hey david, i had the same problem when trying to connect an HDMI only cable box to an old projection tv. i ended up not being able to use the tv after going through 2 hdmi to component converters. i did get it to work on another old tube tv at one point. but i am trying to do what you're doing now. i have a roku express+ that i have connected to a very old tv using just AV out, but the picture quality is not great. it has 1080i capability. i just tried using the 2 converters in this case, but actually got the same results you did too. i might play around a little more to see if i can get it to work. i'll let you know if i do. i hope you'll post if you get yours to work or another solution.
i was actually wondering if roku made a device with component output. haven't found one yet, but if anybody knows...
It's now working. Of course, I don't truly know for certain why the previous adapter didn't work or why the current adapter does work. The one big difference between the two is that the current adapter has a Resolution button. When first hooked up, the TV image was not good so I pressed the Resolution button until I had a clear image on the TV.
Just what that resolution is, I don't know. I have found 2 resolutions, both of which are clear, but one of them seems to not quite fit onto the screen. For example, text along the top of the screen is partially cut off. Maybe one of them is 720i and the other is 720p? Maybe someone can say?
If the two adapters you tried were like my first one, maybe you could try one that is like my second one - the one that works!
I wanted to add a new image as I did in my original post but all I see is Insert/edit Image and that's definitely not how I did it before. Oh well, take my word for it. It now works.
nnjjoe50, that adapter you have may just be a simple cable that routes HDMI pins to the RCA connectors. If so, they don't do any kind of converting and only work with a limited number of devices, Roku devices not being one of them. You need an actual converter like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Component-Converter-avedio-links-Projector/dp/B082HT11MH/
You'll find lost of them on Amazon with and without attached cables.
you know, i have to go look through my stuff. i think i have one of those that i used in another application. i've got so many gadgets that i've lost track. lots of obsolete stuff too! 😄
This TV appears to be from 2004, when HD was still pretty confusing and incompatibilities were still common.
I found this spec sheet for the TV that says: “Component Video Inputs 2 (480i/480p/1080i)”. Rokus output HD at 4K (2160p), 1080p and 720p – none of which are listed on that sheet. It seems like someone could make a device that takes 1080p in and produces an interlaced (1080i) signal but I don’t know if anyone does.
I notice the device linked on page 2 says: “Some traditional CTR display not work after connected witch this Converter This mainly caused by these Displays only supporting 480i and 576i YPbPr interlaced resolution. Therefore, we suggest to choose LCD Display or those can support YPbPr CRT Displays.” And “This HDMI to 5RCA adapter does not have the downscaler function. If your component video device does not support 720P or 1080P, then you need to adjust the input HDMI signal to 480 or 576 resolution. As some component video device may be old,only support 480 or 576 resolution formats. And this product is BYPASS, which means that the output signal depends on the input signal.” So, yeah, for that one, and anything similar, 480p seems to be as good as it gets.
By the way, on further reflection, I do know that devices that can convert from just about any resolution/standard to any other do exist. The last time I was shopping for serious home theater stuff, they were quite expensive. But that was years ago, so they might be cheap now.
It’s tricky shopping for these devices. For example, I found this one which says it is a scaler converter and says “Component resolutions output: 480i(60Hz), 576i(50Hz), 480p(60Hz), 576p(50hz), 720p(50/60Hz), 1080i/p(50/60Hz). Choose the best output resolution by the resolution switch button.”
Wow! Sounds incredible and it’s super-cheap! (Real-time scaling of video used to cost thousands of dollars.)
But I type 1080i into the Q&A section and find two answers that say it can convert to 1080i and one that says it can’t. So… might work! 😀
Without knowing the TV's specifications, it's tough to say what resolution you are seeing. The important thing is you found a setting that worked. Most TVs with component inputs have limited resolution support, with the most common being 1080i, 720p and 575/480p.
here's the adapter i've been using, which worked previously on an older tv with a cable box, not a roku. there was another tv that it didn't work on. no resolution switch. my tv supports 1080i. i have another just like it which is a radio shack brand, same behavior.
glad yours is working now, btw. 🙂
Hey Jim, thanks. I thought these adapters were a little more. They did work on a couple of tvs, but maybe I got lucky. They didn't work on dune other tvs.
I tried 2 different brand converters like that one in the link you sent and all i saw was a blue screen saying check signal. I currently have to use input on my Mitsubishi ws65813 diamond series tv. But thats only projects 480. Has any one had this issue? The problem with my roku being connected to Input is mostly color issues when viewing certain scenes. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
So from what i understood of what you said, i would need a hdmi to component converter and that converter’s spec sheet should say that it takes in (1080p Hdmi) and converts it to (1080i analog component.) Does not make sense?
I think thats the exact one i bought some time ago. However i don't remember if i tried toggling the resolution switch on the converter. I’ll try it again and let u know if it works.
I just tried it again, the one in the link u sent, that i had purchased years ago. I got it to work, i did have to hit the resolution button like 7 times or so, until i saw 1080i.
It works, thank you for sending the link. My guess is that i had tried hitting that button before but after a few toggles i probably figured that it wasn't going to work. When i went to the link u sent i looked at it more carefully and saw that the converter is capable of many resolutions, so again after about the 7th toggle it showed 1080i. Just make sure to use your tv remote set to tv and hit the info button to show display resolution that is currently being displayed.
TOUCHDOWN !
