I would like to connect my sat box up to pj , I do need some kind of convertor as the s video will not convert over to vga (as far as I know) . I tried hooking s video to laptop from sat box but didn't work ,i think it is other way around , just out.. Should I go with a tuner card for pc or get one of those boxes like the n6 thingy http://www.x2vga.com/product or this one but not sure if I can connect sat box up to it.. What have others done ... ????

That is the problem with the VGA, you have a few options and they all cost money.

Use a PC with a tuner, that is crappy quality under $100 for a tuner.

Get an expensive decoder box, or a cheap one and live with a bad picture. Last in the price/performance category are crappy transcoders, both expensive and inexpensive, the quality on these is just terrible, I wouldn't recommend anything cheaper than $250-300, and for that price you can buy a new HD TV panel and have all the inputs the proper way, in fact you could get 2 for that price.

HD TV panel
Get a new panel from a HD-ready TV on ebay with a bad backlight, look for keywords like "no power" "started getting dimmer" and "comes on perfect and then goes off again" those clue you into a bad backlight and you can pick them up for under $100 with shipping.

I like this option because there will be VGA, HDMI/DVI, Y/Pr/Pb, and a tuner usually. The 15" are perfect, I have one on the way.

Here is one for $100 + Shipping: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...em=130112736535

Note that it is 1024x768 and has "1 composite, 1 S-Video, 1 component, 1 RF, 1 VGA, 1 DVI"


There is at least one Sat box with VGA, a Samsung SIR-TS160, but I use mine for OTA HDTV, not DirecTV, so I don't know how well it is supported right now.

I am assuming a DIY 15" here, you can tell us if it is something else.

Basically from the price vs quality, the only one that makes any sense is to pick up a HD TV and use its panel. A little farther down on the list is to use a VGA tuner, which may not be as easy, they aren't really popular.

I realize that you have already built a different panel in, but have a look at the bonuses with an upgrade to real inputs, Video games will look great on component, it isn't all that expensive, you get a remote with a volume on it , and VCR's and DVD players/Sat boxes plug right into it. Plus it has a TV tuner already for your basic TV, and DVI or VGA for a PC, or you can hook the PS3/Xbox360 HDMI up with an adaptor.

Have a look at some of the options, $100 for all that isn't bad.

Go back to the next page and look for the e-box you can get the 64 model for under a $100 plus there are picture for all the inputs and the output is vga as far as I know there are three members who have switch over from the n6 and they love it.

RR

Getting a little more confusing on what to do ,, I don't mind spending the 100 bucks on tvbox ,but I do understand on doing it the lcd way also . I have another lcd ready for another pj now but is basically the same with no extra hookups . I was under the assumption though that going through the pc would give you the quality you desire as far as resoulution and if you lcd can handle it..(tv capture card) .. I will see in future week or so before I make decision instead of jumping in and being mad at myself on making the wrong decision . thanks for advice and look forward to any more thoughts on this..

Sorry if I am confusing you more. 2 PJ's, What are they for?

Basically to use a TV tuner just to play a video game or watch the VCR is going to be low quality, no matter what. Also it is a waste and annoying to set up and boot a PC just to watch video, or even to move it with the PJ to watch video.

IF you are using the PC as a recorder of your TV shows, or you have it on all the time, or built into the PJ then it won't make much of a difference.

With the inputs being native to the panel you aren't going through digital to analog conversions and the high Mhz interference of the inside of a PC (and possibly parts of Windows), I am going to have to check out this e-box 64, but as far as I know the quality is still less than a native input.

Good plan, think about it.

It depends on what you plan to watch what kind of inputs you should look at when doing this, I myself didn't realize that the HDTV's where so cheap (I mean cheap in quality too, but since there are only so many people making LCD's and microchips they are probably skimping on the backlight that we will throw away ).

I have a VGA Xbox, a PC and a HDTV tuner with VGA, so in my case the inputs aren't that important, but I planned ahead for Component and S-Video and it is nice to have a VCR input just in case.

O.K.. I really appreciate the input ,I am officially going to put it on hold until I come back from fishing ..When I stop in tigerdirect ,I will probalble make up mind..............lost out on a deal on ebay for lcd tv though..

I just got a prima and it is completely sucky, also advent and polaroid seem to all be made by the same company.

I am selling the Prima on ebay and craigslist.

You may be right to keep your nice panel, I couldn't find the "back up 2 pages" e-box 64 thing, unless it is the philips HD box FTR9964, but doesn't it only do 480p?? Unless your panel is native 480p you aren't going to win any quality contests.

I need to go to a store and check out these things to see how the scaling is, I need pixel-for-pixel modes, preferably at least for 1280x720, 1024x768, and 800x600 I wouldn't mind a funny 1300x768 res IF Native standard resolutions are offered.

The beauty of a PJ is that we can just pull it back a little and we keep our native pixel quality at the sacrifice of a small amount of light.

So I am hunting for a good monitor and box now to (I wish they could be in the same unit, but now I am not so sure, maybe I need to find a really high end one with a bad backlight).

If 480p sounds fine to you the Philips boxes look pretty darn nice, ebay has a few for cheap, these are "broken" but tempting: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...em=130116255730

I was searching high and low, I find that Samsung may have a non-scaling mode, and the MP models have your S-Video and regular Video (as well as two VGA!! Bonus for me with all the VGA stuff I have)

I am not exactly sure, but it seems that the Samsung models with a T may have 3 modes to scaling: Unscaled, stretched to width, but aspect ratio intact (thank heavens, its about time I could watch 16:9) and then the kicker, pixels mapped as they came in!! Finally I have an option.

I just need to check out a few newer T models, the manual doesn't state specifically for the 172t and 173t, but it very specifically does on the 170t and 171t, also the MP models are blessed with the same un-scaled modes, unfortunately only on RGB/VGA, but that is OK because your S-Video and Video aren't going to be native res anyway.

Just letting you know about the Samsung MP models (15x series is a 15", so 150MP, 151MP, 152MP etc are "TV's" as well), although it may not matter to you depending upon your ultimate decision.

Just steer clear of Prima and Advent/Polaroid, they are pure crap (I got this one with a white screen, no display, the only problem was a disconnected LVDS on the LCD, they are too cheap to even afford a piece of tape to hold on the LVDS, that should tell you something, it also weighs about 2 pounds, far too light for a real monitor, also all the video modes scale off the chart, overscan of 2-6 inches, on a 15" panel!!)

Just a note to people following this thread about a bad delivery report on the neoya one ..thread is called bad delivery report.....

I just got the ftr up and running. It works great. Does 480p 480i, 720p - you need a widescreen monitor and 1080i (you need a widescreen monitor too)
Lots of input too.


I might sell it if one is interested.

I got a Hauppage Win Tv Card.. It is great for watching tv on your pc.. You can get those on ebay cheap.. Mine has an s-video input and I have an s video running out of my direct tv box.. Then get the rca plugs to headphone plug thin to run the sound from the direct tv box to your computer.. Actually my Tv looks pretty good .. I will get some screenies up tommorrow .. Right now I am in the process of building projector # 2 ...