The video signal for DVI and HDMI is identical so the quality will be the same either way. HDMI can carry audio as well (you need to have speakers connected of course).

Dumb question but here goes. What about hooking up a high definition cable box?

um... you mean would the connection type make any difference? It shouldn't.

Ok, there is no difference between DVI & HDMI as far as quality resolution is concerned.

Can I hookup a high definition cable tv box to my 2709W via either HDMI or component cables? That's my dumb question. :smileyvery-happy:

Sure, if you use component you just need to deal separately with the audio output from the STB. If you use HDMI you can alternatively use the audio out from the monitor.

 

AFIAK DVI and HDMI interfaces are similar on signal level, but monitor’s ports treat these signals in a slightly different way. Below please find EDID dumps from DVI and HDMI ports of my 2709. As you can see P&P ID and some supporting parameters are deferent. It would be nice if someone do the same for Display Port.  

DVI #1&2
Monitor
Windows description......... Plug and Play Monitor
Manufacturer description.... DELL 2709W
Manufacturer................ Dell
————————————————————————————
Plug and Play ID............ DELA030
Serial number............... HW************
EDID data source............ I2C bus (real-time)
————————————————————————————
Manufacture date............ 2008, ISO week 33
EDID revision............... 1.3
Display type and signal..... Digital
Sync input support.......... n/a
Screen size................. 580 x 360 mm (~28")
Power management............ Standby, Suspend, Active off/sleep

Color characteristics
Display gamma............... 2,20
Red chromaticity............ Rx 0,675 - Ry 0,318
Green chromaticity.......... Gx 0,189 - Gy 0,704
Blue chromaticity........... Bx 0,147 - By 0,069
White point (default)....... Wx 0,313 - Wy 0,329

Timing characteristics
VESA GTF support............ Not supported
Horizontal scan range....... 30-83kHz
Vertical scan range......... 56-76Hz
Video bandwidth............. 170MHz
Extension blocks............ n/a
Timing recommendation #1.... 1920x1200 at 60Hz
Modeline................ "1920x1200" 154,000 1920 1968 2000 2080 1200 1203 1209 1235 +hsync -vsync

Standard timings supported
640 x 480 at 60Hz - IBM VGA
640 x 480 at 75Hz - VESA
720 x 400 at 70Hz - IBM VGA
800 x 600 at 60Hz - VESA
800 x 600 at 75Hz - VESA
1024 x 768 at 60Hz - VESA
1024 x 768 at 75Hz - VESA
1152 x 864 at 75Hz - VESA
1280 x 1024 at 60Hz - VESA
1280 x 1024 at 75Hz - VESA
1600 x 1200 at 60Hz - VESA
1680 x 1680 at 60Hz - VESA
1920 x 1200 at 60Hz - Dell

Raw EDID base
00: 00 FF FF FF FF FF FF 00 10 AC 30 A0 53 4E 33 31
10: 21 12 01 03 80 3A 24 78 EA E9 F5 AC 51 30 B4 25
20: 11 50 54 A5 4B 00 81 80 A9 40 71 4F B3 00 01 01
30: 01 01 01 01 01 01 28 3C 80 A0 70 B0 23 40 30 20
40: 36 00 46 6C 21 00 00 1A 00 00 00 FF 00 48 57 31
50: 31 37 38 38 44 31 33 4E 53 0A 00 00 00 FC 00 44
60: 45 4C 4C 20 32 37 30 39 57 0A 20 20 00 00 00 FD
70: 00 38 4C 1E 53 11 00 0A 20 20 20 20 20 20 00 1F 

HDMI:
Monitor
Windows description......... Dell Monitor
Manufacturer description.... DELL 2709W
Manufacturer................ Dell
————————————————————————————
Plug and Play ID............ DELA032
Serial number............... HW************
EDID data source............ I2C bus (real-time)
————————————————————————————
Manufacture date............ 2008, ISO week 33
EDID revision............... 1.3
Display type and signal..... Digital
Sync input support.......... n/a
Screen size................. 580 x 360 mm (~28")
Power management............ Standby, Suspend, Active off/sleep

Color characteristics
Display gamma............... 2,20
Red chromaticity............ Rx 0,675 - Ry 0,318
Green chromaticity.......... Gx 0,189 - Gy 0,704
Blue chromaticity........... Bx 0,147 - By 0,069
White point (default)....... Wx 0,313 - Wy 0,329

