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The link to my TV has gone


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#1
Jonesey

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Hi there.

Hope someone can spare the time to advise me on a possible course of action.

I've regularly run a lead from the s-vhs output on my NVidia graphics card to the AV-4 input on my TV, and up until recently, the tv has been showing exactly the same thing as my monitor.

Then, any video that was playing in, for example, Media Player wouldn't be visible on the TV - and yet the media player frame and all the usual Windows stuff was still visible. Just no the video.

Then it got even worse - no Windows frames, desktop or anything - just the boot up stuff was being displayed - up until the point where Windows loaded, then nothing.

Now, I don't get anything at all, either during bootup or afterwards.

To my mind, it can only be one of the following:

1 - damaged cable. The cable is run round the back of the tv with cable clips, through a hole in the wall into the next room. It's under little or no stress so I can't see why it should fail in such a progressive way. But it's probably the cheapest thing to replace.

2 - the S-VHS port on the graphics card. The normal port to the pc monitor works ok - but no doubt there's different circuitry involved on the S-Vhs side. The pc has been switched on when the cable has been removed from the tv end - could this have damaged the port?

3 - the port into the tv could be damaged. Don't know anything about tv ports. The Tv is a 32" widescreen Sony but this port does work with myson's PS2.

If anyone's got any idea what I can do to get this back again I'd be really grateful.

Oh - I also run a little utility called TV tool - this gives you the ability to set different operating modes but it's currently set to "TV & monitor display the same output simultaneously" or something like that!

Many thanks,

Colin
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#2
Bobbydoo8

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It'd be easier if you told us which graphics card you currently have, but because you didn't I'll try to help ya as much as possible. I do this on occasion to watch videos from my computer onto my tv so I should be able to walk you through the process.

If you installed your graphics card properly there should be a little nvidia logo in the bottom right of your system tray, by the clock...(nwiz.exe).....Make sure you have the s-video cord plugged into the graphics card.

Because nvidia and there infinite wisdom decided to make a new "easier" interface you may need to reengage the classical interface because I think it works much better. **If your using a rather old nvidia driver the classic view should be the only one** Because I'm not currently on my home comp I cannot remember the exact buttons to click to enable this classic view, but if ya search around you'll find it.

Ok now that your in classic view, or you already were, rightclick the nvidia logo and go to nview display>clone display>TV and Digital......TV and Digital will appear differently depending on ur setup.

The pc has been switched on when the cable has been removed from the tv end - could this have damaged the port?


No, this wouldn't have damaged the port.

I would check the cable pins just to make sure they're all still there and then reinsert them back into the ports. I have accidentally broken an svideo cord before which caused my comp to tv connection to fail.

Sorry, I know I might have confused ya some with my answer, but it should be a lot of useful knowledge to get ya going. :whistling:
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#3
Jonesey

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Thanks for that mate & thanks also for the quick response.

I will do as you say and get back to you as soon as I can. I'm working nights at the moment so l will try and get back sometime tomorrow.

Oh, the graphics card is an NVidia GeForce4 MX 440

Thanks again,

Colin

Edited by Jonesey, 14 December 2006 - 12:53 PM.

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#4
Jonesey

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Ok, I'm resurrecting this old query - it was never resolved in the first place, but some slight progress has been made.

I've rebooted the pc with cable attached both ends.

I can see the pc going through the bootup routine and in fact can get to my desktop with it visible on both the pc and the tv

BUT, when I perform any action from the pc - opening programs, running Media Player, nothing happens on the tv - all I get is my desktop with no taskbar, cursor, start button or anything.

Right-clicking Display Properties and navigating to the Settings page shows the following:

Display:
1. Plug and Play Monitor on NVIDIA GeForce4 MX440
2. Default Monitor on NVIDIA GeForce4 MX440

Clicking the icon for monitor 2 gives me the options:

Use this device as the primary monitor (unchecked)
Extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor (checked)


All I really want to be able to do is view videos from Media Player on the tv as well as the pc.

So, any ideas on how I can achieve this?

Many thanks for your help so far!!!!!!
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#5
Jonesey

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Update:

The TV displays my wallpaper and nothing else.

The wallpaper has been shrunk to approx 80% of what I see on my monitor, but the resolution is at it's maximum setting of 1024 x 768

The monitor is at 1680 x 1050

The TV is a 32" widesecreen Sony, the monitor is an Acer 22" W/s.

Edited by Jonesey, 19 September 2008 - 08:34 AM.

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#6
Jonesey

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Update:

Today I've installed my brand new HD 42" TV.

Connecting my pc via it's S_VHS output to the corresponding TV input, powring up the TV and only then rebooting the pc gives me exactly the same scenario as before.


On the TV screen you can:

Watch the pc boot up
Get to a desktop

There are no on screen icons visible
No programs/menus visible on TV screen when clicked on pc
Wallpaper is shrunk to approx 3/4 resolution of the pc monitor
The maximum resolution selectable for the TV within Windows is 1024 x 768.

Does anyone have any idea what I can try next?

The TV does have a USB port as well as bluetooth connectivity, if these can be pressed into service.
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#7
Jonesey

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Ok, all solved & now works perfectly.

There was a button in the Nvidia software labelled "Scan for Devices"

Ran this and it worked!!
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