"Is VGA an equal substitute for HDMI?" and other questions

I'm interested in the Inspiron 1420, but I shudder to think that I'd have a fully modern laptop without an HDMI port! Would the VGA-out (D-sub) be a fully-capable stand-in?

I plan to connect to CRTs with the S-video and LCDs with the VGA. My use for an external monitor would be to watch shows from an HDTV tuner on a larger screen. Can VGA handle full-motion 1080i/1080p output as well as HDMI?

Also, would I be able to view Blu-Ray movies output through VGA, or will it refuse to output 1080i/p because of the lack of the HDCP "handshake?"

Finally, how long can we realistically expect VGA inputs to appear on modern TVs, as HDMI and DisplayPort continue to proliferate?

 

VGA is dying so I doubt you wil see it. If you have a DVI port on your TV, you can use an adapter (they may exist for VGA-» HDMI but I'm not sure).

HDMI is the future, since it offers no compression of the signal & can stream audio as well.

VGA is fully compatible with at least 1080i although S-video can only do 480i

I'm not 100% sure about blu-rays but there shouldn't be a problem. HDCP usually only takes place with HDMI

 

There might be VGA>HDMI, but it wouldn't make much sense since VGA is video only, and DVI carries the same video signal as HDMI, just HDMI carries audio as well. In effect, VGA>DVI will get basically identical performance as VGA>HDMI (if it exists). As to HDCP, you are correct in assuming that you won't be able to watch HD encoded with it (Blu-Ray, etc) unless you have an HDCP-compatable monitor, and I'm 99% sure VGA does not and can not support HDCP. You will likely be able to watch the Blu-Rays on VGA, but they will be downscaled from 1080p to 540p, if they play at all, because of the "handshake".

I'm pretty sure that VGA can support 1080p+, but you will probably get better image fidelity with DVI/HDMI because those transmit the signal in digital rather than analog. Also, keep in mind that unless you have special hardware, computers are all progressive scan. I'd be as interested as you to know of any computers that display interlaced.

 

Even if there is a VGA>HDMI OR VGA>DVI>HDMI the picture quality will be decreased, due to the origin of the signal (VGA). As long as your laptop has a VGA output, where the signal is produced from, it will only be as good as the quality VGA has to offer. Don't get me wrong, HDMI will create a sharp, clear picture, but you might miss out on fine details.

 

No, due to no HDCP handshake it would not be, but you might not miss it based on your situation.

As long as the input is there, sure. I use the DVI-A and VGA inpute on the P260 I have at work running 8bit per channel @ 75hz @ 1920x1440 which is higher than the highest 1080P standard currently carried (not deep colour support on any titles so nothing above 8 bit, eventually maybe 10,12,16bit [although you'd be stuck to 10bit for shared bandwidth concerns as well as GPU limits]).

Depends on the title because not all BluRay nor HD-DVDs required HDCP, but for those that do you won't be able to play them without first removing that requirement with something like AnyDVD. Still possible, just more difficult.

Probably for the next few years, but likely soon enough they'll be the exception rather than the rule as they are already starting to be replaced by more HDMI connectors just like component connections are being reduced to just one or two.

There's nothing wrong with the connector itself, but both content providers and TV producers just don't get as much benefit from it (although HDCP equipped HDMI does come at a double licensing price for hardware mfrs).

 

Why not use a vga to compnent cable?

 

Or why even that, buy the 7-pin S-Video to component cable, my Vostro outputs 1080i/720p/1080p to my HDTV.

 

The only way he'll get 1080P via component to a TV is if it accepts RBG because it won't do it via the common YPbPr which is limited to 1080i / 720P, and you still lose the HDCP aspect.

 

Wrong.

"Integrated HDTV encoder provides analog TV-output (Component/Composite/S-Video) up to 1080i/1080p resolution"
Source

HDCP varies by implementation.

 

Wow, I cannot believe how much wrong information is listed here. Sorry to sound harsh, but seriously. If you think the answer you are giving, might not be correct. Either do not answer, or say "I am not quite sure, but I think" etc....

VGA does do 1080p, Component can send 1080p. I still don't understand why 15pin (vga d-sub), is 15pins. You only use 10 of them on a standard vga cable. Red-Ground, Green-Ground, Blue-Ground, Horizontal-Ground, Vertical-Ground (they suck to make . You standard Component cable is exactlly the same, but instead of carrying sync on H+V it carries it on Green.

Now to get onto your question. No I would not buy a computer without DVI/HDMI. Is there a HUGE difference between VGA and DVI/HDMI? No. I did it for a long time with a DV6000t to a Dell 24", and it looked great. But I just bought a m1530, and it does look a little better. Most FP Monitors are DVI-D. As in, no $5.00 VGA to DVI adapter is going to work. It is going to cost you at least a bill to get a adapter. And then you will just lose image quality.

My advice, just spend a little more and future proof yourself.

 

That says nothing of the method in your link, you assume all component connections are the same whereas both nV and ATi restrict 1080P to YCbCr not YPbPr which is why you need to ensure you get the correct connection type.

"Integrated SD and HD TV Output: Provides world-class TV-out functionality via Composite, S-Video, Component, or DVI connections. Supports resolutions up to 1080i/1080p depending on connection type and TV capability."

RGB/YCbCr is the common support method for 1080P, YPbPr support is 1080i for TVs.

Second thing, AACS also limits component out to 1080i, which is a function of the DRM, not the connection which if capable of sending/receiving an RGB feed could send the picture no problem.

HDCP is not sent over component period, it's being required by the media is the only thing that varies, not the HDCP aspect. You can strip it from the media, but unless you do so you're stuck.

 

Except that there is no actual "Green" signal with YPbPr. You must remember, there is no spoon.

Anywhoo, component can send 1080P but it depends on the type of component. Just like co-ax can carry greater bandwidth than HDMI, but it's not going to happen through the standard RF implementation used on most TVs.

As for the pins on the DB-15 they carry additional information including monitor channels bits 0,1,2 on 3 of those pins.
Here's the pinouts of the various connections including CGA, VGA and the 13W3 on the P200s at work;

http://www.monitorworld.com/Cables/video_standards.html