Timing characteristics
VESA GTF support............ Not supported
Horizontal scan range....... 30-83kHz
Vertical scan range......... 56-76Hz
Video bandwidth............. 170MHz
Extension blocks............ 1
Timing recommendation #1.... 1920x1200 at 60Hz
Modeline................ "1920x1200" 154,000 1920 1968 2000 2080 1200 1203 1209 1235 +hsync -vsync
Timing recommendation #2.... 1920x1080 at 60Hz
Modeline................ "1920x1080" 148,500 1920 2008 2052 2200 1080 1084 1089 1125 +hsync +vsync
Timing recommendation #3.... 1920x540 at 60Hz
Modeline................ "1920x540" 74,250 1920 2008 2052 2200 540 542 547 562 +hsync +vsync
Timing recommendation #4.... 1920x1080 at 30Hz
Modeline................ "1920x1080" 74,250 1920 2008 2052 2200 1080 1084 1094 1124 interlace +hsync +vsync
Timing recommendation #5.... 1280x720 at 60Hz
Modeline................ "1280x720" 74,250 1280 1390 1430 1650 720 725 730 750 +hsync +vsync
Timing recommendation #6.... 720x480 at 60Hz
Modeline................ "720x480" 27,000 720 736 798 858 480 489 495 525 -hsync -vsync

Standard timings supported
640 x 480 at 60Hz - IBM VGA
640 x 480 at 75Hz - VESA
720 x 400 at 70Hz - IBM VGA
720 x 480 at 60Hz - Dell
800 x 600 at 60Hz - VESA
800 x 600 at 75Hz - VESA
1024 x 768 at 60Hz - VESA
1024 x 768 at 75Hz - VESA
1152 x 864 at 75Hz - VESA
1280 x 720 at 60Hz - Dell
1280 x 1024 at 60Hz - VESA
1280 x 1024 at 75Hz - VESA
1600 x 1200 at 60Hz - VESA
1680 x 1680 at 60Hz - VESA
1920 x 540 at 60Hz - Dell
1920 x 1080 at 30Hz - Dell
1920 x 1080 at 60Hz - Dell
1920 x 1200 at 60Hz - Dell

Raw EDID base
00: 00 FF FF FF FF FF FF 00 10 AC 32 A0 53 4E 33 31
10: 21 12 01 03 80 3A 24 78 EA E9 F5 AC 51 30 B4 25
20: 11 50 54 A5 4B 00 81 80 A9 40 71 4F B3 00 01 01
30: 01 01 01 01 01 01 28 3C 80 A0 70 B0 23 40 30 20
40: 36 00 46 6C 21 00 00 1A 00 00 00 FF 00 48 57 31
50: 31 37 38 38 44 31 33 4E 53 0A 00 00 00 FC 00 44
60: 45 4C 4C 20 32 37 30 39 57 0A 20 20 00 00 00 FD
70: 00 38 4C 1E 53 11 00 0A 20 20 20 20 20 20 01 1C

Raw EDID extension (CEA-861)
00: 02 03 1D F1 48 90 05 04 03 02 07 16 01 23 0D 07
10: 07 67 03 0C 00 10 00 38 26 83 0B 00 00 02 3A 80
20: 18 71 38 2D 40 58 2C 45 00 46 6C 21 00 00 1E 01
30: 1D 80 18 71 1C 16 20 58 2C 25 00 46 6C 21 00 00
40: 9E 01 1D 00 72 51 D0 1E 20 6E 28 55 00 46 6C 21
50: 00 00 1E 8C 0A D0 8A 20 E0 2D 10 10 3E 96 00 46
60: 6C 21 00 00 18 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
70: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 3B

EIA/CEA-861 Information
Revision number............. 3
DTV underscan............... Supported
Basic audio................. Supported
YCbCr 4:4:4................. Supported
YCbCr 4:2:2................. Supported
Native formats supported.... 1
DTV formats supported....... 8

CE standard timings supported
1920 x 1080p at 59.94/60Hz (16:9) - HDTV (Native)
1920 x 1080i at 59.94/60Hz (16:9) - HDTV
1280 x 720p at 59.94/60Hz (16:9) - HDTV
720 x 480p at 59.94/60Hz (16:9) - EDTV
720 x 480p at 59.94/60Hz (4:3) - EDTV
720 x 480i at 59.94/60Hz (16:9) - Doublescan
720 x 576i at 50Hz (16:9) - Doublescan
640 x 480p at 59.94/60Hz (4:3) - Default

interesting to see the HDMI EDID - what program did you use?

 

 

I've used moninfo software:

http://www.entechtaiwan.com/files/moninfo.exe

 

P.S. may not work with moden cart

I believe that it could be possible to get better color depth (30bit) with two DVI cables connected at once.

I wonder whether 2709W support this. In your case it is also matter of your GeForce support.

Definitely it should be possible with DisplayPort.

 

So it would be safe to say that a 2709W monitor used on a PS3 with HDMI cables can support 1080P resolution?