HudsonValleyNoah Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 So I have a movie saved on the hard drive of my computer. I burned a DVD of this movie and it works just fine but it seem a waste when I should be able to play the movie directly from my computer. What do I need to send the picture to my big screen Plasma and get sound to my 5.1 speaker system? The hardware I have is: Yamaha RX-V1500 running 5.1 (RF63s,RF64,RF-3s,RSW12) Carver C1000a 5.1 running in 2 ch mode off the main L&R pre-outs from the yammy (RF7s) Samsung 42" Plasma Model # HP-S4253 with (among others) HDMI inputs optical outputs OPPO DVD player How can I do this? what do I need? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougdrake Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 You'll need several things. First, a video connection from your PC to your TV - do you have outputs on the PC that are compatible with the TV? Second, an audio connection from the PC to your Yamaha - do you have digital audio output from the PC (TOSLINK or SPDIF)? Third, you'll need a player for the DVD files on your PC - how did you store the movie onto the hard drive? Is it an ISO image of the DVD, or did you rip the individual files? There are several players that could work, depending on how it's stored, and many of them are free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HudsonValleyNoah Posted September 16, 2008 Author Share Posted September 16, 2008 I (think) I will need to buy a card to connect the PC to the Plasma. What might you suggest? As for sound, I don't even have a sound card in this unit yet; again, what would you suggest? As for a player, i have Nero 7 but I don't know if it would be a good or even a possible choice... I am starting from ground zero on this... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cal Blacksmith Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 What are the inputs to the TV? Do you have a computer in (svga)? If so, you can go straight to the TV via that input and the monitor output of the computer. If you have other inputs you need to get a video card that will output in those formats. For audio, you need a card that will output in SPDIF or TOSLINK, then take the digital output of the computer to the digital input of your Yamaha. For a DVD player, I use Power DVD, I like it a lot. I did go the computer server route a few years ago but it was just easier with all the copyprotection BS to go to a DVD player and the receiver, in my case a Yamaha RX-V663. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wsu99999 Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 Noah, You can go about this a few different ways. Let me detail to you my setup and probably one of the "optimal" ways you can do this. I have a videocard that has dual DVI outputs. I have a Dvi to Hdmi cable that delivers HD Signal to my TV. Then, I have an optical output going from my sound card to my receiver. That's really all you need. Now - you can order a cable that will take your current Svga output and turn it into HDMI (or DVI) but I don't know of one that will take the SVGA and turn it into Component (although I'm sure one exists). What this will come down to for the video is the type of connections you have on your TV more than the connections on your PC. I'm confident your TV probably has HDMI and if so it's easy. Just get that cable and your set. The audio can be done in 2 ways. You can upgrade to a better sound card (probably the best option) and get one with an optical or coax output so you can get 5.1 -7.1 sound OR for a quick and easy fix (cheap) you can get a cord that has 2 RCA's on one side and a mic input on the other. This will allow you to plug mic mini into the sound card and run the rca's to your receiver. I assure you this sounds more complicated than it sounds. If you need me to explain more just ask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wsu99999 Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 Noah, I just re- read your post. Here - Buy this sound card - it will be more than enough for what you need and it's cheap..... http://www.soundblaster.com/products/product.asp?category=1&subcategory=206&product=10702 I got mine off ebay for 20 bucks. For the video - your TV may have a VGA input (mine does) but, it may be a good thing to buy a new video card. Keep in mind - you DON"T HAVE TO. you can get a cable that will convert the signal but you will degrade the picture. If you want the best of the best for video, get this.... http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3478852&Sku=S15-8400&SRCCODE=GOOGLEBASE&cm_mmc_o=TBBTkwCjCVyBpAgf%20mwzygtCjCVRqCjCVRq For software, do you have Vista? most movies your probably "downloading" are divx or some other "non dvd" format. Therefore, you don't need any additional DVD Software - however, you will need to download new codecs for your system. I can point you in the right direction, but don't want to do it on the open forum. If you are trying to watch DVD's, I can show you that too. For 60-80 bucks with the HW