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I just spent 18 dollars on an HDMI cable.

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facattack

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2007
Messages
960
Location
Bucks County, PA
It hooks up physically with my PC and my flat screen HDTV from Sharp. BUT the TV doesn't show the picture properly. Is there a missing driver or something? Right now I have both "monitors" set to plug n' play.

I have AMD RADIO HD 6450 video card.
 
What exact picture problems is the TV displaying? Distorted picture, missing colors, etc...

Many HDTVs aren't designed to display fine detailed pictures to viewers up close, but are better in displaying smooth motion and colors from a distance away. Check to see if your TV has an option to use it as a PC monitor (or Alternate Monitor). Second, try setting your PC's output resolution to the TV's native resolution. That could solve some distorted images. And if your card is underscanning the picture for any reason, try disabling that.
 
I haven't done it much but with the few systems and few tvs I've seen connected together the biggest issue hash been an unsupported resolution on the computer. Try lowering the resolution and see if it detects it then. Also some systems of course don't output to that port unless they're told to so you might check your video settings as well to see if it detects an additional monitor or if you need to assign it to use the HDMI output.
 
Is this a HDMI-to-HDMI cable, or a DVI-to-HDMI cable ? If the latter, some tv's have a real hard time with DVI piped over HDMI.
I ended up taking along two computers when we bought ours at Best Fry.
patscc
 
$5 says your resolution is wrong. That said, the video card *should* be smart enough to "ask" the tv and only give you proper settings. At least thats what happens with my 5870 & my sanyo.
 
Without more information from the OP it's hard to say what the problem could be. Picture quality fall-off doesn't result in 'fuzzyness'. If there is a signal integrity issue with the cable, you will see stars flashing in the picture - almost like seeing 'stars' with your vision but sped up as if you are on crack. If that is the case, try dropping the resolution. The TMDS bit rate going over the cable is a function of your video mode and it's pixel clock. Also there isn't any electrical difference in HDMI vs DVI. Cabling wise they are exactly the same and can be used interchangeably except that a DVI connector has pins to support transmission of a RGBHV analog signal (eg. VGA, component video, etc). Thus a DVI-A or DVI-I transmitter sending only the analog path wont work with a DVI->HDMI cable. On the digital side, the only difference is in protocol with respect to what packet types are supported during data islands in the horizontal and vertical blanking intervals. DVI doesn't support audio packets. The lowest common feature denominator calculation by the video card driver with respect to your TV's EDID data should respect that. EDID data between DVI and HDMI transmitters and receivers are upwards and backwards compatible and thus fully interchangeable. HDMI 1.3 does add a CEC line in an optional supplement and 1.4 adds signaling for 100 Mbps Ethernet and audio return path again in an optional supplement and only enabled if the lowest common denominator check for any of the above passes.

Some other common problems are color space mismatch often caused by a missed AVInfoFrames or a mis-configured info frame interval. This usually results in a picture with a strong magenta or green tint. Also if you are seeing a picture that resembles traditional 'snow' like on an analog TV set, that is an HDCP frame mis-sync and the transmitter isn't monitoring the receiver like it should and restarting the key exchange.

Most other problems are a result of hardware behind the video transmitter's picture clocking circuit such as video scalars, shifters, color space converters, etc. Check the video card output configuration if the symptoms are different than any outlined above.
 
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HDMI cable. I get picture when I'm booting the PC but when it gets to Windows XP logo with the loading bar, the TV suddenly cuts out. The TV does have a VGA input but I was told by the Radioshack guys to keep the HDMI cable and press "Function F3" on the keyboard. They said because their laptops had this key, so did my desktop. I see an ALT key but no function key.

SO the TV gets an output but something in Windows isn't allowing it to view. The trouble shooting phase said to uninstall Adobe viewer master. Don't have that but I have a couple Adobe softwares on the PC (Adobe Reader I can recall right now).

I've played with Catalyst Custom Controller but no dice.

I already asked for a VGA cable after trying to return the HDMI and someone on skype told me that I'd get better picture on the TV from the HDMI. But I think the TV is programmed to refuse video signals from a computer NOT being fed into the VGA slot to prevent the computer from destroying its picture tube.
 
facattack said:
I already asked for a VGA cable after trying to return the HDMI and someone on skype told me that I'd get better picture on the TV from the HDMI. But I think the TV is programmed to refuse video signals from a computer NOT being fed into the VGA slot to prevent the computer from destroying its picture tube.
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Just try the VGA cable. I'm sure you'll be more than satisfied. Where's that echo coming from? :)
 
I'll see about getting an adapter for DVI somewhere besides Radio Shack. They wanted 14 bucks for one. That's on top of the cost of the cable. The VGA slot is going into my computer monitor and the DVI is free.
 
All you need is a male-male VGA cable. Get a switch or switch the cables manually whenever you need to. :)

Where are you located? I've got some VGA cables.
 
What model is the Sharp ?
I didn't realize you were dealing with RatShack. If you have to go there, just hit the "Ignore" button on their forehead.
There are actually differences between DVI and HDMI, although you may or may not care about them.
Take a look here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Visual_Interface#DVI_and_HDMI_compatibility
Since you're clearly having problems with DVI, I'd do what Stone suggested and use the 15-pin VGA connection, and make sure you're running the Sharp in its native resolution.
Regardless of what the RatShack rodent said.
patscc
 
Stone said:
Just try the VGA cable. I'm sure you'll be more than satisfied. Where's that echo coming from? :)
Click to expand...

