HDMI Out Graphics Card

[thefonz]

Hi,

I'm trying to hook up my desktop pc to my 32'' samsung hdtv.

My tv has a hdmi connector socket which is currently hooked up to my xbox via a hdmi cable.

What I want to do is hook both my pc and xbox up to the tv via the single hdmi socket.

So a couple of questions:

1) What is a good, cheap graphics card with an hd-out which I can plant in my desktop pc and connect to the tv to enjoy sweet sweet hd quality?

2) If I connect both xbox and pc to my tv via an hdmi splitter will this affect the quality (both will not be on at the same time obviously!)

I should point out i dont intend on playing many games on the tv from my pc (like, say MW2...)

All of this in the uk...cheers!

Calum.

[lnmnky]

1. ?22 http://www.ebuyer.com/product/158996

2. Just get a ?5 splitter cable, or ?20 HDMI switcher box. No loss of quality.

"*Please note due to HDCP not all displays will be supported."

[still1]

So a couple of questions:

2) If I connect both xbox and pc to my tv via an hdmi splitter will this affect the quality (both will not be on at the same time obviously!)

Not sure if a splitter would work but if you are really concerned about the quality get a A\V receiver with atlease 3 hdmi input and 1 out.

connect xbox and desktop to Hdmi in and the HDmi out connects to the TV

The AV receiver can boost the audio/video quality so, its really worth it...

[Subject Delta]

The cheapest card that can do that would probably be an ATI 2400, which you should be able to get for about ?20. it doesn't actually come with a HDMI slot, but almost all ATI cards come as standard with a DVI > HDMI adaptor in the box If you want to use the PC also for gaming, obviously you will want a better card, every card in the 2xxx 3xxx 4xxx and 4xxx should have the same capability so the choice is really yours, obviously before you buy check out what is included with the card.

The cheapest that I can find from a manufacturer is This 4350 from Asus, which according to the spec has HDMI connectivity support at a price of ?24.96 including VAT

[MindTrickz]

1. Get a HDMI cable that is long enough to reach your PC.

2. Get a Graphic Card that supports HDMI and has a HDMI port[Mine is a ASUS Geforce 9600GT | There is not a game on the market that i can not run on full blast, settings wise]

You're are good to good. Thats how mine is set up.

[thefonz]

Great, these are all good suggestions - I dont want to spend alot on this since I have my xbox for gaming and my laptop is powerful enough for those games i want to play on pc (Trine, Machinarium etc). So this is really to use my desktop pc as a media centre running windows 7.

Oh yeah, I have Win7 Ultimate - will these cards you are suggesting run that ok?

I actually have an old Geforce 7900 GT but sadly no HDMI...

Cheers!

Liking the idea of the switcher box also.

[ajua]

If you don't intend to play demanding games on your PC, buy a switcher box and try to buy an adapter from DVI to HDMI.

[BigBoobLover]

I have an ATI HD3650 that I bought for about $30 or so on eBay and it has HDMI, DVI, and DisplayPort connections. Works great with Windows 7, and I have it hooked up to my HDTV for watching videos from my computer. If you go the route of converting from DVI to HDMI, keep in mind that you will also have to run an audio cable from your computer to your TV if you want sound coming from it.

[Aldur82]

If you go the route of converting from DVI to HDMI, keep in mind that you will also have to run an audio cable from your computer to your TV if you want sound coming from it.

That's a yes and a no for that. Depending on the graphics card you get, the adapter that comes with it, and your motherboard...you can get cards that transfer the audio over the HDMI cable.

What you are looking for is a graphics card that comes with an SPDIF connector that plugs into a port on your motherboard and the other end connects to the graphics card. Or if you're really lucky, some of the higher end ATI cards come with a sound card built into it for just this purpose, you just have to select it as the output when you want to play the audio through the HDMI.

[Subject Delta]

I have an ATI HD3650 that I bought for about $30 or so on eBay and it has HDMI, DVI, and DisplayPort connections. Works great with Windows 7, and I have it hooked up to my HDTV for watching videos from my computer. If you go the route of converting from DVI to HDMI, keep in mind that you will also have to run an audio cable from your computer to your TV if you want sound coming from it.

Actually, that is not correct, it applies to nVidia cards, but all ATI cards from the 2xxx 3xxx and 4xxx series have onboard high definition audio processors that can deliver audio over HDMI without the need for extra cables

Oh yeah, I have Win7 Ultimate - will these cards you are suggesting run that ok?

Yep, the card I suggested is more than good enough for your needs, not to mention that being DX 10.1 it will support all of the enhancements made to Aero in Windows 7, the same cannot be said for all the nVidia cards in that price range.

[thefonz]

At the moment I have my dvi connector from my graphics card (nvidia 7900) hooked into the tv via a dvi/vga converter. The only resolution I can use on the tv is 1024 which obviously isnt that great.

To be fair, i can use the setup as I want it for the moment; but it would be nice to actually use the hdtv to its potential instead of suffering less.

