How Do I connect this PC's video card with this TV using these cables?

[jimbomame10]

Not sure about what I'm doing wrong but here's the setup.  I have a 27" Toshiba with RCA input.  I have a PC with an ATI Radeon 9200 video card that has a VGA port and an s-video port.  I have the following cables: VGA - VGA, VGA - s-video, VGA - composite, RCA - RCA, and s-video - RCA.  I have tried hooking the PC up with the TV using each of the different cables.  The only connection I've ever gotten was when I connected the VGA end of the VGA - composite cable from the computer, and connected the RCA-RCA cable into the other end of the VGA-composite cable and connected the other end of that RCA-RCA cable into the RCA inputs on the TV.  What I got was a flickering black and white extremely fuzzy picture with nothing visible.   I have no idea what I am doing wrong or what I need, etc.  I can't change the resolution bec. I can't see anything.  Someone also told me that the cables I have are useless and that I need the cables that "came with" the video card.  Please help.  Here's a link to all of the above described items:  http://s372.photobucket.com/albums/oo165/curiousjim10/PCTV/

[Kevin Mullins]

Probably the quickest way to get something on the tv is to use the S-Video / Composite (RCA) cable and turn the TVOUT option on in the video card settings somewhere.

No matter what you use you can NOT run a VGA signal directly into the TV. (i.e. wrong resolution) Which is what it sounds like you have been trying to do. (just plugging the VGA into the Composite on the TV)

[jimbomame10]

After reading on some of the other posts I can across mention of a vga box or scan converter.  Would this work for me?  Could I just plug the PC into the VGA box and then plug the composite cables from the vga box to the TV and get the correct resolution?  If so, are all vga boxes pretty much the same?  Would something like this work: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250465764499&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

[SailorSat]

Those "converter boxes" are horrible.
You'll most likely get the same horrible results as with the cards builtin tv-out.

Just get a S-Video to Composite cable (or plug) like this one -> http://cgi.ebay.com/ATI-8-pin-S-Video-to-RCA-Composite-Component-Adapter_W0QQitemZ270416911636QQcmdZViewItemQQptZPCA_Cables_Adapters?hash=item3ef61a9d14&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

However first check how many pins you tv-out port has, as there are several versions.

[jimbomame10]

Thanks but I already tried that.  I bought a cable on ebay that had a s-video connection on one end and RCA cables on the other.  When I connected them I got absolutely no signal from the pc to the TV.  I tried playings around with my settings on the pc but got nothing.  I installed the catalyst software 6.1 from ATI's website and played around but there was nothing that allowed me to change any outputs or settings regarding the s-video port.  So, I'm not sure if there is a way to change a settings and use that port or not but from what I've tried so far I've gotten nothing.  The reason I figured I would try the VGA converter is because when I have plugged the VGA cable from the PC to the TV, I at least get some signal on the TV (albeit unreadable and black and white), it is sending a signal to the TV.  I just bought a VGA box on ebay for $20 so I'll try it out and let you know how it works.  Any other suggestions in the meantime?

[Kevin Mullins]

Well, my first question then is :
Does ATI Catalyst even recognize that there is a TV connected?
I'm not familiar with that particular version of software, but I know older ATI software would not have an TV out option to turn on if it doesn't even "see" a tv connected.

Read through here and see if sparks an idea.
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Proper-TV-OUT-settings-for-ATI-Videocards-43623.shtml

[sham69]

Hi,
Not sure if this is similar to your situation so apologies if its not.
I got a philips 21" tv and bought a sapphire radeon 9250.
I got a vga to scart cable (as suggested by sailorsat, I think the website was german, wolfsat or something, thanks again) and used soft 15khz.
Works a treat, have been having a few resolution issues lately but I think thats my own fault.
I tried the cables from ebay and none of them worked.
Hope this helps.
Sham.

[jimbomame10]

I tried hooking the PC up to the TV via the s-video/RCA cable I have and messing around with the settings on catalyst but still nothing.  I uploaded another screen shot here:   http://s372.photobucket.com/albums/oo165/curiousjim10/PCTV/ .  It includes one of the screen on my pc monitor telling me that it does recognize the TV hooked up to it via s-video, but no matter what resolution or refresh rate I change it to, no picture comes up on the tv when I enable it to clone the desktop to the tv.  I guess I'll have to wait until my vga converter box comes in the mail to try that out.  In the mean time, if anyone has any suggestions please let me know.  Also, I played around with the settings but couldn't find anywhere anything about switching the video card to s-video out.  Does anyone know where that settings would be?  It's no where in the control panel display advanced settings and I have been unable to find it anywhere in the catalyst software.

[jimbomame10]

OK, I finally got the VGA converter box in the mail and hooked it up.  WORKED PERFECT!  So, that did the trick.  Screen is a little fuzzy but I up'd the resolution on the TV and the converter box and it's pretty good.  The file names are a little difficult to read but not too bad.  Now my next problem is figuring out why my CPU is running mame so slow!  But that's for another post1  Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions1