Laptop Composite/VGA-Out to HD-Plasma Screen?

[moviefan]

Hey guys,

I'm planning to buy a plasma TV soon and was wondering, if I could watch HD material, that I have on my laptop, on the TV. My laptop only has a VGA and a composite output. I've read about HDMI and DVI, which I think transfer the data digitally unlike VGA and composite out. However, is it possible to watch HD material in full resolution via VGA or composite?

[Blue_MiSfit]

Over VGA, sure, provided that your HDTV has a VGA input. Most do not.

Composite, no way. All it can support is 480i.

What you should look into is a home theater PC that has a modern nVidia video card with HDTV (component) out. All GeForce 7 series cards have this, and I think most 6 series cards have it too.

Maybe there is a component out PCMCIA card, but I don't know about that.

Good luck

~MiSfit

[DewAsmara]

Yes,
VGA support HD material, even I think they are the first in HD World before DVI and HDMI later. I connect My Acer L310 Multimedia PC to my LG LCD TV with VGA out at 1280x768 and connect to my LG Widescreen Flatron Wide Monitor with DVI at 1440x900. Component also support HD Material as long it comes from HD Source but limited at arround 1080i. So cannot upscale DVD with component even you play with PC :p

But its really spectacular watching DivX HD material from your flatpanel screen even using VGA output. But for DVD better stick with upscale DVD player.

[moviefan]

But for DVD better stick with upscale DVD player.

What happens if I connect my old DVD player to the nice Full HD LCD screen? How will the picture look?

[DewAsmara]

Did you mean,
Old DVD player using what connection, HDMI, Component or what? Full HD 1080p like Sony Bravia X Series, really a nice TV but how much its internal upscaler works I am not sure.
This the grade result start from the best:
1. Upscaler DVD Player at 1080p (ie Denon 3930 or Marantz DV9600 or Naim NVI) with HDMI connection give best result if connected to Full HD 1080p TV (LCD or Plasma what ever)
2. Normal scaler (Standard Definition) DVD Player with HDMI/DVI connection connected to HDTV at SD output, give your TV hardwork to upscaler it resolution to fit its resolution. But its still good result as its Digital to Digital no need to pass digital analog digital process that could downgrade its quality. This good sample is Arcam DV79 that have digital HDMI connection but without upscaler.
3. Old DVD Player like my parents Pioneer 393S or my Micro Home Theater sets still can give optimal result as long as connected using component output, use high quality cable (example Van De Hull Compolink, Monster Component2 HD) and last but not least, costomize your DVD and TV setting like sharpeness, brightness etc. I play my DVD collection use this way and it looks great because my TV have good internal DCDI Faraudja chipset scaler. But still a little bit below DVD player that use built in upscaler and HDMI connection.

But honestly, it will looks good but not as good as using upscale process in the player. But the best result is coming from True HD source :p