1080p & HDMI

[cousindave]

I haven't bought a Blu Ray player yet.

Can I get a 1080p picture without using a HDMI cable?

If not, why?

[Qui Gon Jim]

No.
Component connections are limited to 1080i, I believe because of bandwidth.

[DVD Polizei]

Component connections aren't limited. They can play a 1080p signal just fine.

The problem is, HDMI was a supported format by companies (movie studios and hardware companies) so they could control the video and audio data from going from one hardware device to another. Companies were getting mad at the consumer for watching movies on any DVD player and any TV they preferred.

If you don't have a TV which supports HDMI, your HDMI player won't play at 1080p resolution because it has to "communicate / handshake" with the TV. Likewise if you have an HDMI TV, but don't have an HDMI player, you won't be able to play movies in 1080p, either.

HDMI was created to control your viewing much more than the argument it was designed to make your life easier by implementing audio and video in one cable.

Oh, almost forgot. Don't have an HDMI receiver? Well, you're shit outta luck buddy, because you'll need SPDIF outs or analog outs from the player to get sound from the fucker. Luckily, we still have manufacturers making analog outs and SPDIF outs (coaxial / optical). However, if you want to enjoy lossless audio from your high-def movies, HDMI is slowly becoming the only way since SPDIF outs cannot carry the high bandwidth of the audio signal (generally, your DVD player downcoverts the lossless signal via SPDIF to your receiver). The only other option is using 5.1 analog outs which are not common on most DVD players. Usually, only the high-priced models provide the separate channel analog outs.

Hope this helps. And anyone can correct me here if I'm not correct.

[Spiky]

No, because of studio copyright fear-mongering over the last 5 years. Current component can easily handle 1080p, esp the preferred 1080p24 which needs less bandwidth than 1080i60. It could even be used for digital instead of analog if they had wanted, making potential bandwidth higher than HDMI, but they have some stupid mental block about copyrights and coax. Since there is no real logic behind their decisions, I find it hard to explain.

Hah, beaten to the punch a bit.

[DVD Polizei]

I agree with Spiky. :D

[Qui Gon Jim]

However, if you want to enjoy lossless audio from your high-def movies, HDMI is slowly becoming the only way since SPDIF outs cannot carry the high bandwidth of the audio signal (generally, your DVD player downcoverts the lossless signal via SPDIF to your receiver).

I was confused about video and audio bandwidth in my response above. Whoops!

[DVD Polizei]

No big deal. We all help each other! :banana:

[cousindave]

Thanks for the info.

[videoguy]

hi! I was doing research on connecting a projector last night and remembered this topic here. I found on a web site that there are different specs on hdmi cords and that some of them aren't as good. I think you have to look for them to have the 1.3"b" spec and for the cord to be good quality. The web site recommended not to buy from "scambay". But they specifically said that a lot of the other hdmi cords couldn't handle all the bandwidth that 1080p has.