[Scant7]

Hello, I am trying to connect my computer to my TV so I can watch DVDs on it because my DVD player broke. So I found a s-video cable lying around and plugged one end into my tv and the other into my video card. I then played a movie and the quality was nice, but everything is only displayed in black and white. I played around with the CCC settings and nothing. I was wondering if anyone knows how to fix this problem or the correct cable I need. Thanks.

[Douken]

Something like that happened to me only that is was kind of color+grayish and all grainy. Just didn't use it so sorry can't help ya

[Dermen]

Select 32 bit color for the TV in CCC. I have never had it be B&W but I remember it being on 256 colors the first time I connected my TV.

I don't remember exactly where the option was in CCC, I didn't use it very long before I switched to Omega drivers. Somewhere it should show a pic of each monitor and you can select the TV and then change the res and color.

If thats not the problem then I have no idea.

[Scant7]

Thanks guys, but I've tried all those things and it's still black and white. Well I guess I'll watch Pi or Eraserhead today until I get this figured out. After that I think I'll be out of good black and white movies. I googled my problem and came up with threads of people talking about something called SCART. Is this what I need?

[Scant7]

Awesome! Ok so I unplugged the s-video from the computer and tv and looked at the end that was plugged into the TV and 2 pins were bent. I bent them back but they are extremely jiggly now. However, when I reconnected the cable to my computer and tv and played a movie, it played in color! So I'm guessing it was just because the pins were bent out of shape. So now I have a few questions...

I noticed the s-video out on my video card is a 7 pin and the cable I have plugged into it is just 4 pin on each end. If I got a 7 pin to 4 pin s-video cable would the quality be any better or is this as good as it pretty much gets?

Also... whats with all the 7 pin s video to 4 pin s video to composite adapters to RCA on and on and on? If I got my problem fixed and I can play video on the TV with just one 4 pin svideo cable, do I need any of this other stuff?

[smokie mcpott]

doesnt the x800xl have VIVO?

[Scant7]

not mine

[striker85]

I had that problem when I tried using a nvidia s-video adapter with an ATI card. Then I realized the cables were different, like yours are. My suggestion is to find an adapter or a new cable.

[Maraxus]

try using a new cable, like striker suggested. that's most likely your culprit

[Veland]

The 7 pin connector is just to save space, so they have one connector instead of one s-video and one composit. The extra pins are for the composit output.

So a good s-video cable gives better quality then going through the standard cable with both s-video and composit plugs on it.

[Maraxus]

i used to hookup my pc to an old crappy tv with an rf modulator, now that was some horrible image quality

[Scant7]

This is sort of weird... sometimes when I play DVD's in my computer in WINDVD and watch them on the TV the images will sort of break apart into horizontal lines, but only if there is a lot of movement. This won't happen if it's say a close up of someone talking. I don't really know a better way to explain in. Its like the images aren't always perfect and whole. Imagine watching a chase sequence and say you can see like 3 horizontal lines going up the screen, but not black lines or anything... I can only see the lines because the images separate for a second and its like they get moved over. It's almost as if the top of the screen cant keep up with the buttom so the images are kind of crooked. But this only happens with DVD movies. Xvid or divx movies play perfect. Does anyone know what I'm talking about?

Also, is there anything I can get to improve the picture like new drivers, a newer video card, VIVO?... Or is this pretty much the best quality attainable?