Before I blow up my tv and computer, i thought i'd ask.

[rlehm]

I got an adapter for my graphix card off ebay. It's a 6 foot component cable. goes from my video card to the tv component in. Can I just hook it up and turn the tv on? Or do I need to configure something first. Probably a newbie question to be sure, but wanted to ask before I lost the tv, computer, or both.

[siastbill1]

Hmm, is it a vga to component cable? If so, is there a circuit in there that converts the RGB from the VGA to component? This might be something that is really video card specific (ie only a certain card can do this). I have seen similar such cables, such as VGA to s-video that are essentially a scam (ie - some weird obscure card can do it, but no normal card can).

If this cable was made for your card, and your card can do component out, then it should just be a matter of enabling the TV out in the advanced display settings, and voila. If not, then you can try and set your windows to run at the proper frequency of a TV, and hope for the best (although it is doubtful).

If you can, post what kind of cable you bought.

/bill

[SavannahLion]

It's tough to loose a card due to a component cable. IIRC, I was using a twenty-five or thirty foot cable with zero problems for years. I don't remember if the rabbit ate it or not though.

The steps are pretty basic.

Hook everything up.

Switch on TV and change to the appropriate channel. On most it's just Video. On other's it might be Video 1, Video 2, Game, Feed, Source 1 (or 2, or 3....). Read the manual to find out.

On the PC, You'll need to get into your desktop settings to change it. See Microsoft's overview or How To Configure and Use Multiple Monitors in Windows XP.

In Pre-XP days, there were issues presenting different images on two screens. Usually it was cited as a limitation with the video card, but I suspect the OS had a big part of it as well. That seems to be a moot issue with XP.

Enjoy.

[SavannahLion]

This might be something that is really video card specific (ie only a certain card can do this). I have seen similar such cables, such as VGA to s-video that are essentially a scam (ie - some weird obscure card can do it, but no normal card can).

Whoops, I was thinking he was asking about composite video. Never mind then.

[rlehm]

this is the cable:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=300130537685

and this is my video card

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=290141319232

any help would be much appreciated.

[Silver]

This bit in the cable auction:

"(*)The Cable Not Support your Computer Monitor Video Port, or Y , Cr, Cb Video. Your Video Source Must Provide a YpbPr Component Video Signal form the DVI-I Video Ports to Use Cable "

Is basically saying there is not converter in the cable that magically converts the VGA signal to Component Video (Y,Pb,Pr).

Therefore, the cable will only work with a gfx card that can output Y,Pb,Pr itself.

According to this review: http://www.techreport.com/reviews/2006q3/geforce-7950gt/index.x?pg=1

"BFG bundles each card with a component TV output dongle"

Which means (assuming your card has the DVI-Component dongle) all you need is a normal component cable - you don't need that DVI-Component cable at all.....

If you have a dongle that comes with the card there should be no danger hooking it up. With my Radeon it autodetects the component cable and adjusts the output automatically.

[siastbill1]

Hey, I checked out the nvida models in the 7950 line, and they claim they can do component out, but the component cable they pictured looked like this (the cable on the far left):

http://www.hothardware.com/image_popup.aspx?image=big_cables.JPG&articleid=890&t=a

Did your card come with a cable that looks like that (I think it is supposed to), as that is doing component via a special plug on the back of the card, and not through a DVI cable.

The DVI cable you purchased may work for some cards, but they have to specifically support component out on the DVI. I believe certain ATI models support this.  You can try and poke around in your settings and see if you can enable component via DVI, but again everything I've seen suggests that this card uses it's own cable for component. I doubt you'll harm anything if you quickly plugged this into your TV to try, but I doubt you'll get a working signal. Again, if you did get cable that looks like the far left one in the picture above, that is the one that you should be using.

/bill

[rlehm]

I got my card from ebay, it did not come with a cable like that. I was sent the card only. So now I am hunting for a cable that will get this working. I have googled for the component cable with no luck so far. I think it's the search phrases I am using.

[siastbill1]

After a quick search I found this:
http://www.compuvest.com/Description.jsp;jsessionid=aZMC23VTTqv-KiIZ2p?iid=248129

I believe this is box is used for outputting (not inputting) the appropriate signals. I don't want to make you any promises that this is the exact one for your model, etc., but it appears to be correct (and made by Nvidia). I guess it's only $7.50, so it's pretty low risk.

BTW, do you have a port on the back of your video card that looks about the size of an S-Video plug, but allows for more pins? If you don't have such a port, then your card might be lacking the ability to use any such cable of this type

/bill

[rlehm]

I appreciate the research and link. I went to display settings, advanced options, and right in the settings i can set my card to "change the signal or HD format." Then there is "DVI - High Definition Televison over DVI." and it has the options of 720p HDTV 480p EDTV.

It also says "S-Video is recommended out of the two becasue it provides better picture quality."

Are they saying just use the s-video because it's better than the DVI to HD?

I'm lost


the cable i am missing is this exact one i think.... http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2006/10/23/inno3d_geforce_7950_gt/1

[rlehm]

BTW, do you have a port on the back of your video card that looks about the size of an S-Video plug, but allows for more pins? If you don't have such a port, then your card might be lacking the ability to use any such cable of this type

Yes, I have a 7-pin s-video output

you can see the three available out options here: http://regmedia.co.uk/2006/09/06/nvidia_geforce_7950_gt.jpg

[rlehm]

I think I may have found something helpful:

The two DVI ports on the back are both dual-link DVI and thus capable of running at resolutions up to 2560x1600. Also, much like the GeForce 7950 GX2, the DVI ports are HDCP enabled by default on all GeForce 7950 GT implementations - that's definitely a good thing in our eyes. The port array is completed with NVIDIA's 7-pin HDTV-out mini-din connector. You can plug an S-Video connector directly into the back of the card, while component and composite outputs are accessible via a dongle.

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2006/09/14/xfx_geforce_7950_gt_570m/1


So, I think the DVI - HD cable that I bought can be used, or did I read that totally wrong?

[siastbill1]

I believe the DVI option you are referring to allows a DVI connection from your computer to a DVI capable TV. If you have a DVI jack on your tv, then a cable with DVI plugs on both ends should work. I still can't see that DVI to component cable working for you, although it might be worth giving it a try (turn off your TV quickly if the picture is mangled).

As for S-Video being better than DVI, that sounds totally backwards to me too. A DVI signal should rival component video, not be inferior to S-Video. Not sure what they are suggesting there, but it does seem wrong.

Also, that 7 pin adapter on the back of your video card sounds like the right jack to match the cable we talked about earlier. Again, no promises, but it does sound right. If you still want to do component, I think that is probably your best chance, unless of course your TV has a DVI adapter on it.

Best of Luck

[rlehm]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260060250770

I think I just found what I needed

siastbill1, thanks for taking the time to communicate. Sometimes when you get frustrated, all you need is to know someone else is trying to trouble shoot with you to keep you motivated. thanks buddy. you were more help than you know.

[siastbill1]

Yah, that dongle on ebay looks to be the same as the one that was supposed to come with the card. I think the link I to the cable I sent you earlier should also do the same thing as this cable, except it also has S-Video out (although you probably don't need it). If you're more comfortable using this cable, then you should definitely get it, as this one should do the trick for you.

thanks for taking the time to communicate

Not a problem. Hope all goes well for you.