# PC Video Playback To TV; Different How-To



## thekochs (Oct 7, 2006)

Well,

I'm a D* junky so I hope this doesn't offend anyone...it is meant to help. Like everyone I've been watching *ALOT* on all the discussions on serving video to the HR20 from a PC. I've even done alot of research on the XBox360 site for the same. All try to solve the same way with uPNP protocol from HR20/XBox360to/from the PC. The problem with this is even if it does work (alot of bugs) there are playback problems, judder/stutter, quality trade-offs, etc. Also, I personally hate being told by MS/Intel that I have to buy a new PC (MCE/ViiV) to playback my content after years of investing $$$ into my current P4/XP HTPC. I know....it can be done thru uPNP Server software but again the inherent bugs & constant tweeking will be your life from now on. 

Anyway, I've solved the above issue in a much simplier way. This solution does not involve the use of HR20 (for which I apologize) but perhaps can be thought of as an intermediate solution for those wanting this now and then can judge how easy/efficient/clean the D* solution is when released.

As you can see from my signature I have a *very* large Home Theater PC Video Server. It runs TheaterTek software player with XLobby front-end to make it nice and clean looking to user. However, for me and anyone else that wants to solve the *physical* connection here is how I achieved it. Obviously, it's up to you how far you take it on other software as a front end on the PC.

1) Buy a VGA video *active* (*do not *get simple RGB Y cable) splitter....they are cheap...$24. This will allow you to hook up your current PC monitor and have a second output. Here is one link but if stale just do web search on "*Tripp Lite VGA/SVGA Video Splitter B114-002-R - video splitter - 2 ports*".
http://inktomi-cnet.com.com/Tripp_L...114-002-R+-+video+splitter+-+2+ports&tag=feed
2) Buy this VGA to Component Transcoder. Hook the second output of the above splitter to this unit. The output of this unit goes to say the 2nd component input of your TV.....or if you are like me into a Matrix switch that feeds all my TVs. Again here is one link but if stale just do a web search on "*Audio Authority 9A60 VGA to Component Video Converter*". https://www.audioauthority.com/indexh.php
3) Lastly, on the PC you can change your video driver to 720P. Most Gfx cards have this driver setting...it is merely 1280x720 60Hz. Your PC monitor should accept and the TV will be driven (via the transcoder).

Lastly, if you need to tweek the above driver for any reason there is a chearp...even free....software util all AVS Forum folks have grown to love. It is called PowerStrip. Very powerful but for this use perhaps the only need is to reduce the overscan of component (~7%). You just install this software that loads on Windows boot and it manages/tweeks the driver settings per your needs. It's all explained in their FAQ (straight forward).....if you need help PM me...I'll be glad to help. Simply put, using PowerStrip I created a new driver from the 1280x720 60Hz driver to 1200x680 60Hz that has no overscan on the screen/TV.

PowerStrip Software: http://entechtaiwan.com/util/ps.shtm
FAQ link on built-in util to correct overscan: http://forums.entechtaiwan.net/viewtopic.php?t=2089

I hope this helps.
__________________


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

Or you could do what I do: connect the DVI output of my PC with a DVI to HDMI cable to my TV. The TV reports that the input is 1080P.
There are also adapters to convert it to component for 1080i or 720P.
If your video card doesn't support this, I think mine was $60 + $25 for the adapter to component. FWIW


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## thekochs (Oct 7, 2006)

veryoldschool said:


> Or you could do what I do: connect the DVI output of my PC with a DVI to HDMI cable to my TV. The TV reports that the input is 1080P.
> There are also adapters to convert it to component for 1080i or 720P.
> If your video card doesn't support this, I think mine was $60 + $25 for the adapter to component. FWIW


Yeah, I also had a DVI-To-Component convertor that bolted to my ATI Gfx card. The problem is I also wanted my HTPC (in other room) to have an active display, hence the splitter idea/tact. I used to have DVI-to-DVI with the PJ and 1:1 mapping but wanted to run thru my Matrix switch to feed all TVs in the house....so hence component.

