktop to 1280 x 720? What about the refresh rate? How about FFDShow? Anyone use that with the HS50? And how do you know when 1:1 mapping has been achieved? On the HS10 menu it told you that it was using 51.
Any other useful advice I need to know?

Cheers

Jules

mikeaitch · 29-12-2005, 9:12 PM

Slightly better colours are available from the HDMI, but not by much. I use VGA which does indeed give pixel matching, and yes, it is as easy as setting 1280 x 720 with no need for powerstrip and weird timings.

I use Theatertek and FFDShow, the latest build has at last allowed me to use VMR9 instead of overlay, with a little denoise, resizing on non HD sources and postprocessing which I'm experimenting with. Great picture.

Refresh rate on mine is set to 60Hz with no motion problems on PAL sources. on AVS somewhere there's a download of a screen which shows the full 1280 x 720 grid, if you can see it all you should have 1:1. I think it's buried somewhere in the HS51 official thread.

But - use the VGA as above and my guess is you'll stop worrying about it and enjoy the picture

mikeaitch · 29-12-2005, 9:14 PM

PS- make sure you update to the latest Theatertek

Canary_Jules · 29-12-2005, 9:17 PM

Wow! Can't believe it could be so easy! I spent ages on my HS10 in powerstrip setting timings etc. Are you resizing in FFDshow?

BTW, thanks for the quick reply.

Jules

mikeaitch · 29-12-2005, 9:50 PM

Yep, using X2 resize, but using only resize when.. x<1280 or y<170.

You don't want to do any resizing in HD. Under settings in resize, I use Lanczoss parameter 2, and 0.5 chroma and luma

**UrbanT** · 30-12-2005, 9:51 AM

There is an occasion when using Powerstrip does come in useful. If you have a variety of regional DVD's, ie, a good mix of Pal region 2's, and NTSC Region 1 and 3's.

With the NTSC stuff, at 60hz, you do get slight stuttering. If you don't notice it, then don't go looking for it because as soon as you notice it, you can't stop seeing it. I didn't notice it until another forum member showed it to me, and that was it.

With Powerstrip, in combination with AnyDVD, you can watch PAL films at 50hz, but when an NTSC disc is inserted, the combination of programs will automatically change the refresh to 48hz. 48hz input gives perfectly smooth playback of the material. When you insert another PAL disc, it automatically changes back to 50hz.

Have fun

Canary_Jules · 30-12-2005, 10:27 AM

Thanks Urban. I do have a good mix of Regions in my collection so it would be useful to do what u suggest. I have AnyDVD and Powerstrip so how do you set it up to switch refresh rates on the fly?

Jules

**UrbanT** · 30-12-2005, 10:38 AM

My Sony HS50

Look at page 11 of this thread, where Drummerjohn produced a guide on how to make a bat file for the refresh rate, you need to make one for 48hz and 50hz. Once you have your bat files, you can use the external program function on AnyDVD (assuming you have one of the later versions) to automatically run the appropriate bat file when a disc is inserted.

Anim · 30-12-2005, 11:42 AM

I was under the impression that with Analog you have to setup the display for 1:1 pixel mapping (due to it being analog) using either powerstrip or your latest drivers but a digital signal (DVI/HDMI) is already mapped in a 1:1 relation (digital to digital) and pixel perfect.

Is this not the case?

Anim

**UrbanT** · 30-12-2005, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anim

I was under the impression that with Analog you have to setup the display for 1:1 pixel mapping (due to it being analog) using either powerstrip or your latest drivers but a digital signal (DVI/HDMI) is already mapped in a 1:1 relation (digital to digital) and pixel perfect.

Is this not the case?

Anim

I can't talk from a technical point of view, but connecting an HS50 via VGA with a standard 1280 x 720 resolution on the PC gives 1:1 pixel mapping. However, due to the firmware in the HS50, connecting via HDMI causes blanking around the image.

Anim · 30-12-2005, 12:00 PM

got ya, I was being technical but the reality of it maybe different as you have discovered when using the HS50. Interesting topic tho.

After reading this article: http://forum.ecoustics.com/bbs/messa...79/122868.html
I'm going to do a test with component and hdmi and see if i see a difference with my dvd player setup. (currently 7.5 meter hdmi) but I have a 7.5 meter component cable too.

**UrbanT** · 30-12-2005, 12:03 PM

I think it does very much depend. I tested HDMI vs VGA extensively, and could see absolutely no difference in my set up, so chose VGA for the pixel mapping, as well as better resolution availability in some PC games

Anim · 30-12-2005, 12:08 PM

And the fact you can run an Analog signal 200 feet whereas Digital signals start to fail after 25 feet.