dvi to video adapter not working?

[alex5]

ok so i got the apple DVI to Video adapter and i pluged it into monitor. first off let me say that i am trying to use my lcd monitor as a tv to hook up to my satellite box. so i pluged in my DVI-D Single Link into the adapter and then the composite from the adaptor to the satellite box, and everything is plugged in correctly as far as i can tell and when i turn the monitor on it says there is no signal. i also tryed the s-video instead of the yellow composite and i got the same thing. i would like to know why it doesn't work and how i can make it work. could it be the adapter?? thanks for your help oh yeah and i also tried the s-video with the composite cable at the same time same thing happend.

connections: monitor dvi-d single link (male)-----dvi gender change------apple dvi to video adapter-------composite/s-video------satellite box.

 

[chscag]

ok so i got the apple DVI to Video adapter and i pluged it into monitor. first off let me say that i am trying to use my lcd monitor as a tv to hook up to my satellite box. so i pluged in my DVI-D Single Link into the adapter and then the composite from the adaptor to the satellite box, and everything is plugged in correctly as far as i can tell and when i turn the monitor on it says there is no signal. i also tryed the s-video instead of the yellow composite and i got the same thing. i would like to know why it doesn't work and how i can make it work. could it be the adapter?? thanks for your help oh yeah and i also tried the s-video with the composite cable at the same time same thing happend.

Are you sure your satellite box video signal output is digital and not composite RGB analog? Check with the maker of the sat box if you're not sure. If the box output is analog it's not going to work.

Most newer LCD monitors have an input for both digital and analog. Try using a straight analog cable from the sat box to the analog input on the LCD and see if it works. No adapter needed.

Regards.

 

[alex5]

reply

the output signal is digital and i'm 100% sure that i have a composite output (yellow red white) from the sat box and not a component output (red green blue) i called the sat company and they refuse to help because they don't condone using a monitor as a tv.

 

[CaptainChunk]

Which monitor are you using? If its video input is indeed DVI-D, that's your problem. DVI-D is digital-only, meaning that you'll need an scan converter to convert the analog signal coming from the sat box into a signal that your monitor will accept. The Apple adapter itself does not do any conversion. It works by using the analog portion of DVI-I.

 

[alex5]

the sat. company said that the output is digital. but you are probably right thanks for your help

 

[CaptainChunk]

the sat. company said that the output is digital. but you are probably right thanks for your help

If it's a non-HD sat box (which seems to be the case, given your description), that is completely false. The only digital thing about it is the input signal. But composite, s-video and even component video are analog. Newer HD satellite boxes can output a digital video signal (over HDMI, typically), however.

So basically, the sat box is outputting an analog NTSC signal that would be understood by a TV. That NTSC signal needs to be converted a digital signal to connect it to a DVI-D port. This is why you need a scan converter to go in between the sat box and the monitor.

Unfortunately, these adapters are not cheap. Besides, the incoming signal would have to be upscaled anyway, which would look like poop on a high-resolution LCD monitor. You'd probably be better off upgrading your satellite service to HD and then you can just output a digital signal straight from the box to the monitor with a HDMI to DVI cable.