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How to add an HDMI output to my PC?

AprecheApreche
edited September 2009 in Technology
I just got a 360, and I'm going to get an HDTV after I move. I've been looking at the choices, and trying to figure out a way to reduce the amount of equipment in the media center, especially for a small apartment. I realized that I can completely eliminate the need for a Mac mini if I just connect my desktop PC directly to the TV. Then I can just have two computers, desktop and laptop.

The thing is, my computer doesn't have any extra video outputs for a TV. My video card has two DVI outputs, and they are both being used by my two monitors. I don't have an SLi motherboard (because SLi is stupid), so I've only got one video card slot.

I need to add an HDMI output to my PC somehow. What to do?

I don't need to worry about audio, because I have that taken care of. All of the devices that go to the TV (Wii, 360, etc.) send their audio into the TV. The TV has an optical audio output which goes into the sound blaster on my PC. Then the optical audio output from the sound blaster can go into the Logitech Z-5500.

EDIT: I have this video card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130318
Apparently it can send out HDTV via the component video cable. Is that 1080p? Does it support all the HDCP DRM bullshit?
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Comments

  • George PatchesGeorge Patches
    What sort of inputs do you have to work with on the TV?
  • AprecheApreche
    What sort of inputs do you have to work with on the TV?
    I haven't bought a TV yet, so who knows? Most TVs I'm looking at have 3-4 HDMI ports, one or two component audio/video (red/green/blue/white/red), and a couple composite video/audio (yellow/white/red). They also all seem to have just one optical audio output.
  • OmnutiaOmnutia
    edited September 2009
    On a PC, DHCP shouldn't be a problem. If you want to add a BR drive later you can just get a copy of AnyDVD or similar. The only problem with DHCP sources comes from the PS3 which won't let you so much as output the main menu over HDMI without HDCP. [Source: Wardrox of The Podcastle.]
    Post edited by Omnutia on
  • George PatchesGeorge Patches
    edited September 2009
    Well your video card supports component video and that will serve for up to 1080P. It is an analog format though and I think you'd have better luck with an with a male DVI to female HDMI adapter and a cheap HDMI cable. Some TVs even include a DVI input.

    Are you planning to route your sound to a separate receiver?

    EDIT: Missed the part you already using both DVI's, sorry. In that case the component is your only option. You may have trouble though as a lot of video cards only support two monitors. Basically you might have to shut down one of your DVI ports to get video on your component output. It depends on your specific card if that is the case. You might be able to get a cheap PCI card with DVI output to add another video out.
    Post edited by George Patches on
  • theknoxinatortheknoxinator
    I can't really say if there's an easy way to add HDMI, since I haven't bothered to build a computer in many years. But I'm pretty sure that since that card outputs in component, that will work fine. Component does support all HD resolutions, and I'm also pretty sure that HDCP only applies to HDMI and nothing else. HDCP is really only a problem if the device outputs it, but the TV doesn't accept it, which only happens with older TVs these days.

    And don't underestimate a potential audio problem. The vast majority of HDTVs has a video delay, so if you're outputting component to the TV, but the audio is being handled by a separate system, you do invite video/audio sync issues. I just recently got a Mac mini for the purpose of having a media computer for my TV, and it outputs HDMI to the TV, while streaming digital audio to a separate system. There is about a 1/4 second delay on the video compared to the audio, which is easily fixable using a good video program like VLC, but doesn't help when it comes to watching things in Flash. I'm kind of wondering if anyone else knows a way to force a constant audio delay when the hardware doesn't support it.
  • OmnutiaOmnutia
    edited September 2009
    Wait a second, you mean you want to physically add HDMI ports? You've got DVI, just buy a DVI to HDMI converter.
    image
    Post edited by Omnutia on
  • lackofcheeselackofcheese
    Well your video card supports component video and that will serve for up to 1080P. It is an analog format though and I think you'd have better luck with an with a male DVI to female HDMI adapter and a cheap HDMI cable. Some TVs even include a DVI input.
    This is the way to go. DVI and HDMI are the same signals with different connectors.