above, you can have your HTPC. It's not the best, but it will all get the job done and would be at the point of deminishing returns if you spent much more. Oh.... The cable for the Video Card that you need is here... This cable will take the DVI signal from the video card and turn it into HDMI. This will be the best picture you can get right now... http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10231&cs_id=1023104&p_id=2661&seq=1&format=2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eq_shadimar Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 I am not sure how much money you want to spend but this is the setup I am currently running: Promise NAS (Network Attached Storage) with 4TB HDD Space (purchased separately from the NAS): http://www.promise.com/product/product_detail_eng.asp?product_id=177 Popcorn Hour A-100 Media Streamer: http://www.popcornhour.com/onlinestore/ Windows XP Notebook with XBMC installed: http://xbmc.org/ AnyDVD for ripping the DVD's: http://www.slysoft.com/en/anydvd.html MediaMonkey for music management: http://www.mediamonkey.com/ The Popcorn Hour and XP Notebook with XBMC installed do the same thing. They play video and music files stored on the NAS. Everything is connected to each other via the wired ethernet network in my house. So this is basically how it works. I use my PC to rip all my CD's and DVD's to my NAS using MediaMonkey and AnyDVD and use the notebook or Popcorn Hour to access the media on the NAS and perform the playback function. The notebook with XBMC is connected to my projector via VGA and the Popcorn Hour is connected to a plasma using HDMI (component is possible too). I use the notebook with XBMC in the theater with the projector so I can also surf the web etc. Laters, Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j-malotky Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 I keep movies on my server hard drive. My HTPC uses TheaterTek. I can play hard drive movies just like a DVD. JM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HudsonValleyNoah Posted September 16, 2008 Author Share Posted September 16, 2008 Bummer, no one has that Sound Blaster device in stock, some retailers are calling it discontinued... For $10 more SB is selling something else but I don't understand if it is even as good. As for the Vid card, it sure looks good but I don't understand why we can't just go HDMI in to the plasma. Is it a copy protection thing? As for Monoprice, I love that place! Noah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wsu99999 Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 Noah, You could go HDMI into the plasma, but you would have to have a video card that has HDMI, which is going to cost you an arm and a leg. I honestly don't even know of one that does it, although I'm sure there is one. DVI has the same quality as HDMI minus the audio. The quality I get from my DVI cable is the same as my other hdmi sources Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HudsonValleyNoah Posted September 16, 2008 Author Share Posted September 16, 2008 ...DVI has the same quality as HDMI minus the audio. The quality I get from my DVI cable is the same as my other hdmi sources Oh, cool! Now I just got figure out why my Samsung manual says that I can't hook up a PC to it (the plasma) using the DVI connection. Anybody know anything about that? N Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HudsonValleyNoah Posted September 16, 2008 Author Share Posted September 16, 2008 dupe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HudsonValleyNoah Posted September 16, 2008 Author Share Posted September 16, 2008 more dupe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rudy81 Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 If you can find the Chaintech AV710, like this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829120103 you can't go wrong. Inexpensive and great for HTPC use. I use mine for bit perfect audio transfer to my pre/pro and for passing digital and analog multi-channel audio to my system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wsu99999 Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 If you do it the way I showed you, you won't be using your DVI connection on the TV. There is a DVI connection on that video card I showed you. Get a DVI to HDMI cable and hook the DVI end to the computer and the hdmi end to the tv. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HudsonValleyNoah Posted September 17, 2008 Author Share Posted September 17, 2008 SO glad you clarified THAT! I am going to order the card today... Still looking foe a simple "sound solution" to send that Dolby data stream up a TOSLINK connection. Thanks again, Noah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rudy81 Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 The card I mentioned above is the one I use to send dts or DD to my pre/pro via toslink. If I remember correctly, it was around $24. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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