[mdmt619]

Ok, so I've been encoding some of the dvds i have into 1500kb/s or 2000 kb/s h.264 videos on my powerbook and they look amazing on my powerbook screen. i'm considering getting a new mac mini, so i tested out hooking the powerbook up to my 51" hdtv via s-video and playing some of the videos and they didn't look anywhere near as good as they did on my powerbook. my question is: will these videos look just as good as they do on my powerbook if i was to connect a mac mini to my hdtv via dvi input? any help is appreciated! thanks!

[frizz]

Yes! They will look much better. I do not believe s-video is capable of HD resolutions, but DVI certainly is.

[mwe]

My TV has a VGA port and a HDMI port. Does VGA support HDTV resolutions or do I have to get the DVI-to-HDMI adapter?

[curiousuburb]

VGA is by definition 640 x 480.

You need DVI to go to the higher end resolutions.

See this handy rollover guide for a simple explanation of ports.

Or read from any of various Video FAQs

[mwe]

Sorry, what I meant was a 15 pin PC input (I think they used to call them VGA ports 20 years ago ).

Actually, my TV's manual said that it supports resolutions up to 1360x768 through the PC input, which is also the max resolution the TV can handle, so I won't be needing any DVI.

[mdmt619]

i was just concerned that it might not look much better because i know that many dvd players are hooked up through s-video and they probably have a better picture than what i had from playing my powerbook through s-video

[Luca]

Originally Posted by curiousuburb VGA is by definition 640 x 480. You need DVI to go to the higher end resolutions.

VGA resolution is 640x480. Then there are SVGA, XGA, SXGA, SXGA+, UXGA, and all the widescreen versions.

But VGA is also the most common name for the 15-pin analog video port found on nearly all computers. This port isn't limited to 640x480 at all.

In nearly every case, when someone says VGA they mean the port, not the resolution. These days, using VGA to describe 640x480 resolution is uncommon and only really used when describing certain pocket PC screens. When you're talking about TV, you'd use a TV term anyway (either 480i or 480p).

[frizz]

Originally Posted by mdmt619 i was just concerned that it might not look much better because i know that many dvd players are hooked up through s-video and they probably have a better picture than what i had from playing my powerbook through s-video

S-video is DVD quality. So using s-video with your PoweBook will display a DVD quality on the screen. The s-video cannot take advantage of your TVs HD resolution, so it is displaying a lower resolution picture. If you used DVI to plug in your PowerBook, then your PowerBook can take advantage of the HD display, and it Will use the native resolution. Either way the DVD is DVD quality, but with DVI your computer can take advantage of that, and scale the picture better.

[rasmits]

Originally Posted by mdmt619 Ok, so I've been encoding some of the dvds i have into 1500kb/s or 2000 kb/s h.264 videos on my powerbook and they look amazing on my powerbook screen.

Off topic, but how big are those files? I'd like to start doing the same thing if they aren't monstrously huge.

[curiousuburb]

Originally Posted by Luca VGA resolution is 640x480. Then there are SVGA, XGA, SXGA, SXGA+, UXGA, and all the widescreen versions. But VGA is also the most common name for the 15-pin analog video port found on nearly all computers. This port isn't limited to 640x480 at all. In nearly every case, when someone says VGA they mean the port, not the resolution. These days, using VGA to describe 640x480 resolution is uncommon and only really used when describing certain pocket PC screens. When you're talking about TV, you'd use a TV term anyway (either 480i or 480p).

Yeah... ^^^ ...what he said... ^^^

I was referring to the original resolution defined as VGA... not the D15 port output options... which as Luca noted, can use the analog port for various later implementations of _GA... some of which would be suitable for driving a decent resolution.

You'll still get cleaner signal via the digital port in most cases. HDMI ≥DVI ≥ D15(VGA)...

[mdmt619]

Originally Posted by rasmits Off topic, but how big are those files? I'd like to start doing the same thing if they aren't monstrously huge.

h.264 at 1500 kbps are between 1 gb and 1.6 gb, most being around 1.2 gb- which i don't think is too bad

for the movies that i know are more intensive (lord of the rings), i used 2000kbps and 192kbps audio and those files are about 2.7 gb each