Anyway, I'm not a fan of uPNP solution for either HR20 or Xbox360 playback...too many quirks. I just wanted to throw this out for everyone there is a simplier way with about $200 or expense to accomplish this with no real drawbacks.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

Well when I wanted two displays... I connected one to the VGA connector & the other to the DVI. I was using Media Center Edition. I gave up on ATI & went with Nvidia.
Now I can understand if users don't want to have their PC next to their TV, why the HR-20 might be of some use to them. Since I have one "right there", it hasn't made any sense to network a unit that still has "a few" bugs.


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## thekochs (Oct 7, 2006)

veryoldschool said:


> Well when I wanted two displays... I connected one to the VGA connector & the other to the DVI. I was using Media Center Edition. I gave up on ATI & went with Nvidia.
> Now I can understand if users don't want to have their PC next to their TV, why the HR-20 might be of some use to them. Since I have one "right there", it hasn't made any sense to network a unit that still has "a few" bugs.


I have a Home Theater I built downstairs. It has a electronics rack with all my settops in it, DVD player, behind it on back side of rack is access room with HTPC. I will by BluyRay and XBox 360 to also put in this rack. The rack feeds the HT PJ and the entire house TVs. I have a real nice martix switch that allows any TV in the house to access any item in the rack. Each room in the house has IR pickups that feed into Xantech box with emitters on top of all the devices in the rack. For the HTPC a nice little trick I figured out was to buy a IR keyboard (not Wireless *BUT* IR). Then you can also put an IR emitter on the faceplate of the keyboard IR receiver that goes to the PC. This way you can program all PC IR keystrokes to your remote....example UP/DOWN/LEFT/RIGHT Arrows, Play, etc. If your PC has a BIOS that allows for boot on keystroke (mine does) you can put this in your remote to turn-on-/boot the PC.....or even use keystroke to come out of StandBy. I use MX500 remotes throughout. The Main Menu buttons house the macros to rurn on the unit and change the switch accrodingly to the input/device you've selected....next screen and buttons are just duplicates/learned of device's remote.

It's taken my awhile but the Wife Acceptance Factor is great.

Remote
http://www.remotecentral.com/mx500/index.html

Switch
http://www.video-storm.com/proddetail.asp?prod=CRM84


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

Well you are very much "over the top" from my little system.


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## thekochs (Oct 7, 2006)

veryoldschool said:


> Well you are very much "over the top" from my little system.


You know, putting it together was a pain but now that it is done it really is not that complex of a system to repeat. I chose Component over HDMI/DVI because the cable runs to distant TVs are 75ft+. You can do this with HDMI with repeaters but terribly expensive.

Anyway, this whole thread is a little off "path" but on" topic" for HR20 but figured others may want to see different ways of achieving this. I spend alot of time on AVS Forum helping others for HTPCs..this Forum has been so kind to me I thought this stuff may help someone.


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## Spanky_Partain (Dec 7, 2006)

thekochs,

I am impressed. Good post and excellent information is given.

thanks
Spanky


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## Mruthula (Apr 23, 2007)

Spanky_Partain said:


> thekochs,
> 
> I am impressed. Good post and excellent information is given.
> 
> ...


:hurah:


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## thekochs (Oct 7, 2006)

Mruthula said:


> :hurah:


What ? 

I did notice some of my links were stale so I updated and also put in the device specific details to web search if needed.


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## wolfs_darkshadow (Jan 22, 2007)

Very Impressive system I don't have near enough room or money for that system, well in my dreams I do... Also anyone know how a banned user (Mruthula) is posting in the forums? Or was he banned after his post today?


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## funhouse69 (Mar 26, 2007)

I also have an HTPC that is using Theater Tek and Xlobby but I dedicate the system to my TV and have it connected to my Sony via HDMI. The coolest thing is that it auto detects the TV and through the nVIDIA Software you can set up the screen border / boundary limits which is a snap. When you watch a DVD or other content it automatically upconverts to 1080i! I love this setup and haven't had any problems / issues whatsoever. I have the system connected to my network (hardwired / no wireless for the amount of bandwidth that I transfer around) and have many Terra Bytes of storage available for my content.


