Ok so I've been on this site for about the last 4 hours now reading and this site is amazing so I first want to thank whomever is running it and contributing to it. It is a big help. However, I still have some questions that I can hopefully get some help on.
Here is the situation. I am building a HTPC (home theater pc) based on a Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-S2H motherboard which has a standard VGA out but also has a DVI-D out and an HDMI out. I picked this mobo so that when I eventually get a HDTV, the PC will still work. But for now I have a 27" Sharp TV that I bought about 4 years ago (Sharp 27-F543). It has normal coax, 3 composite in's, 1 S-video in and 1 Component in. (I suppose when I bought the TV I also bought it becuase of the connectivity options). So as you can see I have a mobo with VGA, DVI, and HDMI and a TV with Composite, S-Video and Component. Nothing matching up. Just my luck.
So - I've seen those little VGA to S-Video/Composite video adapters (on ebay) and I have read that those will pretty much not work.
Also, I've seen that to go from VGA to S-Video you have to buy an adapter which I've seen for like 50 bucks. Or, VGA to Component "transcoder" I think is what it is called and those are more expensive 100-200 bucks.
So, I guess I am just asking is there any other options for me that don't involve buying another expensive piece of equipment. I know the HDMI can't really be used because of copy protection/encryption but is there anything I could use with either the DVI or the HDMI to go into a component, S-video or composite video in?
I probably should have researched this a little more before, but I have a laptop (Dell 700m) that has an S-video out that I have used a ton for streaming online content and media on my laptop to my home theater. It always worked flawlessly, I just got sick of setting it up and taking it down whenever I had to use my laptop. Hence the decision to build a deticatd HTPC. I really had to convince the wife on that, so I don't think she would be up for spending any more right now. Those of you who are married will likely understand. So I guess I am kind of stuck and wondering if there is anyone out there that may know of an inexpensive way to connect my HTPC to my TV given my connection options. I guess I figured with so many ins and outs on the TV and mobo, I wouldn't have any problems figuring something out. But as I have dug a little deeper, it is more complicated than I expected.
Any help or ideas are greatly appreciated as I am not looking forward to finishing this PC only to have it not function as I intended (at least until I buy an HDTV or some sort of adapter).
Thanks in advance for any help.
