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  Oct. 23, 2010 12:18 p.m. DILYSI Dave SuperDork

  With any luck, I'm going to be pulling in a good OTA digital video signal here pretty soon. Assuming that works, step 2 is to build a HTPC. It will put out digital video over an HDMI connector. This is all well and ood except that I don't have one of those high-zoot HDTV's yet, and since I'll probably sink $500 or so into the HTPC, I don't want to buy one immediately. So, for the time being, how do I get the HTPC's HDMI output to talk to an analog TV? In addition to the normal Yellow-Red-White RCA's I also have component video inputs on the TV. I ASSume this is my best option?

  In my head, a couple of years down the road I'll have an HDMI compatible receiver and an HDTV, and will be full digital. For the time being though, I need an effective transition plan.

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  Oct. 23, 2010 12:36 p.m. DILYSI Dave SuperDork

  BTW - some googling shows adapter cables, but those seem to be for anaolg thru HDMI, not a D/A converter. I also saw some dedicated D/A converters, but they are nearly as pricey as a new receiver. If need be, I could pick up a cheap receiver like this - http://www.crutchfield.com/p_158STDH510/Sony-STR-DH510.html?tp=179 - which I think would let me do HDMI input to an analog output, but I'd rather put off that purchase if I can.

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  Oct. 23, 2010 1:01 p.m. MCarp22 Reader

  Details on the HTPC? You can probably use a video card that will output to component and HDMI

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  Oct. 23, 2010 1:38 p.m. DILYSI Dave SuperDork

  No details yet. Likely an outlet PC from one of the big guys with a dual tuner card added.

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  Oct. 23, 2010 4:01 p.m. madmallard Reader

  

  um.

  it will be such a pain to break that digital back out into analog standard def, you'd probably do yourself a favour just by waiting and putting that money into a TV.

  To break HDMI out, you need a transcoder. To use component, it needs to be a synch on green type. those are usually more than $100 worth. You can accomplish the same transcoding by running it HDMI to VGA adapter, and VGA to analog, but the cost will come out the same in parts and cables.

  i would strongly suggest you re-order your priorities. ;p

  I assume you're using cable tuning right now. I say buy the TV first, ESPECIALLY if you're not too wild about the 3-d stuff. you can get ridiculous bargains on 40+ tvs.

  HDTVs typically can tune basic cable if you're using that now. And if you're not, you should already be able to get OTA HD now, that date has passed, nobody can use OTA analog anymore.

  and the money you save on buying adapters for an HDMI, you can use instead to put a tuner card in the HTPC so you can increase your options to recording video too.

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  Oct. 23, 2010 6:46 p.m. DILYSI Dave SuperDork

  madmallard wrote:

  

  um.

  it will be such a pain to break that digital back out into analog standard def, you'd probably do yourself a favour just by waiting and putting that money into a TV.

  To break HDMI out, you need a transcoder. To use component, it needs to be a synch on green type. those are usually more than $100 worth. You can accomplish the same transcoding by running it HDMI to VGA adapter, and VGA to analog, but the cost will come out the same in parts and cables.

  A receiver with HDMI in and component / S-Video out won't do the job?

  I'm using Dish now, but want to punt on it to save $. The goal is to go to free TV.

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  Oct. 23, 2010 6:58 p.m. RedS13Coupe Reader

  You should be able to find a video card with RCA/Component outputs...

  I guess I haven't looked too close at them, but a couple years ago they almost all came with an S-video out, and an adapter that would convert that to RCA or components.

  Worst comes to worst buy a decent used card.

  DVI outputs can be used as HDMI later if you need.

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  Oct. 23, 2010 8:07 p.m. madmallard Reader

  DILYSI Dave wrote:

  A receiver with HDMI in and component / S-Video out won't do the job?

  I'm using Dish now, but want to punt on it to save $. The goal is to go to free TV.

  Not all receivers have their own video processing/transcoding. especially ones under $500.

  Some do 'upsampling' but not all 'downsample'. Many just 'pass thru' hdmi just to get the audio on its way to the TV.

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  Oct. 23, 2010 8:15 p.m. DILYSI Dave SuperDork

  I see.

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  Oct. 23, 2010 8:45 p.m. madmallard Reader

  anyways, its not all gloom and doom. Like I said, RIDICULOUS bargains right now clear to Christmas on big TVs. Especially if you're not sold on 3-d yet.

  You can run dish AND antenna off the TV. Good grief, you can get huge plazma 1080p for less than $700. :] Heres a 42 panasonic, only selling for 80$ more than the 42 vizio walmart sells: http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0332511

  If you're building an HTPC, i'd suggest starting from scratch and base it on a mobo with a 780/790 series chipset from AMD, rather than some outlet machine. that mobo is ridiculously powerful with mpeg4 video, so you can save watts by buying a more basic cpu and power supply. then add a drive and your tuner/capture card and you're gravy.

