[spiderlane]

Do any of you have problems with the Mini outputting a suitable signal over DVI-HMDI for your screens to display?

I've read some issues about having to enable some overscan settings or suffer a black border round the picture. Is it possible to get OSX to put out a "true" 720p or 1080p output over HDMI? Has anyone managed a perfect dot-by-dot setup driving the exact native resolution of the panel?

I ask because currently I display XBMC using VGA (my plasma isn't HD and doesn't have HDMI in), but will be buying a new screen soon. Of course I want to ensure a good picture and am just curious about how straighforward other people have found this and whether there's any significant variation between screen manufacturers or any particular features which are a must have.

Cheers,
Spiderlane

[DeanM3]

I use a DVI-HDMI 1.3A Category 2 Cable from Monoprice.com. When sending the native resolution to my Pioneer Kuro Plasma, there is no overscan. However, sending other resolutions require slight overscan tweaking via SwitchResX. I have no issues sending a 24hz or 60hz signal

[spiderlane]

Thanks DeanM3,

Did the Mini list the panel's native resoution as an option in Display Preferences or did you have tweak with SwitchResX etc?

[DeanM3]

In the case of my Displays, both a Pioneer 42" 4080 (768 ) and a Pioneer 5010 ( 1080p ) I can output HDMI-DVI without any over or underscan issues. I have not tested with any other displays

[exousir]

I'm currently using the built in mode in the display preferences to output 1080p. On my Panasonic plasma, there is a small amount of overscan. I lose the top menu bar and about the same off the sides.

I haven't yet bothered to use SwitchResX because there is overscan compensation in xbmc and I don't use my Mac mini for any other use than watching movies.

[gmackenz]

I have read a a lot of posts back and forth until I got crazy-confused about HDMI cables. It seems the same is true for DVI-HDMI...

The only point to getting a 1.3a rev of HDMI is if you are going to be a straight HDMI connection (to allow for the latest versions of surround sound from your bluray player). DVI-to-HDMI nullifies that aspect of getting any audio over HDMI to your system from the Mac, so you might as well save your money with a 1.1 or 1.2 version cable. Secondly most, if not all, posts in the AV/HDTV forums (and reviews) that I have read state that the cheap HDMI cables will work as well as the Monster/Gold-encrusted expensive cables at 6-10 feet and only if you are running HDMI through the house at lengths above 25-50 feet is there any concern about cable quality in some cases.

Remember its just zeros and ones...It either works or it doesn't, no in between.

I'll be happy to pony up extra cash if someone convinces me that I am mistaken.

[spiderlane]

Remember its just zeros and ones...It either works or it doesn't, no in between.

Of course, all transmission media (including cables) are subject to electromagnetic interference and noise. If you are, say, copying a file over a network, then there are certain ways to guarantee that the 1's and 0's get there intact. If not, then the file is corrupt and generally useless. The TCP protocol has mechanisms for asking for information to be resent until the receiver decides it has a perfect facsimile of the data at the source. This approach can result in reliable transmission over unreliable media, but is not "real time"

As I understand it (and I could well be wrong) there is no error correction built into the HDMI spec and the video signal is just a bitstream. If some of those bits are damaged in some way, there is no way for the receiving equipment to request a re-send, so for real time applications like video, the receiver just has to accept the faulty data. The greater the fault (or missing data) the greater the manifestation of the artifact I guess. In this case, it still "works" but there are degrees of working, rather than the "all or nothing" outcome of copying the file over the network. (You only have to try to stream a clip over a dodgy internet connection to see what I mean. You can still see it right?)

Having said all over that I don't believe in spending big money on cables, but it does seem sensible to buy a cable which :

1) has a good degree of shielding from electro-magnetic interference
2) has good quality connectors which will handle repeated connection/disconnection and provide a good electrical connection with the conductors in the cable
3) is flexible and will withstand routing and bending without significant physical distortion.

