Problems with connecting PC to TV using Soft-15KHz

[sinkhead]

I'm using a PCI Radeon 9250, and I installed Soft-15KHz. I'm using a VGA to SCART adapter to connect the PC to a television.

After seeing no change once I installed S15, having the monitor plugged into the Radeon, I presumed I needed to restart the computer. Now, the following happens when I turn on the computer.

Through onboard graphics
To LCD screen: I see the manufacturer screen, the POST and then the Windows loading bar, then a blank screen, though the backlight of the display stays on until I unplug the VGA cable.
To television: The white noise on the screen is made much darker, but slowly. Once I unplug the cable, it returns to normal instantly.

Through Radeon 9250:
To LCD screen: 'Cannot Display This Video Mode'
To television: Very fuzzy, distorted and messy image with noticeable elements of the desktop flashing by every so often.

In Safe Mode, the onboard graphics work, displaying a completely normal (albeit low-res) desktop. I try to uninstall S15, but the graphics card isn't recognized so doesn't appear on the list.

I hope someone will know how to help me 

Many thanks,
Sam

[SirPeale]

IIRC S15 makes a backup of the registry key it replaces, so restore that key.

[sinkhead]

Hm, do you know where I might find this backup? It says something similar in the FAQ:

What to do in the worst case?
Well, start up Windows (with a VGA screen) in safe-mode and either try to uninstall the project (it creates a backup on install), or uninstall the whole video driver.

The only problem is that in Safe Mode, S15 doesn't recognize the Radeon (it doesn't appear in the program) so I can't uninstall anything I've done.

Thanks

[SirPeale]

There should be a .reg file in the same directory as the soft15.exe file.  When you boot up in safe mode I /think/ you can add that info to the registry.

[SirPeale]

Also, does your TV have any adjustments on it for hold, etc?  I know on my monitor I had to make some minor adjustments to make it sync correctly. 

[sinkhead]

Thankyou so much for the help!

I restored the registry entry and now I can boot into Windows through the onboard graphics in 640x480 res in 4-bit.

Any other resolution/colour depth doesn't work, I just get a blinking cursor on the LCD screen until it resets, or the same sync problems with the TV, which has no controls I can tell of and no advanced options like that in the on-screen menus.

No resolution smaller than 640x480 seems available for me to choose, even after a reboot, which according to the S15 chart means it's still in 31KHz unless it's being interlaced. How do I tell if it's interlaced?

Another thing that is confusing me, is that even though all the S15 and Windows options say they're affecting the Radeon, I can only ever get a picture out of the on-board graphics through the port on the motherboard...

Thanks for getting me a usable display though, SirPeale.

[SailorSat]

Are you sure your VGA-to-SCART cable is wired correctly?
Also. Don't use the safe mode; Use VGA Mode.

[sinkhead]

I can't be sure the cable is wired correctly because I didn't build it, I bought it.
And I'll remember that for the future.

[Ummon]

This isn't nonsensical. If you loaded only 15khz modes, then it's booting up into 640x480i .  If you loaded the 31khz modes, also, then it's booting up into, either, 640x480 or 800x600 at 50hz. None of those your LCD will handle. Your TV won't handle the latter, but will display, albeitly roughly, the former. The ticket is to boot into the former and then switch res to, at least, 640x240. It should look just fine then. If the above is correct, anyway.

[Kevin Mullins]

Another thing that is confusing me, is that even though all the S15 and Windows options say they're affecting the Radeon, I can only ever get a picture out of the on-board graphics through the port on the motherboard...

Can you disable the onboard video in the BIOS ?

[sinkhead]

Ummon, how do you suggest I change the resolution when I can't see the display? I could set up a macro of some kind, maybe, or a batch script that will do both at the same time.

But that doesn't matter right now. I did what Kevin suggested and disabled the onboard video, and now I can't see anything at all. No output from the onboard, no output from the video card. Nothing at all, so I can't even get back into the BIOS to enable it.

Any suggestions?

[sinkhead]

I reset the CMOS and the onboard video is working again.

How do I tell computer that I want it to use the video card? I don't understand why the onboard graphics are still being used.

Edit: Ah! They aren't being used any more! I've got back to that state where the onboard graphics are used up until the Windows desktop, then it passes over to the video card. Unfortunately, neither my LCD screen nor my television can sync to this, though on the TV I can see snippets. How do you recommend changing the resolution/refresh rate etc?

[sinkhead]

Right. I set up VNC so I can now control the PC. I think I found out why nothing else is working...

I took the cable apart and it's totally weird. See attachment. Is there any reason it's like this? I do see a blurry picture and from experimenting with Paint on the fuzz I get on my TV I think it's the red only.

How would I go about making one? I know the pinouts and such, but my soldering at such a small scale isn't so good. In fact, looking at the connector, how do you even get to the pins?

Apologies for knowing so little, and thanks for all the help so far.

[SailorSat]

I think thats a "SCART-to-VGA" cable used on beamers.


*EDIT*
As for soldering a VGA plug...
Well, first you have to desolder the "outer" pins (1-5 and 11-15) and then you can desoler the "inner" pins (6-10).
Then solder the "inner" pins first, and later on the "outer" ones.

[sinkhead]

Yeah, it was SCART to VGA. I assumed the pinout would be the same...

Beamer = Projector?

Thanks

[SailorSat]

Yeah.
Sadly those cables are for Composite only. But hey! They allow you to output AUDIO on your projectory tiny speakers