computer to tv hardware question

[kaml20]

Hello,

I have just gone down to radio shack (like an idiot) and bought an s-video cable (12 ft 22 bucks) thinking that my tv (1995) has svideo in, it doensnt and i still want to watch my computer or be able to play/write papers on my tv. My question is this where can I get a pretty cheap s video cable that is relatively long (and exactly what is the rate of degredation with respect to length) as well as a s video to male composite video adaptor for relatively cheap and still good quality

please keep in mind when answering this quesiton that
I may wish to get a new tv or watch my computer output on my tv at home (which is 35 inch/has svideo input)

I have checked froogle and pricewatch I just want to make sure its good quality

Is there a benefit to getting an svideo to female composite?

i tried to search the forums cant find anything, maybe there is a website that has the info i need, if you guys can help it would be awsome. if this topic has been posted im sorry (no sleep in last 1.5 days)


THANKS!

[DarkFury]

Honestly, I never could get my Video card to work with one of those S-Video to TV RCA adapters.

The only way I could get it to work was in using a TV that did have S-Video jacks and even that was flakey unless I unplugged my monitor from the computer before starting it up.

Well good luck on trying to make it work...

[Hoser]

S-video has a separate connection for the chrominance (color) and luminance (intensity). Composite has them both mixed together. If you had a video signal connected to a TV using both connections and switched between them, you would notice a difference.

Here's what you're looking for: http://www.compgeeks.com/details.asp?invtid=4PINS-VIDEO&cat=CBL

A lot of video cards included these for TV output. You may have friends that have these and aren't using them.

I've gotten my video card to output to a TV, but the quality will not even be close to a monitor's quality. A normal TV will have problems with 800X600 resolution. 640X480 is somewhat acceptable. Just for info - the resolution of a DVD is 720X480. I've played DVDs from a computer using s-video output and the quality was almost as good as my DVD player (which is hooked up using s-video to the TV). If you want to get really fancy, you can connect your video card to a HDTV using DVI (Digital Visual Interface) for the best possible signal.

[Agent Plissken]

I have an HD TV and text and stuff still looks like crap when I hook a computer up to it. My advice, forget about it and stick to your monitor.

[Jeffbx]

The only thing a TV is good for is streaming video to it - text & graphics will look like absolute crap. The native resolution of TV is rediculously low, like 320x200 or something like that.

[kaml20]

then would it be cheaper to get a dvd player that plays divx?
if its going to look bad then f it id rather play my xvid movies on a dvd player

i spent about 50 bucks on wires and stuff...

[SmokeyDP]

I bought a RF converter box at radio shack for $20. It hooks up to the TV using the normal cable coaxial wire. It has RCA inputs and a Svideo input and you just turn the TV to channel 3. It works alright and I use the TV next to my computer as a second monitor to play videos on it while online. The quality isn't great, but the TV is also a old 15"

EDIT: Its $30.

Go to radioshack.com and do a search for "RF Modulator". I tried linking to it, but its not working.

[Bires]

then would it be cheaper to get a dvd player that plays divx?
if its going to look bad then f it id rather play my xvid movies on a dvd player

i spent about 50 bucks on wires and stuff...

I have the DVD player (something 640) that playes DIVX (and sometimes XVID). It works great when you want to burn AVI's and MPGs to a DVD and watch video clips. It will also play MOST DVIX, but not all, and it has a lot of trouble with XVID. Just so you know. Worth $60, but don't completely discount the HTPC.

[bachviet]

Once you go the HTPC route, you have to have a TV with at least S-video.

[DarkFury]

I bought a RF converter box at radio shack for $20. It hooks up to the TV using the normal cable coaxial wire. It has RCA inputs and a Svideo input and you just turn the TV to channel 3. It works alright and I use the TV next to my computer as a second monitor to play videos on it while online. The quality isn't great, but the TV is also a old 15"

EDIT: Its $30.

Go to radioshack.com and do a search for "RF Modulator". I tried linking to it, but its not working.
Personally, I couldn't get one of those to work on mine..

All I would get was the "blue" waiting screen on my TV... as if the signal coming from the PC wasn't getting through. :shrug: