VGA to S video

rubberhead

Im trying to hook up an older computer to an older TV to watch netflix. The computer's graphic card does not have tv out I dont think. The tv has Svideo input, and I'm wondering if I simply need a VGA to S video cable, or if I will need a converter to make it work properly. Thanks

pyper

VGA connections can carry svideo signals, but your computer may or may not produce an svideo (i.e., TV) signal. You need to check the documentation for your video card to find out if one of the video modes is TV or not.

If it is, then you need a $2 cable. If it's not, then you need a converter. Something like this, perhaps -- read the reviews:

http://www.amazon.com/PC-To-TV-Video...ref=pd_sim_e_1

DangerMouse

If the card has monitor output only, then you likely cannot (easily) use it that way. They DO make "just" TV (pci) cards you can install to do what you wish, or trade out the graphics card for one with s-video output. Remember too, you'll need another line from the computer to the TV for SOUND as well if you plan on using the TV's speaker(s) for the audio.

DM

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pyper

Here's a cool website:

http://www.svideo.com/compaq1700.html


FWIW, the easiest, cheapest solution might be to pick up a used ATI All In Wonder card on Ebay. I bet you can do that for under $10. The output is to a coax cable. Hook that up to RG-6 and put an RCA plug on the other end to plug into the yellow "composite" jack on the TV.

DangerMouse

I have a few ATI AIW cards laying around.... pretty simple way to get around the problem, yup.

DM

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rubberhead

Thanks for the replies guys. There is actually an S video port on the back of the computer, but I have tried plugging an S video cable in to it and to the TV and did not get any picture on the TV. I am also unable to add another monitor when I go into the control panel (display). Both the PC and the TV have DVI ports and I tried using the computer monitor to hook them together. Again, I got no signal on the TV. I think the problem may be that one is a DVI-D and one is a DVI-A. If I were to buy a DVI-I cable, would this solve the problem of the digital to analog discrepancy? I'm not too worried about the sound, as the computer speakers are situated around the room anyways etc.

Thanks again

diyorpay

If your computer uses its monitor as the default output for video, did you try the 'toggle' technique to switch the video to another output? Maybe an F key.

On a laptop it's often 1) defaults to laptop screen, 2) switches to an alternate output only (like S-video or a projector if connected) and 3) both laptop screen and alternate output at same time.

Otherwise it might take some configuring of the card in your computer to get same output 'toggle'.

AllanJ

Some computers and video cards require that you lower the "resolution" to 640x480 and/or reset the refresh rate to 60 Hz before S-video output will take place.

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pyper

If DVI works out from the PC into a monitor, but does not work on the TV, then the problem seems to be in the TV.