Connecting to my TV to display video... (S-Video)

Ok, I have a Chaintech GeForce 4 Ti4600 GT61 Special Edition, about 6 inches of S-Video cable, and S-Video ports on both my card and my TV (Sony HD-TV, not sure on model, can look up if needed). Now, my computer is about 20' from my TV and I don't feel like moving either of them, so what's the best solution? I've been looking at cable, but it seems that it's rather expensive, and I've only been able to find 12' for $35. I'd need about 24' just to be save, I could try 20'. Anyways, not only have I not been able to find any cable longer than 12', but it is pretty expensive. Is there any alternative? My brother-in-law mentioned converting to RCA and taking that route, but would that noticeable lower the quality, and how would the net price compare? I'd be using DVD-Quality movies.

My video card: http://www.chaintech.com.tw/tw/eng/product_spec.asp?MPSNo=14&PISNo=31

So, basically looking for the most efficient way to accomplish this.

If you want some cheap s-video cables, you can try ebay.

Between S-video and composite (RCA), I believe S-video would have better colors and higher quality, but it might not be that noticable unless you have a good tv.

I suggest you to just buy s-video cable off ebay. I think you can get them for pretty cheap.

If I'd rather not use Ebay, any other place to get reasonable prices?

Also, what about audio? I'm assuming S-Video does not transmit the audio to the TV? What would I need for that if it is possible?

well, i've really bought these kinds of cables, so i have no clue where else u could get them for cheap, if u actually got something off ebay, u could be able to get a 50ft s-video with RCA audio cables for around $20 not including shipping.

A TV(except for HDTV) is terrible compared to any modern computer monitor(TVs can only do 30FPS @ less than 640x480(to compare, a whimpy GF4MX 420 gets 68FPS @ 1024x768)).
I can't really stand an analog TV anymore, so I have digital TV on my PC.

i think radio shack has cheap s-video cables. i think i got a 20 foot for $15

and your tv will flicker like nothin else

Yeah I have a nice new Sony HDTV, and a much nicer seating/sound arrangement than I have for my PC so I'd rather watch my movies that I have on my HD on my TV.

I'll be sure to check out Radioshack, thanks for the tip.

LilBuddy said:

i think radio shack has cheap s-video cables. i think i got a 20 foot for $15

and your tv will flicker like nothin else

Click to expand...

I'm not sure what he means, but I don't have any flickering problem when I watch movies from my computer on my TV. Flickering sounds like a settings problem to me.

Either that or poor hardware, like if I used my old TV for this sort of thing I'd expect crappy performance.

man, even on an HDTV the tv out on cards looks like total crap. Its nothing like actually using a dvd player with the tv

Don't let RCA scare you.

Let me tell my story:

I have a PNY Ti4200 with dvi, s-vid, and rca out. I originally had my tv and vcr within easy cable distance of my box, but that didn't matter because I could NOT get the rca-out to work. I later dumped the 19" tv and scored a 25" tv for $100, and given how big it was (and how uncomfortable it was watching tv from the bed to the table) I moved the tv/vcr/ps2 to my dresser, at the foot of my bed.

I'm not sure of the 'as the rat walks' distance between the back of the computer and the inputs on the vcr, but it's probably about 16' or so.

Plus, I could never get my tv-out to work in the first place, and I suspected it was b/c the card couldn't read the 'Hey I'm a TV' signal it needed to turn on the video.

I went to walmart and spent roughly $40 on a Phillips 4input 1 output A/V switch, and hooked that up to the Ti4200 via 6' s-video. Worked! I then ran rca cables (l/r audio, video) from the switch to the tv. Worked!

Quality, when watching a dvd or high quality avi or mpg via the machine, is GREAT on the tv. Admittedly, the desktop looks like crap, but once the movie starts there are no problems at all.

Was this cheap? No, not really. Figure a maximum of around $60 when you're done. Will this virtually guarantee that I'll never have problems getting TV out to work on any card, so long as I live (or tv formats are changed) ? Yes. Money well spent, in my opinion.

"Yeah I have a nice new Sony HDTV, and a much nicer seating/sound arrangement than I have for my PC so I'd rather watch my movies that I have on my HD on my TV."
Don't use the S-Video link, use a VGA to Component cable(the type with several BNC connectors on one end and a normal VGA connector on the other end).

I didn't see that part about a sony HDTV.

A HDTV should have a lot of different inputs (I mean, software inputs that you can switch between via the remote) and a lot of hardware inputs - DVI, S-Vid, and RCA. If it's got DVI, get a DVI cable and use the DVI out on your card (assuming you have it.)

Desktop is actually quite useable on an HDTV at reasonable resolutions, like 1024x768.

Yep it has all sorts of crap on the back, which from a quick look includes DVI. And of course my video card has DVI, and also a DVI -> VGA converter, which is free since my monitor uses VGA.

So DVI/VGA gives better performance than RCA/S-Video right?

Also it appears that my video card is DVI-I, and my TV has DVI-D. So do I need a converter to convert one of them or are there cables that go from DVI-I to DVI-D?

"DVI-I contains both the digital and analog connections, (DVI-D + DVI-A) , it's essentially a combination of DVI-D and DVI-A cables within one cable."

"DVI-D (like DFP or P&D-D (EVC)) is a digital only connection. If both devices being connected support a Digital DVI connection (DVI-I or DVI-D compatible) and are compatible in resolutions, refresh rates and sync, using a DVI-D cable will ensure that you are using a digital connection rather than an analog connection, without playing around with settings to assure this."

So nevermind needing converter or different types of cable, I guess just a DVI-D cable would work?

Yup. And you will, in effect, have a HUGE second monitor. Crisp and sweet.

Sweet Not TOO expensive either, although it is still rather pricey.