connecting laptop to tv using s-video cable

username123 · January 6th, 2007, 12:47 PM

i have recently purchased an s-video cable to connect my laptop to my tv.. i have a dell inspiron 640m laptop. I read through some tutorials on how to connect it and what settings to change... i changed the graphics card settings to both tv and monitor using dual settings.. and the picture is displayed on my tv... however it is displayed in black.. can anyone help???

xbanhcuonx · January 6th, 2007, 07:42 PM

what do you mean it's displayed in black?...like you can't see anything?...also...I think you would get better quality if you used a component cable like a monster instead of a s-video cable...<.<...

Kphu · January 6th, 2007, 07:50 PM

dvi>svideo

that is if your tv and laptop have dvi
but if your tv and laptop are fairly new
chances are theyll have them

username123 · January 7th, 2007, 02:07 PM

the picture is showing on the tv screen and it is crystal clear... but it is in black and white. i have read some tutorials and i think it may have something to do with the format of the video card being set to NTCS and the format of the tv being PAL. i am trying to change the format to PAL but i cannot find the device manager for the video card. i have looked through all the display window tabs and advance settings.

what is DVI cable.. the laptop is only 1month old so it could have DVI socket but i dont know what it looks like.

Kphu · January 7th, 2007, 06:10 PM

http://www.zpluscable.com/images/pro...89-dvi-end.jpg

dvi cable

Vyx · January 7th, 2007, 06:20 PM

Your laptop only has a VGA (15 pin) and an S-Video port so you wont be able to hook it up via DVI.

On a side note, most notebooks only come with a VGA port, DVI is for the most part only on higher end gaming notebooks.

Keymaker · January 7th, 2007, 07:04 PM

You should see something there under the video card's settings for changing to PAL.

Is the video card using the ATI driver like it should? If not, go to Dell, support and download the display driver.

http://www.dell.com/content/products...n=specs#tabtop

BTW, DVI could be used with a VGA to DVI adapter, but won't get the capabilities of DVI with it.

username123 · January 10th, 2007, 04:34 AM

"keymaker" i do have a display driver - some intel 945GR mobile or something but the options i have in that diver menu are no-way near as detailed as the one in your thumbnail... all i have is "general" "adapter" "monitor" "troubleshoot" and "color management"

i'm going to email dell and get some help off their support.. i'm paying for some three warrenty so they had better help me! lol.

anyway thanks for everyones help i really appreciate it!

regards.

Keymaker · January 10th, 2007, 06:05 PM

Go to Dell's website. Click home and then you will see tabs above the web page, click support and find your drivers.

Better yet. I believe this is your laptop. Be sure to have JS on.

Oh wait, crap, I see the Intel 945. I think you won't have an ATI then. You can confirm this by Dell's current configuration checker. Have to use IE in order for that to work. Firefox can't be used.

Another way is to type dxdiag into RUN under the start button. Click the display tab in dxdiag.

danish.faraz · January 30th, 2009, 08:29 AM

I had the same problm. I was using s-video to rca convertoe cable. Using the same cable with my DVD player gave me color; but when i hooked that up with my laptop it showed black & white on tv. I was very sure that the cable is fine and somethings wrong with the setting.... but u know what i was wrong. Its actually the cable. the internal connections for the s-video cable that is used for laptop is different. Just purchase that one and ur problems will be solved. another solution that might work read it in some post....havent tried it though ...

"fixed it using a solution i found on a random forum somewhere (can't remember which one), which is to wrap a little wire around the top 2 connectors (with the plastic plug bit at the bottom) on the svhs cable, joining them together. apparently this is the difference between svhs and composite or something. pretty dodgy, but it works ok now so i'm gonna leave it alone. now i can play dawn of war on my tv! yay!"