HDTV but not HD ready? DVI?

Question

Hey guys I'm looking at a Sony Wega HDTV KV-36HS500, it says its not HD ready and it has a DVI connection in the back but no HDMI. A couple of questions,

1. I have Bright House Networks (digital cable), when I get the HD cable box, is that what I need to view HD channels?

2. Will Xbox360 run in HD without a separate box or something?

3. Can I hook up a laptop, via DVI-DVI, to the tv?

4. It doesn't have a HDMI input, is that really that bad and whats the cons of not having one?


Thanks dudes!

Answer 1

1. yes
2. yes, use component
3. If the laptop has Digital DVI (analog DVI may not work)
4. You can still use DVI-to-HDMI cable

My main concern would be that this is essentially a 4:3 TV with an 'enhanced 16:9' mode. Make sure you check how the TV displays 16:9 content.

Answer 2

HD-Ready means the TV can do HD, but doesn't have a built-in tuner of any sort for cable or antenna.

DVI or component cable will be required for HD.

The cable box probably supports component video and will give you both your regular and HD channels.

With the 360, you can either connect to your TV with component video as well. Or, you could see about getting a VGA to DVI converter, and use the 360's VGA cable.

A laptop or computer can also use the DVI port and is the preferred method for these devices.

Not having a HDMI port isn't a big deal right now. HDMI is nice in that it's a single cable that carries both your HD video and surround sound signal on a single cable. HDMI is also commonly used for 1080p, but about the only things that use 1080p right now are HD-DVD and Blu-Ray - both of which can be ignored for at least another year while the market figures out what's going on there.

Component video, meanwhile, will support 1080i just fine which will be good enough for many years to come.