Cheap TV score and Wii input ?s: Off-topic discussion forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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Aug. 27, 2011 10:28 p.m. curtis73 Dork

Long story short... I just nabbed a 46" LED thin TV for dirt cheap. It was returned to BestBuy with a scratch on the case (not the screen). Original price $1200, scored for $539.

anyway, got it home to realize that (like most TVs these days) it doesn't have a composite input (the old-school red, white, and yellow RCAs). My Wii (which I use for netflix - my main entertainment) only has RCA out.

Is there a different cable that I can use for the Wii that gets me HDMI? If so, does the Wii then default to higher resolution and therefore larger bandwidth? Is there such thing as a composite-to-HDMI adapter?
Aug. 27, 2011 10:39 p.m. donalson SuperDork

google "wii HDMI" and you'll find tons of stuff... wii is built around standard def so the adapters will upconvert to 1080...

also you can get RBG cables if you have 5 wire capabilities... still a little surprised they dumped the rca composite... works with so much legacy hardware... that being said... if the tv has coax (which I have yet to see a tv NOT have) you can buy a converter from composite...

good buy BTW... our old CRT is starting to die so i've been keeping an eye out...
Aug. 27, 2011 10:49 p.m. donalson SuperDork

other option... being that you got that 360 from your bud (er I think i mixed you up with somone else on here lol)... you could use that for netflix (and hulu and streaming from your computer)... on a SD tv it sux... hard to read as it was built around HD tv...

but that doesn't take care of you wanting to use the wii on that TV lol..
Aug. 28, 2011 1:21 a.m. novaderrik Dork

they don't put rca inputs on new tv's any more? when did they start that?

my brother got a 60" or so lcd tv about a year and a half ago, and it has 3 rca inputs, an S video, and 2 HDMI inputs along with a couple of s video jacks and a couple more that i can't remember right now..
Aug. 28, 2011 2:02 a.m. curtis73 Dork

novaderrik wrote:

they don't put rca inputs on new tv's any more? when did they start that?

my brother got a 60" or so lcd tv about a year and a half ago, and it has 3 rca inputs, an S video, and 2 HDMI inputs along with a couple of s video jacks and a couple more that i can't remember right now..

Not that I'm an expert or anything... but the industry standard seems to be 4 HDMI inputs these days. Doing a quick search on any electronics website you'll find that even S-video is disappearing.

Edit: and I should add that they're already gearing up for a change in HDMI format according to the asperger's gentleman who sold me my TV.

I'm not happy about it because I'm several years behind, but like it or not things are moving away from any of the old analog-compatible formats.
Aug. 28, 2011 2:06 a.m. curtis73 Dork

donalson wrote:

google "wii HDMI" and you'll find tons of stuff... wii is built around standard def so the adapters will upconvert to 1080...

also you can get RBG cables if you have 5 wire capabilities... still a little surprised they dumped the rca composite... works with so much legacy hardware... that being said... if the tv has coax (which I have yet to see a tv NOT have) you can buy a converter from composite...

good buy BTW... our old CRT is starting to die so i've been keeping an eye out...

I do have RBG inputs (component) and that's an option. When I search for "wii hdmi" I just get results for Component and VGA. I'll have to dig deeper.

If you're looking for a screaming deal, TigerDirect.com has a Vizio 46" LED right now for $599. Its a factory refurb, but I was ready to grab it before I found this Samsung on super sale.
Aug. 28, 2011 6:20 a.m. PubBurgers Dork

Does it have an instruction manual? I bought a plasma last year that didn't appear to have RCA inputs but upon further inspection one of the component inputs had a spot for just the yellow composite cable.
Aug. 28, 2011 8:19 a.m. akamcfly Reader

Wii component video cables are available everywhere Wii stuff is sold - $10-$20. It will display in 480p with that cable - same definition as a progressive scan DVD player.
Aug. 28, 2011 9:38 a.m. bigdaddylee82 New Reader
I'd wager at least one of the component inputs is "hybrid" and accepts RCA as well. That's how our Samsung is anyway. Look at your component in(s) closely and see if one of the jacks does't also have a yellow circle around it for the RCA yellow video cable.

Otherwise, I got a Rocketfish Wii Component cable off of eBay fro around $14 shipped, and it works great.
- Lee
Aug. 28, 2011 1:30 p.m. DuctTape&Bondo Reader

I did component for mine, got it from Monoprice $6 shipped.
Aug. 28, 2011 3:46 p.m. donalson SuperDork

er should have said... google "wii HDMI" and then click "shopping" ... 30-40$