So confused

Can I get a better picture using using a HDMI connection to DVI input on the 990 than I can with component video ?

Would I lose menu options on my Direct TV box and Oppo 980H if I did go with HDMI to DVI into the 990 then out from the 990 with component video to my display

Is there a adapter that goes from HDMI to D-Bus connection ?

. My Panasonic has one each, Component video , Composite Video , S Video, RS 232 and D-bus conection.

I know they make a HDMI to DVI connector, and a DVI to D-bus connector, but can not find a HDMI to D - bus

It depends on the source you are using. I've tried several HD cable boxes and found the difference between component and DVI/HDMI to be almost nonexistent, but with disc players it is possible to get better results with HDMI - especially those that have different processing capabilities at the HDMI output than at the component output.


The DirecTV and 980H would provide the same menu options and other controls either way. When using the 990's DVI output, you can't see the 990's menus - you have to use one of the analog monitor outputs to get that. There's one issue here that may simplify your decision, though: the 990 can't convert from DVI to component. It's actually a standard limitation even on newer hardware, as there are some copy protection concerns about converting the digital video signal to analog outside of a source or display. About the only way to make a conversion from HDMI or DVI to an analog video format is with a specialized product like the HD Fury converters. Which leads to the next part...


When you say "D-Bus" I think you are referring to "D-Sub", which is another name for VGA. It's a 15-pin connector (three rows of five) used for computer monitors. This is an analog video connection. You can sometimes get converters for component-to-VGA or VGA-to-component, but you'd need an HD Fury to go from HDMI to either component or VGA.

When you've seen DVI to D-Sub connectors, they have been using DVI's unique computer legacy: the full DVI spec includes both digital video (DVI-D) and analog video (DVI-A) inside the same connector and cable (called DVI-I when it's all lumped together). The adapters grab the pins for analog video and convert it to VGA.

Your Panasonic doesn't have a digital video input. That makes the decision easy: stay with component video. It's the simplest and most efficient solution for your case.

does something like an HD Fury cause and quality loss, Gonk?

HD Fury is converting a digital signal to analog. That process is never 100% transparent, as the performance of the video DAC's are important. If you had a source that had really good video processing capabilities, however - something like the BDP-83, for example, which uses the ABT2010 processor for the HDMI output but not the component output - but your display lacks either DVI or HDMI, the extra cost of an HD Fury can be justified as it does offer access to that better video source (improved scaling and deinterlacing, more options for zooming).

For Bill O's situation, I don't think that it's really necessary. He's probably best off simply sticking with component video connections. The 980H's video processing is the same for both component and HDMI, and the satellite box is going to be similar as well.

Thanks for the help.
My thought was of trying to free up the component video inputs on the TV.
I have the DirectTV box going directly to the TV using composite cable, and it doesn't look near as sharp as it does going to the 990 via component video.

The 990's component video switching should be just what you need. Composite is a huge step down from component video - especially if the display and source both support HD. I'd suggest running component video through the 990 for both the DirecTV and 980H, then component from the 990 to the TV. Leave the TV on that single input and let the 990 do the switching automatically.

As you describe, is the way I do have it hooked up, just trying to find a better picture for those times we leave the 990 out of the loop. We rarely watch news etc through the 990.

Running a home theater while bypassing the surround processor is extremely difficult - I generally recommend against it because of the challenges created. Routing composite video and analog audio to the TV is the most straightforward solution, but (as you've noticed) you are sacrificing picture quality in the process.