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