Yea... no. HDMI is going to be a lot better

facattack said:
HDMI cable. I get picture when I'm booting the PC but when it gets to Windows XP logo with the loading bar, the TV suddenly cuts out. The TV does have a VGA input but I was told by the Radioshack guys to keep the HDMI cable and press "Function F3" on the keyboard. They said because their laptops had this key, so did my desktop. I see an ALT key but no function key.

SO the TV gets an output but something in Windows isn't allowing it to view. The trouble shooting phase said to uninstall Adobe viewer master. Don't have that but I have a couple Adobe softwares on the PC (Adobe Reader I can recall right now).

I've played with Catalyst Custom Controller but no dice.

I already asked for a VGA cable after trying to return the HDMI and someone on skype told me that I'd get better picture on the TV from the HDMI. But I think the TV is programmed to refuse video signals from a computer NOT being fed into the VGA slot to prevent the computer from destroying its picture tube.
Click to expand...

I take it, you've never setup a 2nd monitor before. I have windows 7, but if I remember my xp correctly, there shouldn't be any real differences. Desktop > properties > screen resolution There should be 2 blue boxes, instead of the normal one. This is what mine looks like:

My main display is #2. This is an ati card thing on my 5870. For some reason it likes to default hdmi to monitor one and dvi to #2. Took a minute to fiddle with, but works great now. If you are still having issues, unplug your monitor totally. leave your tv on and plugged in and use it as a monitor. if it works, then its a config issue on your desktop. otherwise its your tv. (sorry for teh HUGE picture)

I already asked for a VGA cable after trying to return the HDMI and someone on skype told me that I'd get better picture on the TV from the HDMI. But I think the TV is programmed to refuse video signals from a computer NOT being fed into the VGA slot to prevent the computer from destroying its picture tube.
Click to expand...

Whoever told you that is talking out of their ass. I would ignore them in all future dealings with tv's in general, they don't know what they are talking about.

Side note, why are you using XP? with a 6000 series card, I would expect you to be running something newer, like 7. whats up?
 
LCD's don't have picture tubes anymore. The VGA connector supports DDC, so your panel should be able to talk to your computer to negotiate resolutions.
While in theory, HDMI will give you a clearer picture, I would still suggest trying the VGA connection. You might me surprised at the quality.
The big thing to remember is to drive the panel at it's native resolution, otherwise any connection ends up looking crappy.
patscc
 
side note, the ONLY real difference between hdmi and DVI is hdmi has teh capacity for digital audio. THAT'S IT. If you try to use a vga cable, I'd wager $5 its going to look like hammered shit. I've been down this road. You are taking a digital signal from your video card, converting to analog, running it over 10f of low quality cable, then converting back to digital. keep it all digital. hdmi cable length matters VERY little. unless you are doing something funny with 100ft cables, dont worry about it.
 
I guess the fact that the color spaces supported are different for HDMI vs. DVI to HDMI don't matter then, right ?
I've run VGA to flatpanels of various types over the years with perfectly good results. luckybob, if you've had problems with this in the past, perhaps you were doing something wrong ?
Anyways, it's the OP that should try it out and see if it works for him, since quality is in the eye of the beholder, not ours.
patscc
 
patscc said:
I've run VGA to flatpanels of various types over the years with perfectly good results. luckybob, if you've had problems with this in the past, perhaps you were doing something wrong ?
Click to expand...
I'm in total agreement with you. I've been running old (WIN98 era) laptops, newer Vista and 7 laptops and Vista and 7 towers on my 42" LCD TV with excellent results. I've gotten into trouble for monopolizing the TV with this practice and often been told 'those *things* all have their own native screens. Why don't you use them instead of interfering with us?'
 
patscc said:
I guess the fact that the color spaces supported are different for HDMI vs. DVI to HDMI don't matter then, right ?
Click to expand...

No it doesn't. Both revisions of CEA-861 require RGB 4:4:4 as the only mandatory color space and that isn't going to change since it would break compatibility. The electrical interface, link level protocol, DDC bus and EDID address, and EDID structure is 100% the same. If a HDMI transmitter is connected to a DVI sink, it will read a limited set of capabilities from the EDID data consistent with a DVI rev receiver and transmit only what the display supports. If a DVI transmitter is connected to a HDMI sink, it will treat the extended information in the EDID data as reserved since it has no knowledge of it and only transmit to it's capabilities.
 
eeguru said:
No it doesn't. Both revisions of CEA-861 require RGB 4:4:4 as the only mandatory color space and that isn't going to change since it would break compatibility. The electrical interface, link level protocol, DDC bus and EDID address, and EDID structure is 100% the same. If a HDMI transmitter is connected to a DVI sink, it will read a limited set of capabilities from the EDID data consistent with a DVI rev receiver and transmit only what the display supports. If a DVI transmitter is connected to a HDMI sink, it will treat the extended information in the EDID data as reserved since it has no knowledge of it and only transmit to it's capabilities.
Click to expand...

exactly. I guess I can guess what the EE is for in your name. ^.^

When I used a vga cable, the picture was always dark and blurry. Granted i'm using cheap old vga cables. But thats my point. But getting back to the problem at hand, I think there is a setting that facattack is missing, and until we get a reply I don't think there is much we can do for now.
 
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