    Audio delay is indeed an issue, though.
  • George PatchesGeorge Patches
    This is the way to go. DVI and HDMI are the same signals with different connectors.

    Audio delay is indeed an issue, though.
    I've never had an audio delay issue, but maybe I just never noticed. I was using a true DVI input though.
  • theknoxinatortheknoxinator
    This is the way to go. DVI and HDMI are the same signals with different connectors.

    Audio delay is indeed an issue, though.
    I've never had an audio delay issue, but maybe I just never noticed. I was using a true DVI input though.
    The delay has nothing to do with the DVI or HDMI or whatever. It's all in the TV and how fast it can process the signal. The delay varies on what kind of TV it is.
  • George PatchesGeorge Patches
    Have you tried running an audio out from the TV itself?
  • MrRobotoMrRoboto
    Well you would need one of these DVI to DVI/HDMI and setting a resolution both tv and monitor are capable of using
  • AprecheApreche
    Thank you to all the people who did not read my post. Yes, I have two DVI ports. Yes, I know that you can convert DVI to HDMI. You failed to read the part that says I have TWO monitors. Thus, both DVIs are already in use.

    As for audio delay, I'm not worried about that. I have a Creative Sound Blaster PCI-Express X-Fi Titanium card in my PC. As I said before, I will take the optical output from the TV and put it into the input on the sound card. I will then take the output from the card and put it into the sound system. The card can be setup to pass-through any incoming optical audio, specifically for this home theater purpose. Thus, there won't be any processing or delay on that audio which comes out of the television. Also, since this sound card is in my computer, audio from the computer will go directly to the sound system without passing through the TV. This will let me use the computer with audio while the TV is off as well. It's pretty much perfect.

    The only thing I need is a way to add an extra HD video output to the computer. I think I'm going to try the component cable. If that works, then I'm set. If not, then I'll try to get a regular PCI video card of some sort with HD output.
  • ......
    Ports
    DVI 2
    TV-Out HDTV / S-Video Out
    Get relevant converter if necessary, ???, PROFIT.
  • MrRobotoMrRoboto
    Thank you to all the people who did not read my post. Yes, I have two DVI ports. Yes, I know that you can convert DVI to HDMI. You failed to read the part that says I have TWO monitors. Thus, both DVIs are already in use.
    Did you check the link? it splits 1 DVI into two, if you don't mind cloning one of the outputs and if both the TV and monitor can use the same resolution.
  • AprecheApreche
    Thank you to all the people who did not read my post. Yes, I have two DVI ports. Yes, I know that you can convert DVI to HDMI. You failed to read the part that says I have TWO monitors. Thus, both DVIs are already in use.
    Did you check the link? it splits 1 DVI into two, if you don't mind cloning one of the outputs and if both the TV and monitor can use the same resolution.
    Yeah, that is not going to work. The TV is 1080p, the monitors are 1680x1050 and 1280x1024. Also, I definitely do NOT want to clone the output. I want to be able to use the computer while watching a video.
  • TechparadoxTechparadox
    edited September 2009
    Any luck with jacking everything in with the Component cable adapter? I know that some cards can handle three displays with no problems and others will make you sacrifice one of your DVI outputs to get the third port working. As for the HDCP thing, you probably already know that you can't get HDCP content to work over component cables so if HDCP output is a necessity then you're probably going to have to go ahead and get a second card.
    Post edited by Techparadox on
  • OmnutiaOmnutia
    edited September 2009
    If you're ok with some compression artefacts, something like this might be an all-right solution.

