HDMI to DVI Cable

You will lose the audio benefits of HDMI if you use a DVI end, as HDMI carries the audio signal but DVI doesn't.

With the upcoming HDMI1.3 format you'll lose the potential to benefit from the higher resolution format.

Ryder,
I faced the reverse situation and found that the DVI to HDMI interface allowed the benefits of better video transmission. Improved audio transmission was not possible, however.
I imagine that the HDMI to DVI interface will yield the same result.

Not really. HDMI has a slightly longer range, but when connecting to a DVI device, the interface should be backwards compatible--you won't get audio, however, which is part of the HDMI spec but not the DVI spec. The only times I've had problems with DVI/HDMI cables was when I used a DVI switcher. I had a mix of DVI and HDMI sources, a monitor with a DVI input, and the DVI switch in between. Everything worked fine until I switched out the monitor for one with HDMI, then the HDCP started messing up. Turns out if an HDMI source is talking to a DVI input, it will downshift to be DVI compatible. But, then I switched to HDMI source talking to HDMI input, and it stayed in the HDMI format--except that the DVI switch in between wasn't passing all the HDMI signals. Anyway, moral of the story is buy an HDMI switch, not a DVI switch.

Thanks for your response. I reckon I won't be using any switches and hence may not encounter what you've experienced. It looks like DVI is getting less favoured nowadays with HDMI sources and displays getting more popular.

Thanks for all responses.

Snofun3, is the quality of HDMI's audio signal higher than the standard coaxial digital output? I am well aware that technology of high-resolution displays is moving in such a rapid pace. My display projector bought new 3 years back is now an obsolete piece without any HDMI input, and not to mention that I have not changed the bulbs yet even until today, and now there's HDMI1.3? Oh jeez.

I have the older Mits. 65' crt. It has the dvi input. Back when I had Voom Sat. service; with its dvi-out--I bought the necessary dvi cable and tried it.--No performance improvement was noted. (vs component)Now I have the SA 8300hd cable box. This box has the hdmi-out. I bought the hdmi to dvi adaptor. Again no improvement was noted.---So, I understand my situation.--My tv isn't pure digital so component works the same or better.
On my Sony Ruby,which is 1080p, hdmi works better.---With one exception. On standard dvds, my Arcam fmj27 has a better picture on component---than my Toshiba X1A;using hdmi.---Of course this is more about the dvd player being used than what cable form is being used.---So, component can be better; depending--.

The HDMI audio output is often better than the standard coax output, depending on your processor. A realy high-end processor will be getting the best and most original digital information from your DVD and HDMI is the direction most of the letest releases are going.

If you have not invested in a high end processor then just stick with your DVI and coax, which for the time being is what I am doing.

On another level, the HDMI is more convenient to fish behind walls in retrofit installations.

As other posters noted, not all gear demonstrates better picture on HDMI/DVI out. The Bell 9200 HD PVR for example has a known glitch with it's HDMI that multiple firmware updates have yet to fix.

If you have a really nice display, comprehensive callibration plus an aftermarket signal processor will give you a big boost.

Will work perfectly........I've read that the DVI and HDMI carry the same video information (digital), HDMI carries digital audio also. The only player that gave me trouble with this setup was an arcam 137, every other player I've tried (HDMI to DVI) has worked perfectly.

If your display device is the one with the DVI input (i.e. you are going from an HDMI source to a DVI display) you may run into color space issues. I had this problem with my plasma using an upscaling DVD player.

Basically, HDMI has just a tiny bit larger color palette than DVI, so a DVI display may display clipping at the extreme ends of the color spectrum. You'll see this in the form of black level clipping, where really dark areas of the image get blocky and ugly looking.

Took me forever to figure out what that was. Ultimately I had to switch to component for DVD.

Thanks for all helpful responses. Now I know it's not all roses with HDMI to DVI with some members here experiencing glitches.

I should mention that it might not be a problem depending on how DVI-friendly your source device is. Some of them have a "DVI" mode where it switches the color palette to match that of DVI. It just happens that my Denon universal player has no such mode.

I just upgraded projector from Panasonic PTL-300U (which is only high def compatable) to Panasonic PT-AE900U (which is high def). I'm using a DVI-D cable with DVI-D terminations on both ends. I am using two DVI-D female to HDMI male connectors, purchased at Monoprice.com for - get this! only $4.74 each! Sure beats $25-30 at brick and mortal stores! - since neither the Oppo DVD player nor the projector have DVI) and it works fabulously. BTW, some have suggested that anything over fifteen feet can wreck the quality of the DVI signal, however I have zero issues with distance effecting the quality of the picture using HDMI, and I believe I installed a 25' length DVI-D cable when I built the room.

