PC to TV.. using RCI/S-video adapter.. picture sucks

[djtizzy]

ok. i am trying to use my TV as a monitor. my TV has a female 4-pin s-video port. my videocard has a RCI port. an RCI cable is going from my PC to an RCI/S-video adapter, and from this an S-video cable is going to my TV. i can see the picture on the TV but it's like black and white and all jumpy. i tried changing the channel on the TV but that's apparently not the problem. any ideas???

[guns1inger]

refresh rate ?
resolution ?
Try changing these on your PC until you find a combo that works. TV looks pretty awful at higher than 800 x 600

[edDV]

ok. i am trying to use my TV as a monitor. my TV has a female 4-pin s-video port. my videocard has a RCI port. an RCI cable is going from my PC to an RCI/S-video adapter, and from this an S-video cable is going to my TV. i can see the picture on the TV but it's like black and white and all jumpy. i tried changing the channel on the TV but that's apparently not the problem. any ideas???

Did you mean: RCA to S-video adapter ?
Yes that would look terrible because they are only supposed to work in reverse.

Just go composite (RCA) from display card to TV composite (RCA). Or S-Video on graphics card to TV composite (RCA). Or S-Video on graphics card to TV S-Video.

[djtizzy]

Did you mean: RCA to S-video adapter ?
Yes that would look terrible because they are only supposed to work in reverse.

Just go composite (RCA) from display card to TV composite (RCA). Or S-Video on graphics card to TV composite (RCA). Or S-Video on graphics card to TV S-Video.

yeah i meant RCA.

my graphics card does not have an s-video port. it only has an RCA and of course the standard monitor port.

my tv does not have RCA. it only has s-video.

that's why i have the RCA/s-video adapter.

do i need to get a new graphics card to make this work?

[MOVIEGEEK]

It sounds like your videocard is outputting PAL,remove your videocard and make sure the switch is set to NTSC.Also set your PC screen to 800x600/60Hz/16bit.
If that doesn't help then buy a videocard with S-Video out.

[edDV]

Did you mean: RCA to S-video adapter ?
Yes that would look terrible because they are only supposed to work in reverse.

Just go composite (RCA) from display card to TV composite (RCA). Or S-Video on graphics card to TV composite (RCA). Or S-Video on graphics card to TV S-Video.

yeah i meant RCA.

my graphics card does not have an s-video port. it only has an RCA and of course the standard monitor port.

my tv does not have RCA. it only has s-video.

that's why i have the RCA/s-video adapter.

do i need to get a new graphics card to make this work?

To make RCA to S-Video work, you need a Y/C separator (decoder) in the path. A new video card is cheaper and a better solution.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814127128
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.asp?Order=PRICE&Page=1&Category=38&N=2010380...SubCategory=48

The technical reason for the bad picture is you are dumping luminance into the chroma path and filling it with false color.

You can read about Y/C separation here. S-Video has Y and C already separate.
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/vidcomb.htm

[SingSing]

my tv does not have RCA. it only has s-video.

Which brand and model is the TV ?