HTPC displayed on TV question (1 Viewer)

[jeff.m]

ok guys, i have this TV and i want to hook up a PC to it. It's got an s-video in, and my video card has an s-video out so that's what i used to hook it up. but it's really blurry on the TV. is this just because the TV isn't HD? if i were to get a video card that had a different type of output would it work better? also, when i hook up the computer it doesn't take up the full tv screen. i've tried changing the resolution and all that, but nothing seems to help. anyone have any suggestions? thanks.

 

[Anthony Moore]

you need to set your resolution to 800x600 in order to see the whole screen. and its just gonna be blurry because your tv's resolution isnt as good as the monitor's. just have to deal with it. But when you watch dvd's and tv shows etc it will look fine.

your video card should have a setup for this also..if you goto DISPLAY PROPERTIES, then SETTINGS, then ADVANCED, alot of times the setup is there.

I have an Nvidia card with s-video out and it works well...good luck

 

[Ian-Fl]

I sometimes switch from my projector downstairs to the TV upstairs using the s-video from my card. I have a 9600pro and I have to turn the resolution to it's lowest to get a picture.
I get the same results I can't read the desktop screen but DVD's are OK to watch, with a bit of red push.
It's not the card but the resolution of the TV that causes a blurry picture.

 

[Sami Kallio]

It's the S-video connection. Get a signal from your videocards VGA or DVI output to go into your TV's component input and the picture should be MUCH better. Of course you will not get the same PQ as with your much higher resolution monitor but the change from S-video to component is huge.

 

[Ian-Fl]

You could get the component dongle from ATI if you have a Radeon card.
http://shop.ati.com/product.asp?sku=2537967.
I believe there's a Nvidia counterpart.

 

[jeff.m]

what about a difference between s-video and component? the card that i'm using on that machine doesn't currently have dvi. my gaming machine has dvi, though, so if it's a really big difference i could get a newer one for my gaming machine and switch the other to the htpc. any excuse to buy a better video card thanks for the reply's so far guys.

 

[Ian-Fl]

Do you have a progressive scan DVD player?
Maybe borrow one if you don't and see if the picture improves through the component input or S-video of the same player.
Then you'll know if the investment is worth it.

 

[Ian-Fl]

There's also a transcoder.
http://htpcnews.com/main.php?id=transcoder_1

 

[jeff.m]

here's where i sound like a total retard. yes, i do have a progressive scan DVD player, and the TV does have component inputs. BUT, it's my understanding that the DVD player comes from the factory with progressive scan off and that i must enable it. would there be any reason my TV wouldn't be able to handle the signal of a DVD player with progressive scan on while hooked up through a component cable? i'm afraid that if i enable the progressive scan my TV won't display it properly and i'll have to go to my friend's house that's got an HDTV to change the setting back to regular scan instead of progressive scan. total newb question, i know. i apologize ahead of time. :b

 

[Ian-Fl]

You'll have to read the manuel.
My Progressive scan is enabled by pressing and holding a button down on the remote.
It's a JVC player and there's a big difference between it on and off.
There's also a switch in the back that can be set to auto, 480p or 480i (progresssive or interlaced.)
I believe the s-video only works with a interlaced signal.
You also have to have component inputs for the progressive scan feature to work.

 

[Sami Kallio]

The difference between video card S-video and DVD player S-video outputs is huge in my experience. All of the cards I have hooked up with S-video to my front projector have looked very blurry where with the component they have looked good (the current ATI looks better than my Denon DVD player). S-video from DVD player has looked decent.

Never use S-video from HTPC to display.

 

[jeff.m]

do you guys think there will be a big difference between using vga and using dvi? the tv is not HD.

 

[Ian-Fl]

Not in your case.
Beware that the DVI connection is copy protected.
People have bypassed it by downloading ANYDVD. I don't know how it would effect your setup.
VGA is analogue and therefore no copy protection.

 

[Kimmo Jaskari]

All the suggestions about DVI, component video etc are excellent for someone who has a HDTV... which is not the case here. Pay attention, guys.

S-Video output from video cards is always blurry probably because there are lots of digital-to-analog-to-digital etc conversions going on on the way. Also, TV-outs on computers seem to me to be really bad; cheap afterthoughts in manufacturing, maybe? "Well what the heck, let's slap a video out on this thing too, won't cost but a few cents in manufacturing costs!" but maybe that's just me...