The link below discusses an odd problem that I had not encountered before:

a faulty 5v pin shorting an HDMI cable

This supports the matra of always test, test, TEST.

user rich has entered room

analyst Tonya_ has entered room

Tonya_> Hi Rich. Welcome to Sony Online Support. I'm Tonya. Please allow me a moment to review your concern.

rich> ok thanks

Tonya_> Thank you for waiting, Rich. I'm sorry that the DVI input is not working on the TV. I'll be glad to assist you with this.

Tonya_> When did it last work as expected?

rich> i finally bought a ps3 and it works fine on my bravia tv. then i bought a rocketfish hdmi cable to dvi adapter and there is no picture on the KF-50WE610

rich> it has never worked on the KF-50WE610

Tonya_> Please let me know if you're using a Sony blu-ray player.

rich> sony ps3

Tonya_> Okay, Rich.

Tonya_> .

Tonya_> I'm sorry for the typo.

Tonya_> I'm sorry, Rich. It's not possible to connect HDMI OUT to the DVI IN of the TV.

Tonya_> Since, the DVI port won't support the High resolution signals bypassed by the HDMI port of the PS3. It's not possible to connect the HDMI OUT to DVI IN.

Tonya_> Rich, you can use the DVI-HDMI adapter with the Sony devices.

rich> that is what i am trying to do. why wont it work with my tv

Tonya_> You can connect DVI OUT of a device to the HDMI IN of the TV using the adapter.

Tonya_> Since, it's not possible to downgrade the signals in the devices. It's not possible to connect the HDMI OUT of a device to the DVI IN of the TV.

Tonya_> Yes, Rich.

Tonya_> If the device like computer or blu-ray player has DVI OUT, then you can connect the DVI OUT of the device to the HDMI IN of the TV using the adapter.

Tonya_> This connection will upgrade the signals from DVI port to HDMI port.

rich> the KF-50WE610 only has dvi no hdmi

Tonya_> It's not possible to connect HDMI OUT of the device to the DVI IN port of the TV as the signals passed from the HDMI port is in High definition and the DVI port can receive only analog signals.

rich> is there a dvi out cable for the ps3

Tonya_> I'm sorry, Rick. We are Sony Consumer Electronics Team. We don't have the information regarding the Playstation in our database.

Tonya_> Hence, please refer to the manual of the PS3 to check the ports available on it.

Tonya_> Thanks for your patience and time.

rich> From a user's perspective, an HDMI display can be driven by a single-link DVI-D source, since HDMI and DVI-D define an overlapping minimum set of supported resolutions and framebuffer formats to ensure a basic level of interoperability. In the reverse scenario, a typical HDMI-source (such as a Blu-ray Disc player) may demand HDCP-compliance on the display, an optional capability for DVI monitors. Hence, though the display link is technically operable in the sense that the HDMI source can produce a watchable image on the DVI monitor, content policy may forbid the display of HDCP-protected content on the non-HDCP compliant display. Absent this HDCP issue, an HDMI-source and DVI-D display would enjoy the same level of basic interoperability.

rich> Hence, though the display link is technically operable in the sense that the HDMI source can produce a watchable image on the DVI monitor, content policy may forbid the display of HDCP-protected content on the non-HDCP compliant display. Absent this HDCP issue, an HDMI-source and DVI-D display would enjoy the same level of basic interoperability

rich> Absent this HDCP issue, an HDMI-source and DVI-D display would enjoy the same level of basic interoperability

rich> is this the real issue HDCP issue

Tonya_> Please stay online while I confirm this with our next level of support.

rich> ok thanks

rich> content policy may forbid the display of HDCP-protected content on the non-HDCP compliant display.

Tonya_> Thank you for waiting, Rich.

Tonya_> Rich, both the PS3 and the TV are HDCP compaint.

Tonya_> Hence, it might not be an HDCP complaint issue.

Tonya_> The PS3 will output the resolution of 1080/24p through the HDMI port.

Tonya_> The DVI port of the TV will support only 1080i signals.

Tonya_> Hence, it's not possible to get the video signals bypassed from the HDMI port of the PS3 to the DVI port of the TV.

rich> can i run my ps3 hdmi out to my laptop and then it will go out to the dvi in on the tv

Tonya_> The Computer must have the DVI Input and DVI output ports to perform this operation.

Tonya_> Also, the computer must be capable to bypass the signals from the PS3 to the TV.

rich> ok thanks

Tonya_> You're most welcome.