Cabling question...please help

[Denman007]

I recently bought a Hitachi 57 inch HDTV (57F510) which has a HDMI input. I also got a Samsung TS360 HD receiver which has a DVI output.

Should I use a crossover cable and go from DVI to HDMI? The sales rep at my local store recommended using Component connections with Fiber Optic for the audio.

Which is better? My feeds are all from D* with some being in HD.

Thanks.

 

[korsjs]

i would use the adapter to keep it an all digital transfer. you still need to worry about the audio. i would run digital part to your receiver and the red and white type rca cable to your tv. that way you don't have to have the receiver on every time you watch tv.

 

[Denman007]

Thanks for your reply.

What if I end up returning my buggy 360 and get the H10 which has HDMI.
Should I then return my $100 component cables and get the HDMI -> HDMI cable and something for the audio to go from the H10 to my surround sound system?

I don't use the TV speakers. I current have a fiber optic cable that runs from the 360 to my surround sound system for the audio.

 

[StevenD]

Should I then return my $100 component cables and get the HDMI

Why in the world would you spend $100 on component cables??!?!?

 

[korsjs]

if you never use your tv speakers then you have no need to hook up the rca cables for sound. since you already have component cables, you could try them out to see if you like the picture. my guess is that since they cost you 100, that they might be the monster brand. monster does give good quality, but the price is way to high. you can get similar cables for much cheaper.

what you might want to do is buy the component cables and the hdmi/adapter from somewhere you know you can return it if you are unsatisfied. that way you can hook them both up and see which one you like better.

 

[korsjs]

Why in the world would you spend $100 on component cables??!?!?

that is what satellite guys is for, to recommend things, answer questions, and inform the newer people.

 

[Denman007]

Why in the world would you spend $100 on component cables??!?!?

Because that is what the sales guy said I should use. It was monster brand. and I didn't see any others to choose from. The HDMI adapter was $119 lol.

I need to wait and see how the HD Receiver plays out first.

This is what I bought...
http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Mons.../sem/rpsm/oid/85283/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

And you think I should try something like this...
http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/GE-C.../sem/rpsm/oid/78112/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

 

[StevenD]

I have these cables on two of my TVs, and on my Dad's HDTV:
http://www.altex.com/product_info.php?products_id=2447

They also have them in 3' and 12' lengths. They used to sell the exact same cable that Dish Network packaged with the 811s and 921s. They switched to the under the same SKU and they work just as well.

Ram Electronics have resonably priced DVI to HDMI convertors:
http://www.ramelectronics.net/html/DVI-hdmi_adapt.html

 

[Carl B]

I found those gray component cables that Dish provided with my 811 a year ago to be pretty decent cables compared to some more hi-tech ones I've purchased since.

I'm not familiar with your Hitachi model. If it is DLP or plasma, you will probably get better PQ with the HDMI. However, some forums have reported problems with HDMI/DVI converters and converter cables. I'd be a little leary for a year or so with them. BTW, is HDMI the answer to question nobody asked or what? Most folks with HDTV don't use their DTV's speakers, they use a receiver/amp for their sound and they don't route their HD video cables to their receiver, they route them direct to the DTV. Therefore, a combined video/audio digital cable is useless.

I guess I would just stay with the component video cables if I were you.

 

[TyroneShoes]

i would use the adapter to keep it an all digital transfer...

That provides absolutely no benefit. All digital signals are immediately converted to analog once inside the set anyway. There is no advantage to doing the conversion there rather than converting to analog in the STB or PVR or DVD and connecting by component. None. It is also unlikely that an analog signal would be degraded in a quality component connection 6 feet long or less. That means there is no reason to shell out extra $ for a digital connection, as it will not improve PQ. Not even a little bit.

Dealers selling you $120 HDMI cables or adapters you don't need is equivalent to paying the extra $400 for "undercoating" on that new Lexus. Rest assured, you won't miss one pixel using component.

 

[FiberOpticDude]

Quick point of fact. The video signal stays digital in a DLP set. Your eyes do the analog conversion. The micro mirrors are flicked back and forth in a digital fashion and the persistance of vision effect of the eye takes the high frequency flickering and smooths it out.

But I'll admit that with good analog cables there may not be a noticable difference from DVI or HDMI. And DEFINITELY do not waste your $$$ on expensive DVI or HDMI cables - I have done eye mask measurements on DVI and HDMI cable that were $19 each and they performed well enough to create no errors at 1600x1200 (UXGA) resolution which translates to a much higher data rate than 1080i or 720p.