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I've had a PS3 and a large LCD TV for a while now, but it doesn't have an HDMI in and thus I've had to use component cables.

Poking around a bit got me stuff like this, but I'm wondering; is it really that simple to convert HDMI to VGA? Has anybody else tried this sort of thing?

is it really that simple to convert HDMI to VGA?

It is unlikely to provide any visible significant quality increase. VGA is analog RGB with separate sync. Normal component cables are YPbPr with integrated sync. While it's true that the native format of both the display and the PS3 is RGB, neither the inline sync nor the color space conversion is likely to significantly affect the picture. The usual analog timing stability, transient and dynamic range problems will remain either way.

Oh? I've achieved higher resolution through VGA by plugging my computer into it, though. What's the difference?

Ryan Thunder wrote:Oh? I've achieved higher resolution through VGA by plugging my computer into it, though. What's the difference?

Some older HDTVs don't support 1080p over component because the sync recovery circuitry can't handle the higher frequency. I haven't encountered this problem myself, but if your TV is old enough not to have HDMI, it may have this problem. However it should still support 1080i and 720p over component; 1080i is sufficient for blu-ray movies, which run at 24 FPS anyway.

Oh? I've achieved higher resolution through VGA by plugging my computer into it, though. What's the difference?

Are you sure it isn't scaling? What is the native resolution of this display?

Using VGA, some older panels let you use higher resolutions than other inputs; I've seen 720p displays quite happily display 768 or 900 lines through VGA. Looks like dogshit, so it's probably scaling to common PC resolutions.

In America a brand new HD LCD of incredible size and display quality is fuck all money, just buy one. In AU we pay four times what you do.

Starglider wrote:

Ryan Thunder wrote:Oh? I've achieved higher resolution through VGA by plugging my computer into it, though. What's the difference?

Some older HDTVs don't support 1080p over component because the sync recovery circuitry can't handle the higher frequency. I haven't encountered this problem myself, but if your TV is old enough not to have HDMI, it may have this problem. However it should still support 1080i and 720p over component; 1080i is sufficient for blu-ray movies, which run at 24 FPS anyway.

It also get's crisp hi-def out of our box with component cables. I'm not entirely certain as to how, though, because when I try to set the PS3 to higher resolutions the screen just displays garbage.

Oh? I've achieved higher resolution through VGA by plugging my computer into it, though. What's the difference?

Are you sure it isn't scaling? What is the native resolution of this display?

Well, I tried to find the cable to check the resolution on that screen, but I haven't been home long enough to have the time.

All I remember is that it was in excess of ten thousand pixels across.

Ryan Thunder wrote:I'm not entirely certain as to how, though, because when I try to set the PS3 to higher resolutions the screen just displays garbage.

What higher resolutions, specifically?

Well, I tried to find the cable to check the resolution on that screen,

It won't be printed on a cable, it will be in the manual. 1080p TVs usually have a prominent 'Full HD' and/or 1080p sticker on them. Alternatively look up the model number on the internet.

All I remember is that it was in excess of ten thousand pixels across.

mmmyeah. So five times higher linear resolution than any TV available to the general public? Somehow I doubt it.

Most likely you have a 720p TV which a downscaler on the VGA input. If so setting the output to anything higher than 720p would make the picture quality substantially worse, no matter how you connect it.

Starglider wrote:

Ryan Thunder wrote:I'm not entirely certain as to how, though, because when I try to set the PS3 to higher resolutions the screen just displays garbage.

What higher resolutions, specifically?

Anything higher than the default. 720, 1080, etc.

On 720 it displays the screen in stereo without colour and distorted. On 1080 the display is so hideously distorted that the only reason I know it isn't just displaying something random is that I can see things change when I move the cursor around before it defaults back to 480i.

Well, I tried to find the cable to check the resolution on that screen,

It won't be printed on a cable, it will be in the manual. 1080p TVs usually have a prominent 'Full HD' and/or 1080p sticker on them. Alternatively look up the model number on the internet.

Well I was actually going to plug my computer in to get the resolution it produced, but I'll try that when I get home.

All I remember is that it was in excess of ten thousand pixels across.

mmmyeah. So five times higher linear resolution than any TV available to the general public? Somehow I doubt it.

Well, I guess I must be mistaken, then.

Stark wrote:Using VGA, some older panels let you use higher resolutions than other inputs; I've seen 720p displays quite happily display 768 or 900 lines through VGA. Looks like dogshit, so it's probably scaling to common PC resolutions.

Most 720p LCD HDTVs actually have a 1280x768 or 1366x768 pixel native resolution and the 1280x720 output is either slightly scaled up or the excess pixels on the panel are not used. That is one of the reasons why 720p sucks with LCDs; if you use a pixel perfect (1:1) mode for 720p you actually lose some of the display area. There are plasma TVs which have an actual 1280x720 native resolution, but I have never seen an LCD TV with such a display panel.

Ryan Thunder wrote:Anything higher than the default. 720, 1080, etc.

On 720 it displays the screen in stereo without colour and distorted. On 1080 the display is so hideously distorted that the only reason I know it isn't just displaying something random is that I can see things change when I move the cursor around before it defaults back to 480i.

Yikes, what specific make/model is your LCD TV? If it has no HDMI port and also is unable of even producing 720p or 1080i images properly, than it is not even able to be classified as an "HDTV" in the first place and you will not be able to get anything above 480p. Its possible you might have what is called an "EDTV" which is a set that has a wide 16:9 aspect ratio screen, but is only capable of 480p resolution using the typical component cables. Sure the screen might technically have a native resolution higher than 852x480 (probably 1024x768), but it is likely limited to being utilized through the VGA connection.

HOWEVER, to use both a friend and myself as an example, we have LCD TVs which have both HDMI and VGA ports. From what we have tested on them by connecting laptops through the VGA ports and playing around with the laptop resolutions, we found that the VGA connection is specifially limited to max out at 1024x768 and is also locked into a 4:3 aspect ratio even though our TVs are widescreens capable of doing 1280x720p and 1920x1080i when using the HDMI ports.

So what this means in your case is you could probably get that HDMI to VGA adaptor and set the PS3 to 1024x768 resolution, but you will likely be locked into a shitty 4:3 aspect ratio on your TV.

EDIT* Just from checking around, it doesn't look like the PS3 is programmed to allow 1024x768 in its resolution settings, so in that case, don't even bother getting that adaptor because even IF your TV can do 1024x768 through VGA, your PS3 won't be able to take advantage of it.

Icehawk wrote:EDIT* Just from checking around, it doesn't look like the PS3 is programmed to allow 1024x768 in its resolution settings, so in that case, don't even bother getting that adaptor because even IF your TV can do 1024x768 through VGA, your PS3 won't be able to take advantage of it.

Gah. Well, thanks for the heads up. I think I'll take Stark's advice and see if I can get an HDTV with an HDMI in for a good price somewhere.