TV as Monitor, How to Make More Clear...?

[RoninEditor]

Hi all.  Okay, so I have a tv of mine that I'm using for my cab, a 27" Sharp.  The picture is actually really nice with regular television and all of that.  However, right now, I ran an S-Video out of my video card (ATI Radeon 9800 Pro, 128mb) and then through a coax converter... but it looks really hazy.  You can still see things but it's not anywhere near "good". 

Has anyone else experienced this?  I bought a VGA to RCA converter a while ago, which I'm desperately trying to find, to give that a shot, but in the meantime... I'm just kinda wondering if anyone else is in the boat I am, or if you were able to make the image better.  I'm assuming this S-Video to coax is the issue. 

I guess what I'm asking is if anyone gotten a good picture from their S-Video out of their GFX card.

Thanks!

[ahofle]

What kind of inputs do you have on your TV?

[RoninEditor]

Unfortunately it's a little older, so just the three RCA's and then the coax, but no S-Video in. 

I remember pulling an S-Video out of my laptop to an S-Video on a different tv and the picture was pretty crisp... I think?

I'm also digging around old topics and saw something with regular Mame (not Mame32) about an NTSC setting... I don't have it in front of me right now but is there an output setting within Mame that can help...?  I think the problem is bigger than that though because it's hazy when I exit Mala, just in Windows. 

(I really have to find this RCA signal converter to test this.)

Actually, I do have an extra tv laying around with an S-Video in that I should try, to at least eliminate some variables, or confirm them.

[ahofle]

Well if you have an RCA input, use that.  Do not use coax unless that's the only input you have as it will look the worst by far.  You should be able to pick up a S-vid to RCA adapter cable (they come with some video and capture cards) for cheap.  Of course, S-vid to S-vid would be a little better.  I'm not familiar with the VGA to RCA converter (I'm guessing it just mimics the TV out circuitry in most video cards), but that sounds interesting too.  I would compare the output of that with the output of S-vid to RCA and use whichever one looks best.

EDIT: like this: http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10401&cs_id=1040105&p_id=79&seq=1&format=2

[RoninEditor]

Hell yes, thank you for that link!!!  I'm definitely gonna snag one of those because I can't, for the life of me, find this VGA to RCA converter.  What drives me nuts about it is that the VGA to RCA would probably be the best option and originally these cords run $55+ but I found a site with them for $10 or so. 

[ahofle]

Actually this one is probably better (you'd only need a single S-vid cable then):
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10401&cs_id=1040105&p_id=123&seq=1&format=2

[Ummon]

I suggest trying your other TV, S-video, first. I recently tried out S-video to composite and it was bad.

[RoninEditor]

I just tried out the other tv, it's a little different being an old school LCD but the picture was pretty darn clear with the S-Video directly in, I think the coax is the major issue. 

The above-mentioned link for the S-Video converter is actually the same site I used before for my part that I couldn't find, but since they were so cheap, I ordered a DVI-VGA converter (even though I have a VGA out), then VGA directly to RCA. 

It's probably redundant, using the DVI-VGA when I already have a VGA but I thought I'd give it a try.  I'm hoping this will solve the issue.

[BASS!]

I accually just found a weird standard vga to svideo / composite adapter. I've yet to see if it works, but the thing costs only $9. I guess I could ship you one, or you could see if you could get it from these guys. In order to do this you are going to have to run 15khz to your monitor though at the svideo res, but it may look better.

http://www.cablesunlimited.com/products/Prod_Individual3.aspx?groupcode=I3455

[ahofle]

That cable will only work if your video card supports TV out through your VGA port.

[Ummon]

That cable will only work if your video card supports TV out through your VGA port.

I don't think so. I think all he needs to do is send it an NTSC spec signal. It doesn't get encoded till after the input, but the input expects a specific signal, which is pretty easy to come by. He may have to tailor the modeline for over/underscan, though.


Anyways, Ronin, I suggest going with at least S-video. If you want a CRT, they're cheap used and getting cheaper.

[ahofle]

I don't think so.

From the product description:

This adapter works with graphics cards that have TV-Out function capability through the VGA connector.

 

[Ummon]

I haven't heard of a card (inherently) producing an NTSC signal through the VGA output. Whether it's a hardware, bios, or/and driver thing the result is still the same. So you can get some special card, or you can provide the signal yourself. That's what I'm thinking anyway.  In fact, I wonder if the signal will be of a better quality from VGA out vs S-video out? My suggestion still stands: treat yourself; forget component.