HDMI to Composite Converter (yes, you read this correctly)

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dochielomn
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Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2013 9:16 am

HDMI to Composite Converter (yes, you read this correctly)

Post by dochielomn »

So I figured I would be the first person to post in here as well. However, if this gets deleted, I'll know Kevin is responsible. Not just because he's the admin but also due to some of the content of this post.

So Sarah's family has the new ipad mini with the lightning connection. They also had the old original ipads with the 30 pin connection. With the old ipad, they had bought a cable that connected the ipad to a tv via composite inputs (worked fine for any/all video/audio). Their TV is older and doesn't have HMDI inputs and the component inputs are in the back and the TV is very big and makes it tough to move to get to the back, but they have a composite input right in front so this is the main reason I'm going to talk about composite here. Anywho, with the new ipad mini lightning, apple sells a cable that connects with the lightning port but it's HDMI only. As I said, their TV doesn't do HDMI. So what I thought I could do was find a HDMI to Composite video converter. Looking around I'm sort of targeting this one- ViewHD Universal HDMI to Composite / S-Video Converter (http://www.amazon.com/ViewHD-Universal- ... +Converter). However, before I purchase it, I'm fearful that this device won't be able to properly send video via streaming Netflix or via buying/downloading a movie from iTunes (I think I saw something about how that type of data is encrypted), so I'm just curious if anyone here has any ideas? Reading the questions via amazon, someone asked this but the only answers were "yeah, I guess this should work in theory". I'm guessing none of you would have first hand knowledge of if this actually works or not but figured I would solicit your advice anyways.

Berman
Adam
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Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 9:50 pm

Re: HDMI to Composite Converter (yes, you read this correctl

Post by Adam »

Maybe they should buy a TV that is from the same century as the rest of their tech.
dochielomn wrote:I'm fearful that this device won't be able to properly send video via streaming Netflix or via buying/downloading a movie from iTunes (I think I saw something about how that type of data is encrypted)
This might be a problem. Some content requires an HDCP (High Definition Copy Protection) connection to ensure you are not recording it with your VCR or whatever. Some HDMI converters provide this encrypted connection, others do not.

Since the unit you linked doesn't say anything about HDCP, I will assume it does not support it.

You could buy one of these guys' products, which support HDCP http://www.hdfury.com/ then add another device to convert from component to composite. Or buy this http://www.hdfury.com/products/hdfuryii ... g-started/ and a long HDMI cable. You then have the benefit of a higher resolution through component (provided the iDevice supports said resolution) and an easy to manage connector (HDMI).

I have this unit connecting my HTPC to our terrible rear projection TV via component. Full HDCP support for movies and whatever and 1080i for a lot of pixels. The only problem is the cost. Not sure how big their TV is, but $250 is a big chunk of a lot of LCD TVs.
dochielomn
Posts: 216
Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2013 9:16 am

Re: HDMI to Composite Converter (yes, you read this correctl

Post by dochielomn »

Ok, I'll look into this as well and try to find something that specifically says it can handle HDCP. Part of the issue is they have a big ass tv (Toshiba 51H83- so basically a 51 inch theatre wide projection tv) and the component inputs are in the back and not sure if they're both used or not. I know at least one of them is. Plus, when they go traveling to the Berkshires (timeshare out there), they look to download movies onto an ipad and then hook it up to the TV's in the timeshare (which don't always have HDMI). So realistically, composite is the easiest thing because all TV's usually have at least 1 input that isn't in use and usually it's in the front or side of the tv so it's accessible.

