As someone with a laptop without a HDMI port, I was looking for a device that would allow me to use the laptop with my Sony Bravia HDTV set that was neither too expensive nor inconvenient to use.
While it's entirely possible for me to use the VGA output on my HDTV, it wasn't an ideal solution as I was unable to do so with my audio receiver and make the full use of my 5.1 surround set up when connecting it to the laptop.
Thankfully, that's where Accell's Ultra AV DisplayPort 1.1 to HDMI 1.4 Active Adapter comes in handy. It was a stroke of luck that put me in touch with Accell, who were more than happy to send me a unit to review and make use of.
It just so happens that my laptop has a DisplayPort on it, and through the use of Accell's device, I was able to couple it with the HDMI port on both my HDTV and audio receiver. The device registered on my laptop without a hitch and I was able to get a full 1080p on my HDTV through my laptop, which treated it like any other DisplayPort monitor.
The sound and picture quality are, as far as I can tell, perfect—there is no deterioration in quality. I was able to watch movies and play games at a full 1080p on the HDTV without running into any hitches. For the purpose of this review, I watched a couple of anime DVDs and played a few games of Battlefield 3.
The only downside to the device was that I was unable to get a full 120hz out of the device on my BenQ XL2411T gaming monitor, which capped out at 85hz.
Conclusion
Priced at $32.99, the Accell UltraAV DisplayPort 1.1 to HDMI 1.4 Active Adapter is what you'll need if you have a computer equipped with a DisplayPort but no HDMI and want to use it with an HDMI-capable monitor or TV set.
