Is this possible? I thought it was only through a digital output ie DVI or HDMI. If this is the case then what are the specifications for all these HDTV tv sets? just the resolution requited to output high resolution TV?

John

[neilmcl]

Originally Posted by John Langton

Is this possible? I thought it was only through a digital output ie DVI or HDMI. If this is the case then what are the specifications for all these HDTV tv sets? just the resolution requited to output high resolution TV?

John

Theres's no reason why a component connection can't take a HD video signal. In fact Sky had originally announced that their initial boxes will also include component. The reason for a digital connection such as HDMI and in certain cases DVI is that HDCP encryption can be enforced if necessary. HD Ready as defined by the EICTA notes that the required connections for HD should be component and HDMI or DVI.

[Lin3ar]

Thomson, the makers of the HD Sky box, have definately included Component imputs on their box.
There was a picture of the back of it in one of this months What? magazines.

[Chris Muriel]

Originally Posted by Lin3ar

Thomson, the makers of the HD Sky box, have definately included Component imputs on their box.
There was a picture of the back of it in one of this months What? magazines.

Instead of "imputs" do you mean outputs ?

Chris Muriel, Manchester

[Lin3ar]

Originally Posted by Chris Muriel

Instead of "imputs" do you mean outputs ?

Chris Muriel, Manchester

LOL, "imputs" ooops.(spelling)
Yeh, I meant outputs...........it's been a long day.

[cerebros]

Originally Posted by John Langton

Is this possible? I thought it was only through a digital output ie DVI or HDMI. If this is the case then what are the specifications for all these HDTV tv sets? just the resolution requited to output high resolution TV?

Component can carry HD but becuase of Hollywood and TV Studio's paranoia over movie/TV piracy it's likely that you're going to need to use HDMI or DVI-HDCP to view HD.

From what I'm reading of HD-DVD & Blu-Ray it's highly likely that the component outputs from the players will either only carry down-scaled video, or that the will be a setting film companies can have in the video stream that will allow or disable output of full resolution over HD.

Likewise with Sky's HD box. While the first generation box will have component output it's going to be up to the channel whether you get full or down-scaled video over component.

[MAW]

This downscaled component output bothers me, HD-DVD are talking about 540p, which is not supported by any device I have tried it on, digital or analogue (created with a scaler) Would they be that stupid?

[Stephen Neal]

Originally Posted by MAW

This downscaled component output bothers me, HD-DVD are talking about 540p, which is not supported by any device I have tried it on, digital or analogue (created with a scaler) Would they be that stupid?

540p can be output in a format that will appear to be 1080i, but with both fields containing identical information. Therefore any 1080i compatible displays will also accept 540p, if it is presented in the right way. (Which I bet it will be)

(If you think about it, 1080/60i and 540/60p are very close to identical in video format terms)

AIUI there is nothing to stop them upconverting the 540p back to 720p or 1080i via interpolation - to subjectively reduce the vertical resolution decrease the 540p reduction will introduce.

[Joe Fernand]

Hello John Langton

Lots of High Definition (HD) Source devices exist that either Only Output an Analogue HD Video signal or have both Analogue and Digital HD Video Outputs.

As others have said the 'drive' to an all Digital signal path for High Definition Video is nothing to do with quality its all about the ability to control and restrict signal distribution and replication - its not realistically possible to add the required restrictions to Analogue Video so Hollywood has insisted on HDCP being applied to the Digital Video signals Output via HDMI and most DVI equipped 'Video' sources.

For Analogue HD compatibility you will require your Source and Display (plus any signal Switching, Distribution and Processing devices) to be compatible with the main stream signal formats - 720P and 1080i at both 50Hz and 60Hz; and by default you will also require 480i(60), 480P(60), 576i(50), 576P(50) and with a bit of luck 1080P(60).

Most Analogue HD capable Source, Display and Signal management systems will Output/Input YPbPr 'Component' video on 3RCA sockets - though some will all Input/Output the same YPbPr on HD15(VGA) sockets and some devices will use RGBHV rather than YPbPr.

Best regards

Joe

Thank you for the time and info guys

John