Windows 7 + ancient Pinnacle 710 & outputting to projector

[bohus]

Hi there. I've got a perfect combination of dopey hardware that I need to get to work together. Funny thing is that I work in TV, so I feel like I should know this...

Here's the thing. I've got a mini video projector that only has composite in (yes, I know.. that's nuts!). It's a 3M CP45. Impressive little thing except for this composite input thing.

My laptop is a Sony VPCEJ - Windows 7, 64 bit... and you guessed it - no composite output. Just HDMI and a VGA connector.

The only thing I have around the house is an old Pinnacle 710 input/output box. I was able to install the driver, and Windows sees it, but I just can't figure out how to send video to the composite output of the box. The editing software that was in the box is eight years old, and the laptop just isn't interested in installing it.

I was hoping that VLC might show the Pinnacle among its outputs, or that Display Setting might be some help. So far, nothing.

I just need to be able to play videos from the laptop out to this mini projector. I leave on a trip in a couple of days, so am desperately trying to get this going.

Or if there's something inexpensive you can recommend that I buy retail, I'm all ears.

Thanks for any and all advice, folks!

[jagabo]

You can get a VGA to composite scan coverter for less than US$20:

http://www.amazon.com/Lenkeng-104724-Monoprice-VGA-RCA/dp/B001CJOLBW/

Quality will be poor:

https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/283861-VGA-to-S-video?p=1756748&viewfull=1#post1756748

And tearing is a problem too:

https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/361433-HTPC-Image-Quality-Problems?p=2293418&viewfu...=1#post2293418

[bohus]

Awesome idea - I forgot about those! I may have one around here that would be a little bit better than the $20 special you pointed out. If not, one of those $20 things might do the trick. thanks for reminding me! I'll start looking through the junk box...

But if anyone has ideas about the Pinnacle box, I'm still interested in getting to working! Thanks!

[usually_quiet]

You probably won't get the Pinnacle 710 input working for this. With most capture devices, when there are video and audio outputs, they are merely a pass-through for the video and audio inputs. The outputs receive video and audio directly from an internal splitter and don't deliver video or audio from the PC.

[Edit]If the video and audio outputs are able to deliver video or audio from the PC, then it is likely that the only way for that to happen is via the software Pinnacle bundled with the device.

I found a link which confirms that you would use Pinnacle Studio to output video from the PC (See Section 2): http://avid.force.com/pkb/articles/en_US/how_to/en216439?popup=true