A technical question concerning consoles and monitors

[NoNameMcgee]

So I was thinking of getting a PS2 or possibly a PS3 for in my bedroom. Thing is, I don't have a TV, and there's really no room left for one in here.

I do have my monitor though, which is a Samsung Syncmaster Widescreen TFT Monitor (full HD resolution) if that information actually matters in this case, which I use for my PC obviously. It would be cool to have my console just here on my desk and being able to use it with my monitor instead of having to buy a TV separately, and I would prefer to sit here at my desk anyway because I much prefer being closer to the screen.

I'm pretty sure my PC monitor doesn't work like a TV though, so is there some kind of adapter I can buy that would allow me to use the console with it?

I would really like something that works as a kind of 'switch board' so I could switch between my PC and my console whenever I needed to quickly and easily using the same screen without having to re-attach all the wires each time.

 

[karmapolizei]

Does it have HDMI input?

 

[Sebenko]

I think you can get an adaptor for HDMI to DVI or whatever if the monitor doesn't have HDMI.

 

[Eagle Est1986]

It depends on what inputs your monitor will accept. It sounds like a pretty new one so it shouldn't be a problem to connect a PS3 to it as well as your PC. Can't really tell you more without more info though.

 

[Vie]

If your monitor supports a HDMI signals though its DVI port then all you need is a HDMI to DVI adaptor. If not then there are devices on the market that will take the HDMI signal and output a VGA signal at the same resolution.

As for the wire switching, most monitors have two ports on them and a button to switch inputs.

 

[NoNameMcgee]

Looking at the back there are two ports, one says "DVI in" (which my PC goes to) and the other is "RGB in"

Does that mean it doesn't support HDMI?

(I really know nothing about this stuff, btw)

 

[Eagle Est1986]

Looking at the back there are two ports, one says "DVI in" (which my PC goes to) and the other is "RGB in"

Does that mean it doesn't support HDMI?

(I really know nothing about this stuff, btw)

It's easy enough to get a HDMI to DVI adapter, just use that to connect a PS3. What are you using for your PC? Just a VGA?

 

[ribonuge]

Here you go. This is all you need.

Spoiler

It's a HMDI- DVI adapter

HDMI cable looks like this

 

[karmapolizei]

I was just looking at it again, and it appears you have roughly two options.

First off, please check if your monitor has an HDMI input and supports HDCP (if it does, it should be listed in the manual):

1. If your monitor supports HDMI input with HDCP (HDMI's copy protection method), then you're clear. Connect your PS3 and the monitor with an HDMI cable, and you're done. If you use the HDMI port for connecting your PC as well, you can either get an HDMI switch (~$20) OR use a different input for your PC (DVI, if avaible).

2. If your monitor DOESN'T support HDMI input, it gets a little tricky. Unfortunately, it won't help to just get an HDMI-to-DVI adaptor, because the HDMI output is also used to transmit audio, which DVI can't - so you'd end up with a nice image, but no sound. I also highly suspect that the PS3 requires a monitor or TV that supports HDCP (the copy protection protocol that goes along the HDMI standard) to display anything via HDMI.

 

[Vie]

The PS3 dose indeed support HDCP, but so long as you have a DVI port that supports HDCP (or a converter that plugs onto your RGB port that supports HDCP) you will get your picture. Then use the old PS1/2/3 TV out (The scart one) and use the red and white outputs to put audio out.

 

[NoNameMcgee]

Thanks for all your replies fellas.

1. If your monitor supports HDMI input with HDCP (HDMI's copy protection method), then you're clear. Connect your PS3 and the monitor with an HDMI cable, and you're done. If you use the HDMI port for connecting your PC as well, you can either get an HDMI switch (~$20) OR use a different input for your PC (DVI, if avaible).

I can't find my manual, but according to the Samsung site it does indeed have HDCP. It says "DVI with HDCP"

However, my PC is connected to the DVI slot and it wont fit into the RGB one. The RGB slot is smaller and blue coloured, and I have no adapter to get my PC working with that. What would I do about this?

Also, my monitor has no in-build speakers. I use seperate speakers at the side of my monitor, but they come from my PC, so if I tried to use a console on this I assume I'd get no sound.

Is there any solution to THAT? sounds like I might be a bit stuck.

This is my monitor if anyone wants to look at its specifications: http://www.samsung.com/au/consumer/pc-peripherals/monitor/lcd-monitor/LS22CMZKFV/XY/index.idx?pagetype=prd_detail

 

[Fraught]

I would really like something that works as a kind of 'switch board' so I could switch between my PC and my console whenever I needed to quickly and easily using the same screen without having to re-attach all the wires each time.

Well, I bought a certain cable, can't remember the specific name of it, though. I just plugged it into my monitor, the other end into my PS3, and I could play.

My monitor, when you press the "Menu" button on the monitor, you can change modes. Like, on the TV you have AV and stuff like that.

When I need to use my TV for that, I just have to connect the cable into the back of my PS3 that came with it when I bought it, removing the one I connect it to my monitor with.

 

[Vie]

You can use the old SCART TV adaptor to give you sound, if it has three plugs on it the yellow one is video, the red and white are audio, use an adaptor to combine the two and plug into your microphone socket, then set your PS3 to output audio though that cable not though the HDMI one.

You can get adaptors that allow you to connect your PC though the VGA socket rather than the DVI one, freeing up the DVI one for the PS3.

 

[NoNameMcgee]

You can use the old SCART TV adaptor to give you sound, if it has three plugs on it the yellow one is video, the red and white are audio, use an adaptor to combine the two and plug into your microphone socket, then set your PS3 to output audio though that cable not though the HDMI one.

You can get adaptors that allow you to connect your PC though the VGA socket rather than the DVI one, freeing up the DVI one for the PS3.

Genius! ;D

This would be the right adapter to make DVI to RGB I assume?: http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/4b60287204266870273fc0a87e010677/Product/View/XH6788 Would there be any difference in quality, or response time, or something? I'm not really sure of the actual visual differences between the two. I do use my PC for gaming.

I'm not sure what to search for to find the SCART adapter so I could plug it into my mic socket. What would that be called?