Sony KV-36HS500 and DVI

[gzabar]

Hey all...
I've got the Sony KV-36HS500 and it's got a DVI port in the back...I've got a few questions...

1-I'm using the Scientific Atlanta 8300HD DVR/Cable box, and it's got an HDMI port. I was thinking of getting an HDMI to DVI cable to connect it to me TV, but I know it requires HDCP compliance. I believe the TV does have the capability, but was curious if anyone can confirm.
2-Is there any advantage of using the DVI port? (other than freeing up a component video input)? I suffer from the dreaded scrolling vertical bars in 1080i, and was curious if that still happan via DVI connection? Will the picture quality improve at all? (I know DVI tends to be direct towards "fixed pixel" tv's and the such, and not tube based)

Thanks to all who can answer!

[Heavy Mettle]

I have the same TV.I can only answer your first question since I don't have anything hooked up to DVI.Yes,it is HDCP compliant.

[gzabar]

Does anyone know?...

[cflannery]

[ 2-Is there any advantage of using the DVI port? (other than freeing up a component video input)? I suffer from the dreaded scrolling vertical bars in 1080i, and was curious if that still happan via DVI connection? Will the picture quality improve at all? (I know DVI tends to be direct towards "fixed pixel" tv's and the such, and not tube based)

The scrolling vertical bars will be there with the DVI as well, at least they were for me with my set top (Dish 811). The service menu fix for this problem is posted here in this forum. I did the HDPT service menu fix and all is fine now. I was using the component input for 1080i , but I now I prefer the DVI input. Maybe it has something to do with the fix for the scrolling bar problem that changed my preference to DVI . The difference is very slight & I may just be nuts. In any case a DVI cable can be had cheap (I got mine off Ebay for $7) & only you can be the judge. Find the post with the tech service bulletin that details how to fix the scrolling bar issue, it is a pretty straight forward fix if you are comfortable in the service menu. I think the picture quality is better now than before the fix, again this is my own opinion, others disagree. Happy Hd viewing, Chris

[gzabar]

Does the the service menu fix only work for the DVI input?

[cflannery]

No, it wil correct the problem for 1080i source from both component and DVI.

[gzabar]

Sadly...I don't think I will bother with the Service Menu fix. The scrolling bars are very faint, and my wife and I have gotten pretty used to it...
I was thinking of getting the DVI cable to "possibly" improve picture quality, but it seems like I won't have any change....

[gzabar]

I am reopening this thread to see if anyone with the same TV is using DVI. I just bought a cheap "gold" HDMI to DVI cable, and will try it out when I get home from work, but I was hoping someone might chime in and tell me they're using, and there IS an improvement in picture quality...

[montreal]

[QUOTE=gzabar]I am reopening this thread to see if anyone with the same TV is using DVI. I just bought a cheap "gold" HDMI to DVI cable, and will try it out when I get home from work, but I was hoping someone might chime in and tell me they're using, and there IS an improvement in picture quality...[/QUOTE]

I have the same DA-4 chassis as you (see label on back of TV), although my set is an XBR800.

I will confirm that the scrolling bar will be as visible with DVI as with components. The reason is that the output of your internal DVI receiver module is analog just like your components feed and all analog signals pass through the same AV source selector within the motherboard. The actual problem causing the scrolling bar is located downstream from the selector.

I plan on hooking the same STB as your's to my DVI port next month.

Whenever the HDMI to DVI cable is short, there is not likely to be a difference between low quality and premium cables. Any link over 15 feet will begin to benefit from the use of cable that has 24 guage wire as opposed to 28 guage, and lower capacitance. Also note that an HDMI to HDMI cable with a DVI adaptor will deliver the same results as HDMI to DVI cable, all other factors equal. There is nothing magical about HDMI cable. HDMI cable is the same DVI cable (expensive types and cheap types) with one extra control line (CEC). The sound in HDMI passes over the same twisted pairs that carry the video.

Given what I understand about the SA8300HD and our Sony DA-4 chassis, I am not expecting any improvement in PQ between the the analog components feed and the HDMI/DVI feed.

What I am looking forward to is the satisfaction that when the day comes when all STBs begin to downrez (selected) HD content over component links, my digital link will be giving me full rez HD.

Avoid getting the SA8000HD box which is having a problem recognizing the DVI ports of certain display devices within certain cable networks.

A report in HOMETHEATREHIFI.COM magazine suggested that some issue may exist when a STB with a Silicon Image brand HDMI transmitter talks to a DVI receiver. If the profile of the source is 10 bit YCbCr, then some blacker than black information is reputed to be eroded in the conversion to 8 bit RGB required by the DVI receiving chip. Thus anyone purchasing new equipment would be wise to avoid creating the HDMI to DVI link given that there are 3 other ways of mixing HDMI and DVI hardware that are safer.

So far Silicon Image, Scientific Atlantic, and HOMETHEATREHIFI.COM have refused to answer my inquiries asking for further comments on the original published article that made the claim about the bug in the S.I. HDMI transmitter chip.