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  Oct. 23, 2010 10:45 p.m. DILYSI Dave SuperDork

  Part of the problem is the number of TV's. In addition to the one in the living room, there is the workout room and the bedroom. So it's not an issue of buying one TV. It becomes three TV's. IOW, someway to make the current stuff work would be WAY preferred. Not that I don't want a pimpy new TV....

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  Oct. 23, 2010 11:57 p.m. madmallard Reader

  oh. do you need all 3 tvs to be connected to the HTPC?

  if not, just buy a tv, and 2 HD converter boxes and antenna for the others.

  http://www.walmart.com/ip/AccessHD-Digital-Analog-Converter-Box-1080D/14869369

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  Oct. 24, 2010 12:36 a.m. DILYSI Dave SuperDork

  Ideally, yeah - all TV's talking to the HTPC. The converter boxes should work for now I suppose.

  What about something like this - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814129042

  Video card with HDMI out and S-Video out. Would that get me up and running?

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  Oct. 24, 2010 1:09 a.m. DILYSI Dave SuperDork

  Also looks like this would be a really cheap option - http://www.amazon.com/CONVERTER-S-VIDEO-ADAPTER-graphic-function/dp/B000S675JU. Don't even bother with HDMI yet.

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  Oct. 24, 2010 3:00 a.m. turboswede SuperDork

  Um, my ATI HD2600 AGP video card came with the option of HDMI, Component, Composite or S-video along with DVI and VGA.

  Currently using Component (RGB) out to my HDTV from my HTPC. I can watch OTA HDTV just fine.

  If your TV won't at least accept Component level inputs, then you can't watch HD video signals on it, the resolution simply won't display. You'll need to use a digital converter box.

  For the other three HTPC's in the house, I just used older 19" LCD monitors to get around the fact that our old TV's wouldn't play Top Gear :) (upgraded one to a 25" wide screen that I bought from a co-worker for $75).
  

  The PC's are HP D530 small form-factor desktops scavenged from eBay, CL and the local Electronics recycler. Added half-height ATI 3450HD video cards ($50 for the cards) The Wireless N PCI cards were $20 and the ATI HD tuners were a Woot special. Added some eBay HP Media Center remotes to control them after I configured the PCs for automatic logon and to start the Media Portal software. Setting them to hibernate when you hit the power switch makes them start pretty darn quick for a P4 Windows XP system.

  Media Portal (free) to do the TV, DVR, Radio, Music player, Picture viewer and Hulu Desktop for everything that I don't want to download. Netflix and Pandora are also possible.

  I do have a hefty desktop with a couple of 1TB drives in it for storing my media files, but for general TV use, the 20GB drives that came in the boxes work just fine.

  http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s10/fiat22turbo/HTPC/

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  Oct. 24, 2010 9:21 a.m. DILYSI Dave SuperDork

  Oh, I know I won't see HD over the old TV. I'm OK with that. I just want to be able to see something until I upgrade the TV. If I can ditch pay TV, that saves me $800 / year. The first $800 pays for the antenna, HTPC, etc. After a year of free TV, then I've got another theoretical $800 to spend on a couple of TV's.
  

  The reason for going HTPC first is that we've become big fans of having a DVR. If getting off of the pay TV crack means no DVR, I'm not sure we'd make the transition.

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  Oct. 25, 2010 8:48 a.m. DILYSI Dave SuperDork

  Installed the antenna and preamp this weekend and I am pulling in all Atlanta networks, three PBS stations, and a few of the other locals (WB, UPN, TBS). 18 in all. Pretty stoked considering I'm 40 miles from the transmitters.

  Went ahead and pulled the trigger on a Dell 546s in piano black, which should look pretty nice in the entertainment center. Comes with the AMD chip, 4GB Ram, Win 7, etc. all for $349 in the Dell Outlet. Not bad. http://www.dell.com/us/en/dfh/desktops/desktop-inspiron-546s/pd.aspx?refid=desktop...

  Going to add... Wireless KB & Mouse - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16823126041 MCE Remote - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16880121001 Dual Tuner card - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16815100041 Video Card - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16814139018R

  The video card is being used to get me an S-Video out. Once I get an HDTV, I'll pull it out and use the on board HDMI.
  

  I looked at building an HTPC from scratch, but I'm really not comfortable with that level of geekery. Dropping a couple of cards into a functioning box = no problem. Starting from scratch is more than I'm comfortable with. Especially given that I'm not sure if I even could do it any cheaper than this option.

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  Oct. 25, 2010 5:48 p.m. madmallard Reader

  ok.... well... hope you like it. :]

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