In this article we’ll be discussing the StarTech VGA2HDMIPro VGA to HDMI converter. This is the ideal converter when you want to stream movies, music, or TV content from your laptop or PC to your surround sound system. We’ll cover the basic criteria that this device meets, and cover the basic hookup of the converter into...
Before you go out and spend your hard earned money on a VGA to HDMI converter, there are a few things you will want to consider. In this article we will discuss a few of the more common applications, and which converters are best suited for each. Where will you be using your converter? Where...
What is a VGA to HDMI converter, and why do I need one? Almost all of today’s new TV’s have an HDMI input. HDMI stands for High Definition Multimedia Interface. This is the new standard cable for carrying the audio and video signal from your source equipment (Bluray players, Xbox, Playstation 3) to your television....
What is a VGA to HDMI converter, and why do I need one? Almost all of today’s new TV’s have an HDMI input. HDMI stands for High Definition Multimedia Interface. This is the new standard cable for carrying the audio and video signal from your source equipment (Bluray players, Xbox, Playstation 3) to your television. The signal used by HDMI is strictly digital. Most computers still operate on a different type of signal called VGA. VGA is strictly an analog signal. A VGA to HDMI converter essentially “translates” the analog VGA signal from your computer to the HDMI input of your TV, allowing you to see your computer screen on your HDTV.
While more and more computer manufacturers are moving to HDMI outputs, the vast majority of computers still use VGA. Thus the need for the converter. Whether you are looking to display a Power Point presentation at a clients office, or just wanting to stream Netflix from your PC to your HDTV, a VGA to HDMI converter like the Atlona AT-HDVIEW VGA to HDMI Scaler, seen above, is what you will need to accomplish this. There are several other brands available. Here is a search for similar products on Amazon.com. Below is a video from Atlona describing the capabilities and use of the above mentioned VGA Converter.
I’ve seen a lot of questions in forums lately regarding HDMI laptops. For several years manufacturers have been producing laptops that have HDMI outputs. If you’re laptop already has one, there is no need to look into any sort of converter for connecting directly to your HDTV. There are a few settings you might need to play around with in order to get it working exactly the way you want.
Resolution
Up until a few years ago, computer resolutions rarely matched the resolutions of TVs. Because of the 4:3 aspect ratio of most computer monitors, the image would have to be stretched to display properly on a standard 16:9 HDTV. More recent laptops have the same aspect ratio as high definition TV’s. This makes displaying videos, pictures, or presentations on your TV much easier. But some laptop resolutions are much higher than what an HDTV can display. It is not uncommon for a laptop to have a resolution of 1920×1200 pixels. This is slightly higher than what your average HDTV is able to display. 1920×1080 is the standard for high definition, so you’ll need to adjust the display settings on your HDMI laptop to match this resolution.
Refresh Rate
Refresh rate is another setting that you might have to adjust to get your laptop’s screen to display properly on your HDTV. Most new LED TV’s advertise refresh rates of 60Hz, 120Hz, and 240Hz. For our purposes, these refresh rates are not important. The TV will accept a 60Hz signal from a laptop or other device. It then uses internal circuitry to upgrade the signal to the higher refresh rate. Speaking from experience, most of these higher refresh rates suck. They are essentially adding information to the picture that isn’t there. So the image comes out looking VERY unnatural. This is true with any sort of source material including HD Cable, DirecTV, and even BluRays. I find that it makes almost any image look like the cinematography used for soap operas. It is most noticeable during panning during a scene. Most of these enhanced refresh rates can be disabled from the TV’s settings menu.
But for our purposes as long as your HDMI laptop is set to output 60Hz you should experience no difficulties in displaying your content on your TV. The only caveat might be for a projector. Some data projectors are a bit more finicky about the refresh rate. By changing and applying the settings, you should be able to find a setting that works.
Cables
Just a quick word on HDMI cables. You can spend as much money as you want on any kind of audio/video cable and this especially applies to HDMI. After having installed about a thousand HDTV’s with every level of quality component on the market, I can attest that cables make little or no difference. So long as you get one that is current for the newest HDMI standards you will be fine. I’ve never been able to see the difference between a $15 HDMI cable and a $5o0 cable. If you feel compelled to spend more money, spend it on the source equipment, TV, or your HDMI laptop.
