Outputting to HDTV on Initial Boot

[Megalith]

Since I've mostly decided to run the PC I'm about to build as an HTPC, it would be convenient for me to have it hooked up to my HDTV from the get-go---but will the Radeon 5800 series be able to output anything via HDMI before the actual drivers are installed?

 

[IndieSnob]

Yes, it will boot to whatever primary display device you have it hooked up to.

 

[JaguarSKX]

Go into Catalyst Control, then Display Manager, then Desktop 1 should be set to your HDTV.

 

[Megalith]

Well, I mean before the OS is even installed, hence initial boot.

 

[BeavermanA]

Just have your TV plugged in by itself and there shouldn't be a problem unless it doesn't support the resolution, which I doubt.
Used my old plasma back in 2003 in the living room as an only display with a 9700pro without an issue.
I had the opposite problem with my current setup with an hdmi input plasma, wanted it to go to my monitor but it was going to my plasma, so just disconnected it until I had the OS and drivers set up.

 

[jeremyshaw]

Some TV may have an issue, but any newer one should not.

Just make sure to turn the TV on before booting up.

 

[Domingo]

Definitely. I'm doing just that. Newer video cards even bring up things like BIOS in native 16:9 mode now, too. On my older machine it would do 3:4 and some BIOS settings were cut off.
As for the TV, mine's not overly new. It was a 1st generation 1080p DLP and it still works fine.

 

[oplin]

My onboard 4200 chip works great on my tv, got a 4350 and it doesn't output anything till the driver is loaded really weird. For the most part the bios should show up all the time on the tv, if not try a dvi to hdmi adapter that works for me if i need to see the bios on the 4350, planning on upgrading to the 5750 soon.