Furthermore I understand that with high frequency applications like video, the impedance of the cable *can* be critical to avoid reflections and other unwanted effects, so you might argue that better cables should have these characteristics designed into them and therefore work better in a wider range of circumstances.

Personally I buy cables from this guy http://www.markgrantcables.co.uk. He makes cables up to broadcast specs, but they are presented in a non-glamourous way without all the branding, marketing and packaging. Not cheap but much cheaper than lot of the premium brands and I have confidence that they will last a lifetime. (The exception is audio cables - I make those myself because I believe at audio frequencies, many of these esoteric cable characteristics have very little discernable impact. I made up my speaker cables from CAT 5 but that's another story ;-) )

At the end of the day, if a cheap cable works in your setup - great! You've saved some money which you can donate to elan ;-)

Spiderlane

[spiderlane]

Remember its just zeros and ones...It either works or it doesn't, no in between.

Actually, upon re-reading that quote, quite Yoda it is, noticed have I.

"Works, or works not. There is no in between."

Yes, hmmm.

[BLKMGK]

HDMI cables and adapters? STRONGLY suggest checking out Monoprice!!

Oh and there IS error correction in HDMI, ECC correction. No retransmission of course but minor errors are corrected. If it bears the HDMI tradename it's a cable made to spec - or a counterfeit.

[Aman]

Monoprice, Monoprice, Monoprice, Monoprice!!! Oh sorry, thought I was Ballmer there for a sec.

Seriously, I have to agree with the others that have suggested Monoprice. I've used Monoprice HDMI cables in setups costing upwards of...well, let's just say a lot of money. Of course, these customers are not concerned about price, but I will never gouge a customer.

Monoprice cables have worked really well for me. I use diy (preferred) or Kimber for analog, but digital is generally all or nothing. Longer runs need extenders or fiber, but hopefully a reasonably priced Monoprice cable will suit you just fine.

-Aman

[spiderlane]

Oh and there IS error correction in HDMI, ECC correction.

Ah, learnt something new there. Thanks.

Those monoprice cables do look good value. Shame we don't have monoprice in England.

[0sync0]

Is it possible to get OSX to put out a "true" 720p or 1080p output over HDMI? Has anyone managed a perfect dot-by-dot setup driving the exact native resolution of the panel?

My tv has a resolution of 1366 x768. Most video cards can put out 1360 x 768 which is close enough for me. Both my PC and my Mini can do it.

The issue of overscan is in the tv. I researched this before buying my tv and made sure I got one that has a pixel-mapping mode. In that mode it displays exactly what is sent to it - 1360 x 768.

[spiderlane]

Out of interest, what TV did you get?

[0sync0]

Out of interest, what TV did you get?

It is an Olevia. It is a budget model but they have a good picture.

[BLKMGK]

Ah, learnt something new there. Thanks.

Those monoprice cables do look good value. Shame we don't have monoprice in England.

Not to worry, I had to research it myself to be sure and even in that thread there was some contention about the subject. The consensus seems to be that there's ECC but obviously no ability to rerequest data - which some seem to think means no data protection (BlueJean cables).

I do not know if Monoprice will ship overseas. Certainly that would hurt the potential savings but if cables there cost what they do here it could still end up a net savings I've seen HDMI cables in stores here going for $50++ and been able to get the same thing from Mono for $10 - it's sick. Had some pretty heated arguments with fools who feel that oxygen free blah blah is somehow required in a cable sending digital data a whopping 6feet too. What I'd suggest is chatitg with friends and seeing about getting a bulk order together. I don't even order from them unless I'm getting a handful of cables and adapters for a single order so that I can save on shipping. Maybe find a friend with an APO box? There's no sense in paying sick prices for gold plated crap if you do not have to...

Hrm, and I have overscan issues with my Linux box attached to a Vizio panel. The screen adjustment settings in XBMC probably help but at the desktop it's sure irritating. On my list to fix one day