DVI cable for PS3 anyone?

[Blix]

Hi! I just got a PS3 three days ago and I have it setup downstairs on the HD-TV. However, I want to use it on my monitor which only has VGA and DVI. I know there's a cable at GameStop for the 360 that lets you connect the Xbox to a VGA monitor and take the audio out through RCA and I was wondering if anyobody knows of a similar cable for the PS3. Specially since my monitor doesn't have any integrated audio it's going to suck to have to play my games without audio. And I don't want to leave it down stairs because everyone uses that tv and I want to play PS3 whenver I want to (because I don't have much free time anyways to begin with.) I'm checking ebay and amazon but I haven't seen anything like that yet. So any help will be appreciated. I can't be the only one playing his consoles in a monitor after all.

[magus113]

Monoprice has DVI to HDMI cables cheap but they don't carry sound since DVI is video only so you'd have to work something out for the sound.

I use those cables to hook up my desktop to my TV as a second monitor. They're really cheap.

[manasecret]

First off, any ol' HDMI-to-DVI cable will work for the video. I have a feeling you already know that. Also, for general knowledge I like to tell everyone -- do not pay anymore than about $7 on such a cable, make sure to buy online... Do not get ripped off at a store!

As for the audio, it depends on what you're trying to get your audio to. What speakers are you using, your computer's? How are you planning to hook up to those speakers -- through the microphone port on your computer, or something else?

The PS3 has an optical out for the audio, which is likely to be your best bet. But it will require converting to whatever input your speakers require (unless they have optical-in).

[Blix]

Originally Posted by manasecret

First off, any ol' HDMI-to-DVI cable will work for the video. I have a feeling you already know that. Also, for general knowledge I like to tell everyone -- do not pay anymore than about $7 on such a cable, make sure to buy online... Do not get ripped off at a store!

As for the audio, it depends on what you're trying to get your audio to. What speakers are you using, your computer's? How are you planning to hook up to those speakers -- through the microphone port on your computer, or something else?

The PS3 has an optical out for the audio, which is likely to be your best bet. But it will require converting to whatever input your speakers require (unless they have optical-in).

Yeah, I was looking at radio shack for a hdmi to dvi converter and they had this small dongle that did the job.... $45 BUCKS!!!!!! Wallmart had the same dongle (different Brand) for $18, but even at that price I think it's bad. And the audio is gone with that thing. I just noticed a cable on ebay and amazon that lets me hook the Wii and the PS3 to my monitor via vga. Which is perfect since those are the two consoles that I own, I could take them both to my room and not have to worry ever again about my newphew messing with them (he's 1 year old) or having to wait to use the tv. They're $25 the cheapest so I'll see if I can find them cheaper.

As for the audio, I'm going to buy these cheap speakers (5.1) for PC and I have the dongle that takes the red and white cables and connects them to the pc's black, green and orange. My Logitech speakers brought them so If I buy those I'm covered in case it doesn't bring them. I just don't want to have to be switching the speakers between the pc and the consoles. I've done it before with the wii and it's a pain. I'm willing to setup two speakers sets in my room in the mean time. I can fit that in my room and it's cheaper than buying a home theater sound system (which would create a mess in my room). So far that's what I think I'll be doing. The speakers are $35 because my friend has a certificate for repairing PCs so he gets them cheaper. That and the cable would be $60 which is more than I'd like to pay but my options for this monitor are limited. If you know of any easier way to do it, let me know. I'll check my motherboard and see which outputs it accepts. I think it accepts spdif but that cable also costs much. I checked the back of the PS3 slim and it does have the interface for that cable. I'd like to be able to use 5.1 but as long as I have my sound, it's cool. Later on I'll buy a sound system and connect everything through the HDMI but I'm buying a HD TV first so that'll be very well into the future.

[Blix]

Originally Posted by magus113

Monoprice has DVI to HDMI cables cheap but they don't carry sound since DVI is video only so you'd have to work something out for the sound.

I use those cables to hook up my desktop to my TV as a second monitor. They're really cheap.

DVI does sound too. My 4870 did output of sound to my bro's television when I used the HDMI-To-DVI adapter. I also didn't know before that the graphics card had an audio processor. But the thing is my monitor won'd do anything with the audio signal if it is send to it. It doesn't have any integrated speakers or will let me send the audio signal somewhere else.

[manasecret]

Originally Posted by Blix

I think it accepts spdif but that cable also costs much. I checked the back of the PS3 slim and it does have the interface for that cable. I'd like to be able to use 5.1 but as long as I have my sound, it's cool.

SPDIF is digital, so that should give you 5.1. If you have SPDIF on your computer, that should work perfectly, and you wouldn't have to constantly switch your speakers from your computer to your games. You would have to have your computer on, though, for the speakers to work with your games.

Btw, as I understand it, SPDIF uses the same signal as optical, they just use different cables.

Going back to video, use DVI over VGA any time you have the option. The quality will be better in all cases.

By far most regular DVI ports do not carry audio. Some new video cards output audio on their DVI port (such as your brother's 4870), which is meant to make new DVI-to-HDMI HDTV or HD-monitor with speakers hookups simpler. But for everything else, DVI does not have audio.

[magus113]

Originally Posted by manasecret

By far most regular DVI ports do not carry audio. Some new video cards output audio on their DVI port (such as your brother's 4870), which is meant to make new DVI-to-HDMI HDTV or HD-monitor with speakers hookups simpler. But for everything else, DVI does not have audio.

Yeah I thought that was strange when you said that. I never knew that there were some cards that did that shit, but considering that a lot of people don't really know where to get DVI-HDMI hookups you would think they'd just do regular HDMI out. Weird.

[manasecret]

I think putting an HDMI port on there costs more money than a DVI port, since you have to pay a royalty to the HDMI gods. Not sure on that. Plus add in the fact the majority of monitors still use DVI.

[magus113]

Originally Posted by manasecret

I think putting an HDMI port on there costs more money than a DVI port, since you have to pay a royalty to the HDMI gods. Not sure on that. Plus add in the fact the majority of monitors still use DVI.

Well for people that build like HTPCs it wouldn't make sense to have just that you know?

[Blix]

From what I've seen, only the vga cables bring separate audio output for the PS3. The VGA ones always do. I'll check the instruction manual of my motherboard to see if I can use the SPDIF cable and buy a regular HDMI-to_DVI cable for the PS3 and then use the SPDIF cable for the audio on my PC. I think it's the best way to do it. And I barely turn off my PC so....

As far as the connection, I'd rather have the PS3 on the vga cable for the PS3 and the DVI for my two Radeon cards. I prefer having my computer have the DVI to the PS3. The PS3 is still going to look good and costs less than the two cards did. =P

[Blix]

Is it true that the vga cable won't let me play in HD? I heard this from a friend and I was checking the vga cable and it seems the PS3 output it uses is the same one from the PS2, that is, the SD cable. And I really would rather connect it on DVI then. The videocard will find a way to get up to 1080 anyways.

[magus113]

If I recall correctly that shouldn't matter because the regular component cables use the same connect as the SD cables. It's the resolution that you monitor handles that'll determine that.

You could research it more but I think you should be fine.

[Blix]

After researching the vga cable, I think it's just the fact that the cable gets the signal from the PS3's SD output and not from the HDMI interface. So I'm getting the HDMI-to_DVI cable for now. I'll have to play the games without audio for the time being.