blu-ray player with a 5 yr old 1080i DVI Panasonic HDTV

[mint_2k]

Hello! I'm pretty sure everyone here who is a seasoned veteran of the Blu-Ray player will think the following questions are pretty basic, but I would certainly appreciate some help.

I have a Panasonic Rear projection HDTV that can handle 1080i (max) resolution. It's a 16:9 and we've never had a problem with it, so I'd hate to upgrade it unless I have too. I would like to get a blu-ray player, but I know there are a few major things in connectivity that have changed.

First of all, I don't have an HDMI connection - only DVI. I know there are converter cables out there, but I've heard various stories on quality for getting a seamless cable with a built in converter vs. buying an adapter.


Second of all, if blu-ray players are 1080p, how can I get my 1080i TV to display it? Do I need some special kind of filter or converter to take it from 1080p to 1080i for it to work, or will it automatically convert the signal to interlace (doubtfull)?

Sorry for the long winded questions, but absolutely any advice would be helpfull.

-Larry

[arush5268d]

Welcome to the forum...glad to have you here! Those are all valid questions, so don't fret!

How big is the screen?

HDMI= DVI-d - audio

Your Blu-ray player has a setting that you can change so it will output at 1080i / 720p....so you don't need to worry about getting anything special for that.

Once you see how great Blu-ray is, I'm certain that you'll want to upgrade your TV. It's a bad addiction that we all have!

[seigneur_rayden]

For the cable, all you need is a HDMI to DVI cable. It works just like a HDMI except that it does not carry audio signals. These cables are just fine and work great (no horror stories).

For the 1080i VS 1080P, you can set the BD player to output only 1080i resolution.

[Deadset]

First of all, I don't have an HDMI connection - only DVI. I know there are converter cables out there, but I've heard various stories on quality for getting a seamless cable with a built in converter vs. buying an adapter.

Will you connect your blu-ray player through a receiver or are you just going from the player to your TV?

You can connect your player to your TV with a HDMI to DVI cable, however you'll need to provide a separate audio cable as DVI just has the wires for video. The audio can be probably connected with an optical or coax. You can also just run the audio cable to your receiver directly and just switch the audio on your receiver, while changing to your blu-ray player on your TV input button.

video cable(HDMI to DVI)
Player ----------------------------> TV

audio cable(coax, optical, or red/white)
Player ---------------------------------------> TV (or you can connect to your receiver).

It just really depends on what inputs you have available to you.

You can also use component (red,green,blue) to connect your player to your TV. Of course the audio would be red / white, coax, or optical.

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by mint_2k

First of all, I don't have an HDMI connection - only DVI. I know there are converter cables out there, but I've heard various stories on quality for getting a seamless cable with a built in converter vs. buying an adapter.

It really means a cable with a DVI connector at one end. There is no real conversion happening, only which pin of a DVI connector goes to which HDMI pin. So, an HDMI to DVI cable and an HDMI cable with a DVI adapter are pretty much the same thing.

The issue would be the lossless/multi-channel LPCM audio. That can't carry over DVI. So, either you use optical/coax and are limitted to DD/DTS. Or you use an HDMI cable from the player to a receiver, and then do the adapting from the receiver to the set.

Originally Posted by mint_2k

Second of all, if blu-ray players are 1080p, how can I get my 1080i TV to display it? Do I need some special kind of filter or converter to take it from 1080p to 1080i for it to work, or will it automatically convert the signal to interlace (doubtfull)?

All BD players and the PS/3 can output 1080i/60. It's a 3:2 pull-down of the 1080p/24.

Frames: ABCD ... --> A1A2A1B1B2C1C2C1D1D2 ... (fields 1 and 2)

Your brain does the de-interlacing.

Gary

[mint_2k]

Wow! Thanks for the info!

dialog_gvf, I was not aware that all blu-ray players put out the 1080i resolution. It seems that some of the blu-ray players I've seen as of lately don't mention this as an option. I was at Sams Club yesterday with my wife and we saw several players, but none of them mentioned 1080i as a possible output. That's what got me nervous. I scan though stats on players like these:

http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/nav...=5&item=406651

or this one:
http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/nav...=5&item=408397

None of them seem to mention the 1080i output option. It actually had me wondering if the cheaper player only had 1080p.