Realistically, I'm not really looking to spend a lot of money to make this happen as they'll only use it from time to time. Worse case, if I do spend some cash on it, it will be their holiday gift from me. Thanks for the info.
dochielomn
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Re: HDMI to Composite Converter (yes, you read this correctl

Post by dochielomn »

Hey Adam, what do you think of something like this- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CTK ... e=&seller=

Granted it doesn't have any reviews or questions/answers, it claims it does HDCP. Thoughts?
Adam
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Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 9:50 pm

Re: HDMI to Composite Converter (yes, you read this correctl

Post by Adam »

dochielomn wrote:what do you think?
It has a lot of acronyms in the item title. Also it is pretty cheap (compared to other models). You might end up with image alignment problems with the cheaper units. Before I bought the fancy one, I bought a cheap one which had the picture offset by maybe 50-80 pixels horizontally. It functioned, but was annoying, so I got the HD Fury unit.
dochielomn
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Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2013 9:16 am

Re: HDMI to Composite Converter (yes, you read this correctl

Post by dochielomn »

Ok, it's something to consider. Thanks for the input.
dochielomn
Posts: 216
Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2013 9:16 am

Re: HDMI to Composite Converter (yes, you read this correctl

Post by dochielomn »

So Adam, the device I was looking at on Amazon ships from China and the only option for shipping that I saw right away said that it would take like 17-28 days to ship. Meaning, if it didn't work properly, then it might take that long to ship back if I was even able to do a return policy. So I decided to look at the hdfury website you mentioned and now just have a question. Could I get away with buying the HDfury Basic Kit Includes: HDFury converter, Choice of extender cable? I'm sort of sketched out by this because the other options specifically mention power sources and this one doesn't. I'm looking at this part of the page- http://www.hdfury.com/buy-hdfury-now/. Please advise on which one I should be or could be selected here. Thanks.
Adam
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Re: HDMI to Composite Converter (yes, you read this correctl

Post by Adam »

dochielomn wrote:Could I get away with buying the HDfury?
The HDFury1 only supports VGA/RGB output which is not compatible with standard component output (YPbPr) unless the TV specifically says it accepts RGB component inputs (unlikely). You could get an additional converter to go from VGA to component or composite. Using the HDFury will let the video source see an HDCP connection so protected content will work fine. You will need an HDMI to DVI adapter for the input and a power supply (the basic kit does not come with a power supply) to hook it up.

The HDFury2 can output component (YPbPr) or VGA/RGB directly. You could get the basic kit of this model, it includes the power supply and the component output cable, but is much more money at $180. Turns out I have the HDFury2 (rather than the HDFury3 as stated earlier). It outputs component (YPbPr) to the TV at the TV's maximum 1080i resolution being driven by the HTPC's HDMI output. The HDFury2 takes HDMI input directly without an adapter, which is an added bonus, and will output the audio from the HDMI through a 3.5mm jack on the device so you get sound too (you would need to get a 3.5mm to RCA adapter to get the sound into the TV).

The HDFury3 would work too and supports newer HDMI standards as well as some other features, but costs more.
dochielomn
Posts: 216
Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2013 9:16 am

Re: HDMI to Composite Converter (yes, you read this correctl

Post by dochielomn »

Ok, well, I guess the root of the problem is trying to get the new ipad mini (with lightning pin connection) to be able to display on to an older tv (with easy access to composite input on the front, as oppose to trying to get access to a free component input in the back, while also maintaining easy to travel with- as oppose to leaving it permanently attached to the home tv). Would there be a recommended device that I could take a composite input and convert that into an HDMI input (while being able to handle/maintain HDCP data) and then using the ipad's mini's HDMI cable to connect to the new HDMI input on the tv? Would this route be potentially cheaper and easier to accomplish?
kevm14
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Re: HDMI to Composite Converter (yes, you read this correctl

Post by kevm14 »

This is funny: http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC748 ... e-av-cable

This was possible because A) the old legacy connector and B) the older products I guess had composite conversion built in (which the legacy connector exposed).

Lightning to composite is just...too many generations. I'm sure we can find some combination of cables, adapters and converters (it will require all three) but if they have an old iPad (or any older i-Device; check the list), that would be my recommendation (and the linked cable above, which, despite being "overpriced" is by FAR the cheapest option we've discussed yet).
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