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## thekochs (Oct 7, 2006)

funhouse69 said:


> I also have an HTPC that is using Theater Tek and Xlobby but I dedicate the system to my TV and have it connected to my Sony via HDMI. The coolest thing is that it auto detects the TV and through the nVIDIA Software you can set up the screen border / boundary limits which is a snap. When you watch a DVD or other content it automatically upconverts to 1080i! I love this setup and haven't had any problems / issues whatsoever. I have the system connected to my network (hardwired / no wireless for the amount of bandwidth that I transfer around) and have many Terra Bytes of storage available for my content.


I did the same thing to my Sony VPLHS20 PJ in my Home Theater but the issue for my distributed TVs around the house was distance.....HDMI taps out at 15ft. Component can be driven 300ft. Thus, I decided for simplicty to run everything Component thru my 8x4 matrix switch. You can get repeaters for HDMI/DVI but these are REAl big $$$$ to hook up many TVs.

Also, for your nVidia scaling this is a hardware scale so if you are satisfied with the picture stay with it......else look into a free software package called FFDShow that you can apply all the filtering algorythms and tweek to take out the artifacts hardware scaling does.....FFDShow is a post processing software. TheaterTek supports the use of it. Beware, it takes alot of CPU power from the HTPC....need a beefy system.

FAQ
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=246752
Guide/How-To
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=719041
Link For Downloads
http://www.codecs.com/FFDShow_download.htm
http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=53761

The link/page in TheaterTek that has How-Tos on FFDShow
http://www.theatertek.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=94


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## cheer (Nov 9, 2005)

thekochs said:


> I did the same thing to my Sony VPLHS20 PJ in my Home Theater but the issue for my distributed TVs around the house was distance.....HDMI taps out at 15ft. Component can be driven 300ft. Thus, I decided for simplicty to run everything Component thru my 8x4 matrix switch. You can get repeaters for HDMI/DVI but these are REAl big $$$$ to hook up many TVs.


Terrific post. Definitely giving me some ideas.

At first I was concerned about the lack of HDMI, but I think (at least for now) that will be OK. My HD DVR(s) can all output via component just fine. The only items I have that require HDMI (or DVI w/HDCP) are some upscaling DVD players, but I'm convinced that one "box" that has to remain near each TV is a DVD player.

I like this idea. A lot. I'd probably have to kick up to the 8x8 switch, because if I'm going to do this I'm going to do this for all of the house TVs.

Thank you VERY much.

(My wife, though...she no thank you so much.)


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## thekochs (Oct 7, 2006)

cheer said:


> Terrific post. Definitely giving me some ideas.
> 
> At first I was concerned about the lack of HDMI, but I think (at least for now) that will be OK. My HD DVR(s) can all output via component just fine. The only items I have that require HDMI (or DVI w/HDCP) are some upscaling DVD players, but I'm convinced that one "box" that has to remain near each TV is a DVD player.
> 
> ...


Yeah, just got a message that Video Storm has some new matrix switches....check them out.

UPDATE: Forgot to add......I don't go without HDMI. I actually use the component for everything except my upconverting DVD player, soon to be BluRay. THe CRM84 has an optional HDMI board switch. Thus I hook it up to that.....this board has an extended drive so I get about 30ft. on HDMI. I only use my my Home Theater projector.....rest of house uses component .....however if your budgets really allows you can get HDMI optical cables that'll drive 85ft....but they are some big $$$....for me not worth the difference....but here they are: http://www.hdtvsupply.com/flhdcawiacam.html

Also, here is the Video Storm website.....really like how their IR codes for inputs and outputs combination is fully programmable to any IR code you want it to learn. I recommend to send e:mails to their apps for questions.....they are BIG help.


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