Deads3t,
As for connectivity, I'll probably just run the HDMI/DVI cable from the player to the TV directly. My Onkyo receiver can support 7.1, and my surround speaker config is already set up for 7.1, but since I'm using standard DVDs, it's only simulating the 7.1 in THX-EX. I'd like to get the full 7.1 distict channels with my receiver working with the blu-ray player, but again, the newest thing I was introduced to a few years back was optical connections - which is what I'm currently running from the standard DVD player to the reciever. Will I need a different audio connection from a blu-ray player to get the 7.1, or will the optical cable I'm currently using work?

arush5268d,
It's a 53" 16x9 CinemaVision Panisonic. It this one here:
http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-PT-53WX53-Widescreen-HD-Ready-Projection/dp/B00009YAHK

I have heard there are different types of female connections for DVI on the back of the TV, so that's another thing I'm going to have to figure out. I don't want to get the wrong cable.

Sorry again for the cheese-ball questions. I told myself that I was going to ignore the Video world until the whole HD war was squared away. That was several years ago, so I'm a little behind.

[Driver_King]

If you don't have a receiver that accepts PCM via HDMI, optical will be your only solution, however, you will not get 7.1 or lossless surround sound. If you're referring to the war between HD-DVD and Blu-ray, that only ended officially on February 19th of this year. Don't forget to buy your cables at Monoprice.

[JasonR]

If he has analog inputs and gets a capable player he could have all HD formats in 7.1.

[Driver_King]

True. We need to know his receiver and Blu-ray player.

[mint_2k]

hmm... for some reason, my last 2 posts are not visible ?

wierd... anywho, my receiver is the Onkyo TX-SR703. I'm looking at either of these two players:

http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/nav...=5&item=408397

http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/nav...=5&item=410929

[JasonR]

For 7.1 HD audio over analogs, you would need one of these.

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-BDP-S550-...5589996&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-DMP-...5590055&sr=1-3

[mint_2k]

Originally Posted by JasonR

For 7.1 HD audio over analogs, you would need one of these.

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-BDP-S550-...5589996&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-DMP-...5590055&sr=1-3

So either of these would allow a full distinct 7.1 (as opposed to a blended "EX")? The Sony one looks a little nicer IMO, but I'm partial to Panasonic, since I have the brand of TV....

Either of these have the ability to put out 1080i through a HDMI-DVI converter cable?

[Driver_King]

Correct.

[JasonR]

You will have full 7.1 HD audio on the 7.1 titles, on 5.1 titles I believe your receiver will matrix it.

They are both very good players, the Panasonic might even have a slight edge. Both can go 1080i through a HDMI to DVI cable.

[mint_2k]

Originally Posted by Driver_King

Correct.

wonderfull!

I guess the last question would be on the upconverting of older DVDs - I'm guessing these would need to upconvert to 1080i as well.

[mint_2k]

Originally Posted by JasonR

You will have full 7.1 HD audio on the 7.1 titles, on 5.1 titles I believe your receiver will matrix it.

They are both very good players, the Panasonic might even have a slight edge. Both can go 1080i through a HDMI to DVI cable.

Thanks so much for the advice. Now all I have to do is go get the thing. Well, that , and convice my wife that at this very second, I cannot live w/o it.

[Driver_King]

Originally Posted by mint_2k

wonderfull!

I guess the last question would be on the upconverting of older DVDs - I'm guessing these would need to upconvert to 1080i as well.

Everything will work at 1080i, yes.

[JasonR]

Just make sure you use the analog inputs, and you will be good!

[mint_2k]

Originally Posted by Driver_King

Everything will work at 1080i, yes.

Thank again for all the help. I'll need to read up a little on the analog 7.1 audio outputs and how to hook it up, but if it's "analog" it soulds pretty easy.

[Driver_King]

Buy three pairs of these and you'll be set. Really, that's all you need.