cable: vga to s-video

themaster1 · Member Joined: 16 Nov 2006 Location: France

I have acquired a tv/retro projector recently and i'm about to consider buying such a cable, only problem is i don't know if that will work with my computer/graphic card.

My graphic card is an ati radeon xpress 200 series, so nothing special.It doesn't have a tv out option on the hardware level (like my previous graphic card) but on the software level it seems i could do it.See screenshot here.

My goal is to play movies on this tv/retro projector.

Also, if u got a good address to buy such a cable, let me know.

Thanks for your inputs guys

redwudz · Mod Neophyte Joined: 07 Sep 2002 Location: AZ, USA

Are you going to use the projector for Windows instead of a monitor, along with your video viewing? I mention this because text will be very hard to read with S-video.

You can change the system font size to extra large and that will help a bit. It seems you will be blocking your VGA monitor output.

Is that a on-board video card? I don't see much about it, and nothing about S-video being available off the VGA connection.

You would likely be better off to just purchase a inexpensive video card for PCI slot, or whatever slot you have available. One such as this from Newegg is about $20US with a S-video connection and would still allow you to use your VGA for a PC monitor. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102552 Not necessarily recommending that card, just one option. Then all you would need is a standard S-video cable.

BTW, it would help to mention where you are located, as that has a major influence on what may be available or suggested for you.

jagabo · Member Joined: 09 Dec 2005 Location: none

In case it isn't clear, VGA and s-video are completely incompatible systems. No simple cable can convert VGA to s-video. That said, there are some unused pins on the VGA connector. Some graphics cards use those pins to output s-video or composite video. But this is apparently a very small minority of cards.

Redwudz is correct, Windows is nearly unusable over an s-video connector. What you want to do is run both a monitor and the projector with a card that can output to both. Use the monitor for Windows, the s-video port for video. ATI card's have a "Theater mode" where whatever video is playing in a window on the main monitor is displayed full screen on the s-video port. Or you can use Mirror Mode where both screens show the same thing all the time.

themaster1 · Member Joined: 16 Nov 2006 Location: France

Yeah right after i have made this thread i have googled a bit and found out that vga to s-video is impossible.
What is possible is to use a vga to component (Y,Pb,Pr) cable and i have such input on my tv retro projector

see external link here

jagabo · Member Joined: 09 Dec 2005 Location: none

themaster1 · Member Joined: 16 Nov 2006 Location: France

Oh well it was late when i found this

. You're right

I heard of a box converter that can transform vga into s-video i guess that's my best option, i need to snoop around and find one.Cost 100$ !

Or i could simply buy a new external hdd with direct display capability amongst other things.
_________________
*There is a thin line between awful and beautiful* (©: themaster1-do not duplicate)

jagabo · Member Joined: 09 Dec 2005 Location: none

Is your computer a laptop? If not, a new graphics card (with s-video out) is the better solution. As Redwudz pointed out they can be had for as little as $20. Pretty good ones run around $75. If you're into cutting edge games you'll need to spend more though.

Xylob the Destroyer · Melkor Joined: 18 Sep 2004 Location: Earth, for now

there are even relatively cheap cards that support component output (some require a $25 adapter).
_________________
"To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research." - Steven Wright
"Megalomaniacal, and harder than the rest!"