Gaming Hooking up my PC to Plasma TV

[DjFIL]

My main, every day, computer is a Black MacBook (late 2006 model). I've had it hooked up to my Panasonic Viera Plasma before with no issues, using a Mini-Port to DVI adapter and a DVI to HDMI cable... worked great. I have a Windows 7 box that I mostly use as a torrent downloading, video streaming (via Xbox 360) and WBFS Wii HDD loading machine. It's a Shuttle K48 (http://global.shuttle.com/product_detail.jsp?PI=1133) with a Dual Core 2.5GHz, 2GB RAM and 1TB SATA HDD. I mostly access it via Microsoft's Remote Desktop Connection client for Mac, and I haven't had it hooked up to a keyboard/mouse/monitor since installing Windows 7 and setting it up for the first time. I don't even have a Monitor in my house to use with it, just a spare keyboard/mouse. It has DVI out (I've only ever used the VGA out), even though the video is the generic GMA950 (actually same as in my 4-year old MacBook) it should be able to easily complete this task.

So... Today I wanted to hook it up directly to my Plasma TV with the DVI to HDMI cable. I turned off the computer, plugged in the video cable, mouse and keyboard. Turned on the TV to HDMI2 (the correct input) first, then turned on the computer. The HDMI2 input message on the tv went away, then came back, then went away again... it's like it was detecting something loading (the message will stay on screen if no input is detected). But after all that, it never appeared with anything on the screen. When I use the RDC client to connect I am unable to adjust any settings for display, as they are taken over by the RDC client's settings.

Any suggestions on what I can try to get this working? I'm really not sure why it isn't syncing up.

 

[VashTS]

yeah get a PC. lol

jk really don't know, dvi and hdmi are basically the same thing just with different plugs. except audio of course.

 

[Arm73]

If it was a Windows PC, I would say start it in safe mode, because once you normally load all the drivers, the video card specifically outputs a signal tailored for your monitor.
Or try adjusting your desktop resolution to something basic like 640x480 wile using your monitor, then shot it down, unplug it from the monitor and connect it to the TV and see if you get any signal.
After you boot the OS you may set the desktop resolution of your choice.

 

[DjFIL]

It is the Windows 7 PC that's failing to do the output... the Mac works to the TV with no problems.

When connected to the TV I instead used teamviewer to RDA in to this Windows 7 machine. This then gave me the correct display properties information. In display settings it shows that it's detecting my Panasonic TV, it even defaults to 1920x1080 as it detects that it's a 1080p tv and that's the optimal output. But still I don't see anything on the TV... if I change the resolution, the TV does it's reset, but still displays just a black screen. Wish I could figure this out.

 

[FAST6191]

Apologies for the fairly disjointed text coming up.

DVI does have a VGA out option and as long as you do not cheap out on VGA cables quality is fine.

Back on topic the DVI, HDMI and interchangeable nature of them is not so much a myth but there are issues surrounding conversion and protocols which would play out pretty much exactly as you said- TVs often pay lip service to standards and the like (see the HD debacle with 768 type resolutions).
While I am on the subject it should be physically impossible but there are varying types of DVI and not all are created equal.
http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/dvi-ca...icabletypes.htm

You might also want to try dropping the refresh frequency- your graphics card may be trying for 100Hz (something other than 60Hz) where the TV only does 60Hz or something like that.

Option 3- it might say getting video on HDMI2 but there may be sub options related to that (not so much stateside but most of us in PAL territory have probably had a nice RCA cable stream a wavy black and white image or had to choose between front or back/side ports for a given menu- same idea here). A word while I am at it- audio might not happen easily so be prepared for that.

Test worth doing at some point- reboot the machine and/or power cycle (at the wall if you can) the TV (your TV is probably a full fledged computer by itself after all). With regards to the machine I would especially look out for what it does for BIOS screens and booting before you hit windows (namely before the graphics drivers proper take hold).

 

[DjFIL]

I have tried both refresh rates provided. it detects that my options are 60hz for progressive scan, and 30hz for interlaced scan... it doesn't give any other options because it detects these as the available options for the TV. When hooked to the tv, and the tv already on to the right input, I never even get the chance to see the BIOS/post screens. Only thing I notice is the 'HDMI2' message going way, indicating that a signal is coming in, or it comes back if the signal has stopped (or is refreshing). Still nothing but black. And I understand that audio will not come thru the DVI to HDMI cable... and that's fine, i'll be doing a separate output from the audio jacks.

Thanks again for the insight... any more suggestions/tips would be appreciated.

 

[FAST6191]

Are there any drivers for your TV? If nothing else they can sort some of the more exotic resolutions out.

 

[DjFIL]

I found a firmware update for my TV. Applied that hoping it would resolve the input issue. Still no luck.