# HDMI to Component...is it possible?



## oyarsa (Sep 19, 2010)

I have a nice LCD TV which had many HDMI inputs as well as several component inputs. Unfortunately, do to some bad wiring in the house I rent, I got to witness quite a fireworks display with the result being an HDMI cable completely fried to its port and now none of the HDMI ports work. Luckily, the component inputs do work. My problem is that I'd very much like to hook my laptop to the TV to watch Netflix. The laptop has an HDMI out and an S-Video (the TV probably does, but I haven't really looked). Is there any way to convert the HDMI from my laptop to component for relatively cheap (say less than $50)?


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## Guest (Sep 19, 2010)

Nope.

Do you have renters ins? If it was really bad electrical wiring that caused the failure, then the company you rent from should pay for the repairs.


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## oyarsa (Sep 19, 2010)

I did not have renters insurance for this house at the time. I just recently moved and still had the old policy but not yet switched to the new. Plus, I'm not sure I'd want to claim something that small. Sort of the same case with the people I'm renting from. I want to stay on their good side and don't want to have to ask them to pay. Plus, it's not THAT big a deal. It would be nice, but not a necessity (hence the low price I'm willing to pay). Figures this was the one time I didn't buy an extended warranty from Best Buy.

Does anyone have an idea how much it might cost to have it repaired? It's probably more than I'd want to pay, but who knows...


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## Guest (Sep 19, 2010)

Converter boxes are made, but I don't know what really works and how much is needed to get a quality product worth getting.

It is possible, but it might take more like $100 or so to get a good one. Depending on how old your TV, and how much it would cost to replace it, it might not be worth it.


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## oyarsa (Sep 19, 2010)

Thanks for the input! It's actually barely over a year old, so it might be worth repairing (might be about the same cost as a converter box it sounds). However, it still works with component for my main purpose (cable), so I just have to decide if it's worth the money to me to be able to watch Netflix on it


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## gsmollin (Apr 25, 2006)

Here is the only HDMI-to-component converter I know of, and it is $150:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10114&cs_id=1011402&p_id=5035&seq=1&format=2
If you want to buy, remember to do it before the analog sunset at the end of the year.


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## hakunatata (Aug 20, 2010)

I know I have seen several different solutions for going from component to DVI, which could then go to HDMI. I know you can defiantly get a box that will convert it for you, but whenever I am confronted with that situation I end up opting out because the converter boxes are too expensive.


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## 1hagop (Apr 13, 2010)

hakunatata said:


> I know I have seen several different solutions for going from component to DVI, which could then go to HDMI. I know you can defiantly get a box that will convert it for you, but whenever I am confronted with that situation I end up opting out because the converter boxes are too expensive.


If I am not mistaken the only way to do it is a converter box. The component to DVI cables will not work because you are going analog to digital. I remember this only because I was going to try this a while ago and there was a big warning on the cable that said "It won't work" (it was a little more eloquent on the package!)


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## hakunatata (Aug 20, 2010)

yes you are right, there are cables and adapters that will do it, but you need to have to software solution to make it work. so it is either a converter box or software to to send the correct signal through the cable. I have a 30 foot cable at home, DVI to component, but without the correct signal being sent through it it won't work.


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## gsmollin (Apr 25, 2006)

There is only one way to convert an HDMI signal to component, and that is to use a converter device such as the one I showed from Monoprice. The HDMI signal is digital, and it is encrypted by the HDCP algorithm. The converter must decrypt the signal using a secret key, and then convert it to component analog with three DACs. This is fairly involved, and the converter will not cost less than $150.


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