HDMI to DVI are there issues?

I have searched several hours on Google and everything keeps coming up the same, DVI is the same as HDMI with the audio component being transmitted by RCA or optical audio. The video signals are the same. The 480p issue popped up after the ATV2 software update. This forum has several threads regarding it. Another issue is blue and red tinting and HDCP issues for protected content.

Maybe someone can tell you if they have had problems with your particular tv.

I bought the ATV2 and it worked fine, no problems, until I updated, as I wanted all the functionality of the update. If your TV can display 720p and is HDCP compatible, technically the ATV2 should work. Apple also says they do not support DVI, but it does work on several tv's just fine.

I just bought one and went for it. The cost of the ATV2, DVI to HDMI cable, optical audio converter to RCA (red and white) component cable, Toslink cable and RCA red and white cables. Total cost was about $200.00. If your tv has an optical audio input, that will save you the cost of the converter and RCA cables. It was sure cheaper than a new tv, which was out of my budget.

I currently only have 480p, as the update took away 720p. I will live with that for now, as everything else works. It is great to have Netflix and my iTunes library stream to my tv. I hope, as well as many other people, that Apple fix's what they took away with the upgrade, with an update to the new software.

You need to decide if you want to give it a try, like I did.

DVI doesn't carry audio, it is capable of carrying high definition video but may not be HDCP compliant (only later devices included HDCP compliant DVI)

If your tv's DVI isn't HDCP compliant the output from your tv will be downsampled to 480 lines of resolution.

If your tv doesn't have an audio input associated with the DVI port you will also run into problems unless you can send audio to a receiver over optical.

"If your tv's DVI isn't HDCP compliant the output from your tv will be downsampled to 480 lines of resolution.

"

Is this realy correct. Aren't people with with HDCP compliant/DVI input devices having the same problem when they upgrade the software. In addition, I thought that if your device is not HDCP compliant, you will simply get a ablank screen.

kevin

That is correct. I have a Panasonic plasma with HDCP compliant DVI inputs. It worked perfectly in 720p before the 4.2 update. Now it's locked into 480p. And I'm not alone... :/

Just connected ATV2 Hugely disappointed. No way to manually set the screen resolution at all. With my previous ATV1 HMDI to DVI cable connection worked perfectly at 1080i. No way to force the resolution now and there is no way I'm replacing a perfectly good TV to run ATV2.

It's going back tot he store tomorrow. Use your head Apple!

HDMI is the only cable that is supported.

vazandrew wrote:
HDMI is the only cable that is supported.

No, I do not think so. It is also not working properly when there is a HDMI cable connected, and between HDMI plug and the DVI port of the TV an adapter (HDMI->DVI) is used. This various problems have nothing to do with DVI, this is only a poor excuse that DVI is not supported. As pointed out so often DVI carries the same video signals like HDMI, there is no conversion or whatever involved. There is something wrong with the ATV2 software (as so many HDMI only TVs have problems too), so this has to be fixed by Apple. Almost all other HDMI devices work well with DVI TVs, even ones from Apple (ATV1, Mac mini).

Edwin.

Yes, they have stated that DVI is not supported on ATV2 and if you look at the requirements it only says HDMI so trying anything else will be at your own discretion. Some people are having handshake problems with their HDMI supported set, but I was simply talking about support for DVI.

Message was edited by: vazandrew

vazandrew wrote:
Yes, they have stated that DVI is not supported on ATV2 and if you look at the requirements it only says HDMI so trying anything else will be at your own discretion. Some people are having handshake problems with their HDMI supported set, but I was simply talking about support for DVI.

Even if the requirements say only HDMI it does not necessarily rule out DVI, as the video signal is the same. And this was often time stated here in the discussions and there is also mentioned that the troubles with DVI TVs connected to the ATV2 started after the first software update. Because as almost all other HDMI only devices are working well with DVI equipped TVs I believe the ATV2 is supposed to do so too.

So I really do not give up hope that a future firmware update of the ATV2 will restore complete functionality of the HDMI connection, and then it will even work with DVI only TVs.

Edwin.

It may work, it may not, but it's not supported and there are no guarantees.

vazandrew wrote:
It may work, it may not, but it's not supported and there are no guarantees.

I am sorry, but I disagree. This is stated in the FAQ on the hdmi.org website:

*
Q. Is HDMI backward compatible with DVI (Digital Visual Interface)?
Yes, HDMI is fully backward compatible with DVI compliant devices. HDMI DTVs will display video received from existing DVI-equipped products, and DVI-equipped TVs will display video from HDMI sources. However, some older PCs with DVI are designed only to support computer monitors, not televisions. Consumers buying a PC with DVI should make sure that it specifically includes support for television formats and not just computer monitors.

Also, consumers may want to confirm that the DVI interface supports High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP), as content that requires HDCP copy protection will require that both the HDMI and DVI devices support HDCP to properly view the video content.
*

Edwin.