Radeon w/component out, color(s) missing?

[releasedtruth]

Alright, I hooked up my Radeon 9550 with the ATI component out dongle and picturewise it looks great, functions decent enough in windows, etc. Problem is that it's almost bluescale. Very little green, almost no red and I can't tell why. I tested the cable and tv on a DVD so I know the TV/Cable function properly. I don't have another component in TV in the house to test on, but I guess that's my next step.

Any thoughts before I run wild tearing this that and the other apart? I'm using the newest catalyst drivers and have the TV set up properly through them. No alterations add color to the display. Thanks much,

RT/GT

[Silver]

Hmm if you are getting full colour with the same component cable and the same component input on the tv, but missing colours from the ATI card, then you are probably dropping one of the two colour-difference signals.

Double-check you VGA->Dongle>cable plugging, make sure nothing is loose. If that does not work I would suggest testing the either the dongle or gfx card on another pc.

[StephenH]

I would first try making sure that all three componet cables are in tight, and that none are swapped on either end.  This can cause color problems if this is the case.  If they are in correctly, I would try either the dongle on another PC or connect that PC to another component in TV.   You might also try adjusting the color controls on the TV.

[releasedtruth]

Here's an update gents: I tried the s-video out on the card and it works fine. Not as sharp as component of course, but the colors are there, so I'm thinking it's the dingle-dongle, which sucks. I bought it from newegg so I can probably return it, but I don't know why the ATI model wouldn't work. Anyone have success with other brands of dongle?  I'm gonna go try it on another component out TV just for kicks. I made sure all the cables are tight and match up colorwise.


Further update: As I plug in the cables into the card this is what happens. Green first, comes up black/white, then add blue, blue comes up really blue, add red and nothing comes up so red doesn't do anything and green is in grayscale.

[Silver]

Further update: As I plug in the cables into the card this is what happens. Green first, comes up black/white, then add blue, blue comes up really blue, add red and nothing comes up so red doesn't do anything and green is in grayscale.

Yes, in component video Green-cable is Luminence (Y), Blue is Pb and Red is Pr. So it's totally normal to only have Black/white on the green cable. Pb and Pr are colour difference signals, also called U and V (its a Y-U-V signal). You basically have no Pr signal. I suspect you have no signal what so ever on that cable. Note that Pb is not "blue" and Pr is not "red". Between the Pb and Pr signals you get the full Red, green and blue colours when combined - component video just transports them in a different format.

Note that the S-video working does not help you much as it will be generated and passed independantly of the component signal, on different pins. Speaking of Pins, something else to check is that you have no missing/damaged pins on either your VGA out socket or on the dongle itself.

[releasedtruth]

I checked the pins and as far as I can tell, everything is tip-top. I'm going to have a new one sent, if that's not it, the card's the only culprit left. Both card and dongle are brand new so that would be odd luck.

[releasedtruth]

Update: I got the new adapter, guess what? It's the same problem, so it's not the adapter. You think it's the card? It was only 30 bucks (Chiefmax radeon 9550 128MB) and it was brand new, but would it just not output from that one cable? Nothing ever goes perfect does it......

GT/RT

[releasedtruth]

Another update: I got the S-video working real nice. Sharp, colorful etc. but the blue is still overdone a huge amount.  It looks as though the Pr actually does add some color when it's plugged in, but the Pb just blinds me with blueness. I won an auction for a 9600 real cheap so I'll give that a shot and we'll test the card on another machine, just for kicks.

[releasedtruth]

The 9600 works and like a charm I might add. I have a Toshiba 24AF45 and it's incredible. The tube is so flat and so black the colors pop something fierce. I'll try to get pics. Anyway, the component out is perfect. My only problem was a bit of overscan vertically, but I hit the powerstrip "arcade" setting and it snapped to 640x432 and it fits perfect now. I'm really pleased. Haven't plugged the 9550 back in to see if it works, but I tested the DVI out on it and no problems so who knows.   

[TOK]

I may be able to add some info on this in a few days... I just bought an ATI branded Radeon 9550 for my vertical cab. Using S-video right now, but I'm getting the DVI to component converter soon.
Also using it on a Toshiba TV, a 27AF42. Its a 27" flat screen a couple years older than yours.

Pic is pretty nice with S-Video, tolerable in fact if I have same component issues as you, but I hoping for just a bit crisper image.

[releasedtruth]

You won't be dissatisfied. The colors are too freakin bright and sharp actually without a smoked glass bezel. I can read everything in windows fine, but 640x432 just isn't enough to do much in. Thankfully I'm booting right into GameEx now.

Good luck, let me know how it turns out.

GT

[TOK]

Got the adapter and it looks great. The slight moire pattern type interfence evident is s-video is gone (it was negligible, but there if you looked). Colors are bright and image is solid.

I have the exact same overscan problem as you... Only the very top of the Windows task bar is visible, and the top of the screen is also slightly cropped. Guess I'll be looking into Powerstrip since you had good results.

[releasedtruth]

The arcade setting at the bottom of their preselected options works great. Makes everything fit on screen really well. Hard to use windows as you've seen, but it's fine for simple things like changing settings and clicking on icons. I think you'll have success there.

GT

[TOK]

Thanks for the info. I snagged it, but haven't installed yet. Spent the last two days going through vertical games to decide whats going on the machine. If you think doing admin on a machine with a TV sucks, try doing it on a TV mounted sideways!