    If you want to go with the more expensive solution, the Maxtor Dualhead2Go might be better. [Though the specs say it's VGA or Displayport input.. Wtf?]
    Edit: The Tripehead2Go has a configuration with a DVI-DL input. It's crazy expensive and means you have a left over DVI port.
    Post edited by Omnutia on
  • AprecheApreche
    Also, I don't have a TV yet. This is all planning for the future.
  • George PatchesGeorge Patches
    I'd just dump a monitor to have my TV work, but I like watching anime on a big TV.
  • lackofcheeselackofcheese
    edited September 2009
    Thank you to all the people who did not read my post. Yes, I have two DVI ports. Yes, I know that you can convert DVI to HDMI. You failed to read the part that says I have TWO monitors. Thus, both DVIs are already in use.
    Sorry.
    The only thing I need is a way to add an extra HD video output to the computer. I think I'm going to try the component cable. If that works, then I'm set.
    Yeah, try it, but chances are it won't work.
    If not, then I'll try to get a regular PCI video card of some sort with HD output.
    If you still have PCI Express video card slots you can use, consider buying a second PCIe card instead, since it will be cheaper and more powerful (PCIe cards start at around $20 on Newegg, it seems). You might not have the option, though.
    Post edited by lackofcheese on
  • Victor FrostVictor Frost
    edited September 2009
    Just get a video card with an HDMI or composite out. If you have a problem, throw money at it. You have money, so start throwin'.
    Post edited by Victor Frost on
  • AprecheApreche
    Just get a video card with an HDMI or composite out. If you have a problem, throw money at it. You have money, so start throwin'.
    I'm throwin' it at an apartment and a TV. If I had enough to throw even more, I would be livin' it up.
  • GreatTeacherMacRossGreatTeacherMacRoss
    edited September 2009
    So your problem is you have 2 monitors on a computer, and essentially you want to add a third which is not a clone screen, but you don't have the ports to do it with? I don't know if you can do it, but is it possible to add a second video card and have it function? Perhaps an entirely new card, something like this one: Matrox card.

    Oh, and you got a 360? Sweet!
    Post edited by GreatTeacherMacRoss on
  • George PatchesGeorge Patches
    I think he has enough options. If the component video doesn't work there just isn't a perfect solution to this problem. A compromise will have to be made.
  • ninjarabbininjarabbi
    I've got a similar problem. I wanted to hook up 3 monitors to my PC but my card only has a a VGA port, a DVI port, and an s-video port. I'm currently using the VGA and DVI and I was hoping to use the s-video port with the 3rd monitor using an s-video to VGA adapter. When I go into windows display properties, the 3rd monitor is shown grey, and it will not let me use it at all. I thought it might have just been that it was an older card, so it can't handle 3 monitors, but when I disconnected one of them, it still would not work. I still haven't figured it out yet.
  • AprecheApreche
    I've got a similar problem. I wanted to hook up 3 monitors to my PC but my card only has a a VGA port, a DVI port, and an s-video port. I'm currently using the VGA and DVI and I was hoping to use the s-video port with the 3rd monitor using an s-video to VGA adapter. When I go into windows display properties, the 3rd monitor is shown grey, and it will not let me use it at all. I thought it might have just been that it was an older card, so it can't handle 3 monitors, but when I disconnected one of them, it still would not work. I still haven't figured it out yet.
    It's probably not possible.
  • George PatchesGeorge Patches
    I've got a similar problem. I wanted to hook up 3 monitors to my PC but my card only has a a VGA port, a DVI port, and an s-video port. I'm currently using the VGA and DVI and I was hoping to use the s-video port with the 3rd monitor using an s-video to VGA adapter. When I go into windows display properties, the 3rd monitor is shown grey, and it will not let me use it at all. I thought it might have just been that it was an older card, so it can't handle 3 monitors, but when I disconnected one of them, it still would not work. I still haven't figured it out yet.
    S-video supports a pretty pathetic resolution. Your 3rd monitor might not be capable of displaying it.
  • zombie a gogozombie a gogo
    I'm using a HDMI to DVI adapter on my PC and it works great. I love having my TV as my monitor on my gaming PC.
  • AprecheApreche
    I'm using a HDMI to DVI adapter on my PC and it works great. I love having my TV as my monitor on my gaming PC.
    Thanks for not answering my question at all.
  • OmnutiaOmnutia
    I'm using a HDMI to DVI adapter on my PC and it works great. I love having my TV as my monitor on my gaming PC.
    Thanks for not answering my question at all.
    When has this forum has concerns about tangents?
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