Also I have no intention of playing games on the samsung tv via the pc - like I said, I have my 360 hooked into it with an hdmi cable for that.

I've been reading about connectors and switches and it seems if I grab a dvi-hd cable then that will work; plug both into a hdmi switching box and all one cable into the tv hd port and away I go - would that work?

[tomasarson]

1. Get a HDMI cable that is long enough to reach your PC.

2. Get a Graphic Card that supports HDMI and has a HDMI port[Mine is a ASUS Geforce 9600GT | There is not a game on the market that i can not run on full blast, settings wise]

You're are good to good. Thats how mine is set up.

that's one fast 9600gt.

[Subject Delta]

At the moment I have my dvi connector from my graphics card (nvidia 7900) hooked into the tv via a dvi/vga converter. The only resolution I can use on the tv is 1024 which obviously isnt that great.

To be fair, i can use the setup as I want it for the moment; but it would be nice to actually use the hdtv to its potential instead of suffering less.

Also I have no intention of playing games on the samsung tv via the pc - like I said, I have my 360 hooked into it with an hdmi cable for that.

I've been reading about connectors and switches and it seems if I grab a dvi-hd cable then that will work; plug both into a hdmi switching box and all one cable into the tv hd port and away I go - would that work?

Considering how cheap it will be, I would personally just recommend a new graphics card, then you won't have to mess about, you can just plug the HDMI adaptor into the graphics card, plug the cable in, and you will be good to go.

[lnmnky]

Considering how cheap it will be, I would personally just recommend a new graphics card, then you won't have to mess about, you can just plug the HDMI adaptor into the graphics card, plug the cable in, and you will be good to go.

He'll still need a switcher / splitter.

[bryonhowley]

If you can play your games fine on the 7900 I would suggest just getting a DVI>HDMI cable I got mine on Amazon for $10.00 dollars and that was for a 15foot cable. Then just get a HDMI switch box to avoid the problems with a splitter.

[Subject Delta]

He'll still need a switcher / splitter.

Shouldn't have to, it is possible to just unplug the Xbox and swap with the TV out, and vice versa.

[lnmnky]

Shouldn't have to, it is possible to just unplug the Xbox and swap with the TV out, and vice versa.

Doesn't really help him with his main query.

"What I want to do is hook both my pc and xbox up to the tv via the single hdmi socket."

If manually switching cables was an option, I'd have told him to use his hands. (Which I assume he already has a pair of.)

[thefonz]

Haha, indeed - i'm just being a lazy arse with the switcher.

Ok so its looking like a new graphics card is an answer here - however will plugging in a hdmi cable increase the resolution on my tv screen?

Like I said; works perfect on my xbox; but at the moment through the vga cable i can only get 1024 res - as soon as i increase it any higher, the tv goes black and then i get a "mode not supported" message. So I assume that means the screen cannot handle anything above 1024??? i find that VERY hard to believe!

Since I know my 7900 card can play games no problem if plugged into my old dell 22inch lcd; what is stopping me doing the same on the bigger 32 inch samsung at equal resolution?

[rmorris003]

hmm my samsung 32 inch lcd has 3 hdmi ports which i use 2 for my ps3 and 360

[lnmnky]

What TV model is it? (Exact model)

What are you trying to play over the VGA?

PC > VGA cable > TV = 1024 pixels * 800 pixels?

Be more specific. Increase "It"... Is that the PC resolution when displayed on your TV via the VGA?

It is possible the VGA is clamped down to a crappy resolution, but not very likely.

[thefonz]

I was thinking that about the vga.

Yes: the current connection is: pc (dvi on gfx card) > vga/dvi converter > Vga socket on tv = 1024 resolution

I would much rather have pc > hdmi on tv

Or, if it works out cheaper: pc > dvi > hdmi on tv

Ignore for the moment i have an xbox since a switcher will solve the problem of only one hdmi socket on the tv...

The plan is to use the setup as a media centre for music/movies/tv etc (ie: avi's etc etc...)

The tv model is:

Samsung 32inch hdtv

Model = LE32R74BD

Thanks for the help guys, enjoying this discussion :)

[lnmnky]

Yes: the current connection is: pc (dvi on gfx card) > vga/dvi converter > Vga socket on tv = 1024 resolution

1024 by X?

Do you have 1366 x 768 listed in the resolutions? Or anything close?

[thefonz]

I just put it on 1360x768 and it auto-adjusted!

So I assume this is the highest I can have it through the standard vga?

[lnmnky]

I just put it on 1360x768 and it auto-adjusted!

So I assume this is the highest I can have it through the standard vga?

that's the highest your TV supports. It's a 720p set. edit : You won't see an improvement when using HDMI.

[thefonz]

Ooooh, ok that would work and thats the resolution issue sorted then. Thanks mate.

So next question - is it worthwhile getting either a new graphics card or spending a fiver on a dvi>hdmi cable like:

THIS ONE

And picking up a hdmi switch?

All in that could cost me ?30 tops....to see an increase in quality and let me play the odd game if I want on my pc/tv?