What type of adapter/converter (HDMI to RCA) do I need to plug my computer to my SDTV ?

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Haiko

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Oct 12, 2014
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So I've looked online for a cable or an adapter that can allow me to connect my computer, which has an HDMI port, to my SDTV (standard resolution tv), which only has rca inputs (red,white,yellow), so I can watch movies or browse the web, but I can't seem to know which one to buy ? Some are cables with one end HDMI and the other end RCA, others have converter boxes in between, I guess to convert the digital signal to an analog signal. The prices vary from a few dollars to 20 or 30 $.

I'd like to know which adapter/converter would best suit me ?

Thanks for all the responses in advance ;)
 
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Pinhedd

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Aug 7, 2007
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You need an active HDMI to composite NTCS/PAL/SECAM converter (get the right one for your television).
 
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hang-the-9

hang-the-9

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Mar 25, 2010
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Don't bother with this, an old TV will not be able to display text for web browsing at all, and movies will look blocky. You can find a used 26-32" HD 720p TV for not much more than a $100. I bought a 37" full 1080p TV for $180 a few years ago.
 
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Haiko

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But isn't there any other option than buying a new HDtv, because I don't have the budget know to buy one. The user "Pinhedd" suggestted that I get " an active HDMI to composite NTCS/PAL/SECAM converter ", and too choose the one thats right for my tv ?
 
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Haiko

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Its just RCA outputs, the yellow,white,red ports.
 
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hang-the-9

hang-the-9

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You an use a lot of products to connect the two, what I am saying is that the image will be useless for text and look bad for video. A converter that will work properly is close to the cost of a used HD TV. If someone was asking what saw would work best to cut off their arm I'd first suggest that they don't cut the arm off. Of course it's possible to suggest that they get a nice surgical saw but I would think advice on not cutting off the arm woul be better :)
 
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Pinhedd

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RCA is a connector format, not a signal format.

The Yellow RCA connector is used to deliver a single-channel composite baseband video signal. There are three types of analogue signals commonly used: NTCS, PAL, SECAM. The standard depends on where the TV was sold

PAL-NTSC-SECAM.svg
.

The coaxial connector used to connect an antenna or residential cable accepts the same signal (NTSC/PAL/SECAM), but this signal is RF modulated and multi-channel rather than baseband and single-channel. The TV's tuner selects a channel and demodulates that channel back to the baseband.

What you need to purchase (if you decide to go through with this, hang-the-9 is correct in saying that the image quality will be terrible) is an active HDMI converter to the analogue format that your TV supports. The signal can be delivered baseband (RCA) or RF modulated (Coaxial on a specific channel, often 3).
 
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hang-the-9

hang-the-9

Titan
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http://www.computercablestore.com/Vivid_AV_HDMI_to_Componen_PID51035.aspx is probably the cheapest one you can get, for not much more than double that you can get a used HD TV. Up to you to decide. Converter device with bad quality on an old TV or an extra $50-100 for a real HD TV that will actually display what you want. A while ago someone wanted to display some Power Point slides on a TV, I did some testing, any font that was not huge was very tough to read and images were blurry. Just trying to keep you from making a bad purchase. And this was with S-Video straight to the TV which is better quality than composite video and was not going through a converter.
 
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Pinhedd

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That product that you linked to is a component video converter (chromatic colourspace), not NTSC/PAL/SECAM composite.
 
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Haiko

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Oct 12, 2014
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Alright, I'll try to invest in a new tv then, but thanks for advice :)
 
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