Why Boxee box is HDMI output only?

[ZFW88788301]

Hello! anyone,

I've just bought a Boxee Box recenly. But, I have a few questions:

1. Do you know why the Boxee box is HDMI output only? ( I have a old Samsung LED TV which has only S-Video , Composite, component output. It don't have a "HDMI" input!

2.Is the "HDMI " output on the "Boxee box" is digital or analog?

3. Can I buy a "HDMI to Composite/S-video+Audio Converter" (click on the link) to converte the "HDMI" output on Boxee Box to "Composite "input on the TV? Will this work on the Boxee Box?

Please help me answer these questions! Thank you!

[darcilicious]

1) Because that was the design decision that was made and the market they decided to target.

2) HDMI is always digital.

3) Don't know but there are a number of posts on this topic previously, you might be able to find them by using the forum search.

[goopka]

Why?

1.) To keep production costs down, and a slim form-factor.

Digital interfaces replacing analog interfaces for the foreseeable future.
HDMI has been around for years now, and Boxee Box customers are (let's face it) high tech early adopters. HDMI is more high tech than analog video outputs, and early adopters tend to have newer TVs where HDMI is standard. D-Link made this decision by the odds.

2.) HDMI is digital audio + video in one. 0s and 1s.

3.) I don't know. You can buy "HDMI to (insert analog video interface here) Converters" that turn the 0s and 1s into waves again, but I cannot guarantee that the Boxee Box will do a proper HDMI handshake with such a converter.

[goopka]

I took a closer look at the converter. I noticed that it accepts HDMI input at 50 and 60Hz. This may conflict with Boxee's 24fps output? I'll need someone more knowledgeable than me to confirm or deny.

If Boxee is playing a video at 24fps, is it transmitting 24Hz to the TV which then does a 3/2 pulldown or if you have a 120Hz tv then it refreshes the same frame 5 times consecutively?

[ZFW88788301]

3.) I don't know. You can buy "HDMI to (insert analog video interface here) Converters" that turn the 0s and 1s into waves again, but I cannot guarantee that the Boxee Box will do a proper HDMI handshake with such a converter.

Thank you for reply! But, anyway I want to try it to see if this work!

[wincrasher]

Another factor could be piracy protections for the content providers. Analog outputs is a big loophole that they are trying to get eliminated. Without content providers onboard, Boxee would go nowhere.

[ZFW88788301]

I took a closer look at the converter. I noticed that it accepts HDMI input at 50 and 60Hz. This may conflict with Boxee's 24fps output? I'll need someone more knowledgeable than me to confirm or deny.

If Boxee is playing a video at 24fps, is it transmitting 24Hz to the TV which then does a 3/2 pulldown or if you have a 120Hz tv then it refreshes the same frame 5 times consecutively?

Thank you for reply! The "Specification" said this:

Input HDMI Resolution: 480p(60Hz), 576p(50Hz), 720p(50Hz/60Hz), 1080i(50Hz/60Hz), 1080p(50Hz/60Hz)"

[ZFW88788301]

Thank you for reply! The "Specification" said this:

Input HDMI Resolution: 480p(60Hz), 576p(50Hz), 720p(50Hz/60Hz), 1080i(50Hz/60Hz), 1080p(50Hz/60Hz)"

I've found this on Boxee support site!

Supported Resolutions: H.264: 1080p at 30 fps, 1080i at 60 fps; WMV9/VC-1: 1080p at 30 fps, 1080i at 60 fps; MPEG4: 1080p at 30 fps, 1080i at 60 fps; MPEG2: 1080p at 30 fps, 1080i at 60 fps


http://boxee.zendesk.com/entries/329330-what-are-the-technical-spec-s-of-the-boxee-box

[ZFW88788301]

I took a closer look at the converter. I noticed that it accepts HDMI input at 50 and 60Hz. This may conflict with Boxee's 24fps output? I'll need someone more knowledgeable than me to confirm or deny.

If Boxee is playing a video at 24fps, is it transmitting 24Hz to the TV which then does a 3/2 pulldown or if you have a 120Hz tv then it refreshes the same frame 5 times consecutively?

well, we don't have to use 1080p however, we can use 1080i

[Prospero424]

It's HDMI only to keep costs and size down, because it offers the best audio and visual quality currently available on the consumer market, and because it supports HDCP.

Even if you do find an HDMI->analog converter that will work with both the Boxee Box and your display (good luck with that; it's technically possible but it's a pain), doing this will almost certainly break HDCP capability, which means you won't be getting Netflix or Vudu or any other protected service.