Connections...DVI/VGA/S-video..?

[Doug S]

Which of these these would be the best outputs or should I ask best to worst DVI, VGA, S-video? Hooking it up to say an Infocus 4805 ang by using a VGA splitter am I going to incure signal loss?

[JonMarsh]

If by VGA splitter, you mean an active buffer amplifier like an Exetron box, then that's OK. If you mean a passive cable device, not a good idea.

VGA is RGBHV, which from computers has WAY more bandwith than reuqired for the video siginal for a 4805. DVI is good, but really starts to make a difference only with the higher res formats- HDTV. So, which ever is more convenient or easier with your gear, will probably work fine.

S-Video sacrifices color bandwidth, and furthermore, is an interlaced format. Try to avoid that.

~Jon

[Brandon B]

Echo most of what Jon says, although going to DVI on my digital PJ made a very worthwhile difference in my image, big reduction in noise and improvements in detail and contrast, and I had really decent component cables before that. And that's just DVD. Don't have any hidef. I had never tried RGBHV, though, so I may very well have seen some of that improvement that way too.

With the 4805, I would say your image quality for the various signal types would go, best to worst:

DVI (digital)
VGA (RGBHV)
VGA (over DVI-I connectors)
Component (YPbPr)
SVid
Composite

BB

[Doug S]

Kool.....can I use a DVI to VGA adaptor coming from my computer DVI out to projector HD15 to M1 adaptor? this is for a 4805.....

[JonMarsh]

With most current video boards like ATI and Nvidia which do DVI-I, you can go this way. For some CE units which are DVI-D (digital only), that won't work.

Interesting Brandon that you report this- is this only comparing to component, or to RGB? I know that there's a surprising amount of variation in component video output stage functionality and bandwidth; even the JVC D-Theater units have performance limitations which stem not from the storage media performance but from the luminance channel bandwidth.

I so rarely use component, I'm a bit "out of the loop" on that- even my one DVD player with component is immediately transcoded to RGBHV a few inches away from the player.

I'm looking forward to trying out a new DVI player with a DVI to RGBHV converter soon. Hopefully by Xmax time...

~jon

[Lex]

I've also heard mixed review of various DVI cables, so they may or may not produce better results than quality component cables. Also, component are more versitle at this point, and the right component cables are capable of quite impressive imagery.

I personally am not a subscriber to the notion that just because a connection is a newer type, it's automatically great. It may be better on selective individual applications, but not necessarily always better, or even as good-

[Dean McManis]

I see DVI and RGB picture quality as about the same, even with HDTV resolutions.
But cable quality differences make a big difference at higher resolutions.
S-video is interlaced, so it is a harder job for your projector's internal scaler, and it's bandwidth limited too.

-Dean.