IBM X301 + HDTV + Receiver = HTPC?

[motolube]

OK, I am trying to help a friend and I am totally green to HTPCs but I know my way around computers. Hopefully, I can get my point across and you guys can lend me a hand. Also, I hope I have posted this in the correct forum

Basically he has everything setup through his receiver (Blu-ray, DirecTV DVR, CD-Changer, Cassette Deck, etc, etc) and then 1 HDMI cable to his TV except the laptop... he doesn't know ho to connect this to the receiver.

His laptop comes with a similar to USB port but it is called DB-15 I think?

the new X301 features a DisplayPort that combines HD video and audio into a single digital connector-interface making digital display easier, more readily available and with increased performance.

http://www.pc.ibm.com/gallery/xseries.html

Am I to understand that all I need is a converter or a cable that has on 1 end a DB-15 plug and hdmi on the other end? is that simple?

 

[elbweb]

Okay. Few things.

I think the DB-15 you're referring to is a [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VGA_connector"]VGA connector - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia@@AMEPARAM@@/wiki/File:SVGA_port.jpg" class="image"><img alt="SVGA port.jpg" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/SVGA_port.jpg/300px-SVGA_port.jpg"@@AMEPARAM@@commons/thumb/9/92/SVGA_port.jpg/300px-SVGA_port.jpg[/ame]. This is an Analog video only connection.

On the X301 there is a [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DisplayPort"]DisplayPort - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia@@AMEPARAM@@/wiki/Fileisplayport-cable.jpg" class="image"><img alt="Displayport-cable.jpg" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a6/Displayport-cable.jpg/300px-Displayport-cable.jpg"@@AMEPARAM@@commons/thumb/a/a6/Displayport-cable.jpg/300px-Displayport-cable.jpg[/ame]. This is a digital connection that can be used for much more than video (audio, peripherals, etc).

Since this is a digital connection, you cannot have a simple cable to connect to your VGA connection, you need an active adapater. This will work but is problematic, since there is a conversion. If you can connect via HDMI then you are better off, using a simple cable adapter (they're both digital signals, no need for a chip or any other processing in the cable).

Your X301 does not pass audio over DisplayPort so you don't need to worry about that aspect of the whole thing, but will need to look at other options if you're interested in audio as well.