Advantages of HDMI-out on Laptops?

- HDCP only causes down scaling if it is told to do so by the media (movie).
- HDCP works though DVI
- why do notebook manufacturers continue to sell products with VGA and S-Video. It is retarded to have 2 analogue outs and no digital out.

 

I agree. With the advent of high resolution laptop screens it is counter-intuitive to add a lower spec analogue connection, such as s-video, to a laptop especially since everything is/ will soon be digital.

 

Because almost every TV on the market has Svideo or RCA (RCA can be run through S-Video) whereas only higher end TV's have HDMI or DVI.

 

True but since most, if not all, new TV purchases are going to be HDTV's the point is moot in my opinion. S-video is archaic in today’s standards of digital audio and video when there are digital alternatives. The more we rely on these methods then the longer it will take to truly move on to the next evolution.

I do however understand your point in relation to using s-video when there are no other options available, such as connecting a set-top box to a TV tuner for PVR functionality. In most cases though digital wins every time.

 

as many who don't offer DVI/HDMI, do offer VGA and SVideo ... one of the latter can be exchanged for a digital one
problem solved

 

Okay say your a manufacturer, You want your machine to appeal to as many people as possible, You have the option of putting a very small inexpensive port on your machine that has 99% market penetration, Or you go with a more expensive port that less than 5% of people would have, Which do you go for if you only have room for one?

 

As my comment was in direct relation to s-video I have no objection to the use of VGA on a laptop as of course, what manufacturer would not want to cater to the masses? The fact that s-video is a lower end analogue connection means that we are not going to get similar quality to that of the digital connections as we are still clinging on desperately to an antiquated age of connectivity. VGA is close to DVI for example; can you say the same for s-video?

 

No, Can you say there are as many TV's with VGA as S-Video/RCA?

 

if you can only offer 1 port, you might have a point
however, if you offer 2 ports, you might as wel go with 1 analogue and 1 digital
if you can only add 1 port, and you choose for VGA, that's just stupid imo: you can easily buy a DVI/VGA connector ... which allows you to connect to old equipment. When you can, after some time, use DVI, you can leave the DVI/VGA connector out
opting for Svideo: no idea ... I don't think it's that widely spread in Europe (could be wrong though ), but that the US uses/used it a lot

 

I do not see the point in connecting a laptop to a TV over s-video. The quality would look incredibly bad when compared to VGA, Component, DVI, HDMI etc. The fact that s-video would be used, because there would be no better connections available, would indicate the resolution that would be output from the laptop would be so low it would prove only useful for casual video viewing.

I can understand the need to have as many options possible to facilitate connectivity between devices but when we're discussing connections such as s-video I honestly cannot imagine using it to connect a laptop to a TV.

 

So with all said and done... I've a HD TV running at 1366 x 768p and a HDMI input, a Asus G1 notebook with DVI output (no HDMI).
Can I get a DVI to HDMI cable and will my TV take the signal and display it at the 1366 x 768p resolution (or similar resolution).
e.g. I do not have a HD/BlueRay DVD player and I'd like to play a HD film from my HDD through the telly. Is this possible?

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812189056 there you go.

 

@ matt_h1 - cheers!

 

well i use the hdmi port on my laptop to broad cast hd content (free ) to my tv and the viewing experience is great.

I don't have any hddvd or bluray at home so the laptop does it all.

 

Yep. New res should pop up in display properties once you have the TB plugged in.

 

on mine, it's automatic... It's actually pretty cool, when I plug in an external monitor, it automatically switches to it and sets max res correctly - via VGA port, haven't tried HDMI yet (need a hdmi to dvi cable)

 

Image reduction will only happen if ICT (image constain token) have been set to active on the media (HD-DVD/Blu-ray). Right now, none of the movies on the market have implemented ICT and the Studio have unofficially said that they will not do so till at least 2010. This is in response to the tens of thousands of early HDTV adopter that only have components input on their HDTV.

 

I think the proverbial sh*t will hit the fan when the studios decide to introduce the ICT. I can't imagine anyone looking forward to changing their HD setup just because the industry are stopping the viewing of HD content over analogue connections such as component video. As long as there are people against it there will always be an alternative. Look at HD-DVD and Blu-ray. The industry thought they were safe from having their new encryption hacked but look at what happened there.

 

I agree, I don't think ICT will be implemented even pass 2010. It's just not practical to rip or download full quality HD movies at 25-40GB a pop unless you have a fiber internet and a couple terrabyte of storage.

 

people don't wat DRM
yet, it IS implemented
we are just lucky that CD's and DVDs aren't to big, so they can be dowloaded if wanted
if the studios think ICT will help stop piracy, they WILL implement it, whether we like it or not

 

Wow, the misinformation in this thread was staggering.

On the topic, I have an HDMI port on my laptop and am very glad HP decided to include it. I have an HDMI>DVI cable that hooks up to my plasma and could run straight HDMI to the LCD in my bedroom if I so desired. I'm sure I could do the same thing via VGA and I (just talking about me here) probably would not notice a difference. I'm definately not going to complain about having both of them. Take one away though...

I agree with some of the S-Video talk. Unless it is that 7-pin S-Video that can output to composite, it is worthless.

Thanks to those who actually stated facts in this thread; it was getting ugly for a minute there.

 

JaySmuv, you do realise that S-Video is a better quality connection than Composite yes? I was just wondering as you mentioned that the misinformation in this thread was staggering and then you go ahead and type that little nugget of information.

In relation to downloading HD-DVD or Blu-ray content. Yes it is a large amount of data to be downloaded but it is being downloaded on DSL, ADSL and other broadband connections that are only approximately 3Mbps by a lot of users. Although taking approx. 20 hours, depending on the connection, it is a popular option.

The entire idea behind DRM is understandable, who doesn't want to stop their own intellectual property being pirated, but the implementation to date by the movie studios and other large corporations is laughable. I need a HDCP capable graphics card, cable and monitor just so I can watch a movie? That to me is a ridiculous attempt by the movie studios to protect their content. Protect your content, but don't make it a headache to play it.

 

When JaySmuv is refering to teh S-video with compisate as being superior to just S-Video why do you think he means quality wise?

He might just think its better becasue it gives you more options. Like you can't plug an S-Video cable into lots of things but you can plug copisite into alot more. And anyways S-Video is crap quality anyways no point trying to use it for its quality.

 

Since the discussion has been about the difference in quality between several analogue connections over the last few pages it would indicate that any comparison, that is not implicit in it's nature, would be in direct relation to the aforementioned topic. The fact that you can also plug a composite cable into "lots of things" is irrelevant if the quality is the lowest of practically all connections.

Regardless of whether S-Video is "crap quality anyways," it is better than composite and that was my point.

 

Not sure if this has been discussed yet but for notebooks without HDMI/DVI out, is it possible for such an adaptor to be built onto an Expresscard?

 

As a connection would need to be made between the express card slot and the graphics card I don't see how it would be possible for such a solution.