Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Entwood on 29 November 2008, 21:44:17

Title: Computer/TV questions for you experts ...
Post by: Entwood on 29 November 2008, 21:44:17
My TV has "extra" inputs for either

a) 3 mini-jack plugs labelled Video, Audio (L), Audio (R)

or

b) S-Video  (looks a bit like a keyboard socket !!)

My Laptop has a 15 pin "D" socket and can be switched to operate an external monitor.

Questions :

1) Is there any way the laptop output can be connected to the TV sockets  or are the signals totally incompatible ??

2) TV also has a spare SCART socket on the back ... can this be used for computer input ??

Any ideas gratefully accepted  :)
Title: Re: Computer/TV questions for you experts ...
Post by: Mr Skrunts on 29 November 2008, 21:54:11
Normally a lappy has a yellow phono socket for video output, if so, use that and the on board speakers or take a 3.5 mm jack split to staro (2 x phono) and plug the jack into the headphone socket on the lappy.

Then plug the yellow phono from lappy to TV (requires 75ohm cable I believe) the the red and white phono pick up the sound off the head  :yphones lead
Title: Re: Computer/TV questions for you experts ...
Post by: Entwood on 29 November 2008, 22:19:45
No phono sockets on the lappy (its quite old) just the 15-pin D connector  :(

Edit .. further research (looking harder  !!) has just shown I have a 4-pin S-Video Output on the lappy (I thought it was another mouse/keyboard socket !!) and a 4 pin S-Video + 3 RCA on the TV

Does this mean I can connect the 2 S-Video together to run the lapy into the TV ?
Title: Re: Computer/TV questions for you experts ...
Post by: Taxi_Driver on 29 November 2008, 22:24:16
Unless your lappy has as Skruntie suggests.....then in a word....no
Well.....not easily anyway.

Easiest way would be to use the scart connector.....connected to 15 pin socket of your lappy....BUT there has to be a converter......ie diy manufacture.....or about 80squid to buy last time i looked quite a while ago.

Your tv wants a composite video input......your lappy 15 pin socket gives out VGA....

Try searching the interwebby for VGA to SCART convertors, if your handy with a soldering iron......im sure your'll find how to make a convertor  :y

Title: Re: Computer/TV questions for you experts ...
Post by: Kevin Wood on 29 November 2008, 22:24:48
The 15 pin "D" is basically an RGB output, although some video adaptors can output S video through these, and you need an adaptor to turn it back into a "mini-din" "keyboard plug".

RGB can be fed into a SCART socket (often only one of them if the TV has more than one) but you will need a circuit to combine the sync signals into a composite sync signal instead of separate H and V signals. Secondly, you need to make sure the laptop can output a scan rate that the TC will support. Most monitors scan much faster and accept a wider range of scan rates than a TV.

In short.... Not without a fair bit of messing about.

Kevin
Title: Re: Computer/TV questions for you experts ...
Post by: Entwood on 29 November 2008, 22:28:39
As I was posting I found some more info which I edited into an earlier commant .. for simplicity I'll repeat it now ..

.....  further research (looking harder  !!) has just shown I have a 4-pin S-Video Output on the lappy (I thought it was another mouse/keyboard socket !!) and a 4 pin S-Video + 3 RCA on the TV

Does this mean I can connect the 2 S-Video together to run the lappy into the TV ?
Title: Re: Computer/TV questions for you experts ...
Post by: Kevin Wood on 29 November 2008, 22:33:31
Quote
Does this mean I can connect the 2 S-Video together to run the lappy into the TV ?

Should do. Might need to play around with the video settings to get it working.

Kevin
Title: Re: Computer/TV questions for you experts ...
Post by: nabsim on 29 November 2008, 22:35:51
If your lappy has USB you can get various usb to different video convertors. We use a USB to DVI convertor to give a second screen on mini itx boards.

Have a look at this, think this will have the connectors you want

opps, forgot the link
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Composite-S-Video-to-VGA-Converter/dp/B001ISZ9FY/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1227998016&sr=8-5
Title: Re: Computer/TV questions for you experts ...
Post by: MickAP on 29 November 2008, 22:36:46
I have connected my laptop to TV via the s-video connections.
You need to enable the laptop diplay settings to show on an external monitor I think.
Picture quality not great on my TV as it is the old style screen, not LCD or plasma.

Mick
Title: Re: Computer/TV questions for you experts ...
Post by: Entwood on 29 November 2008, 22:50:22
Thanks for the inputs ...  really cleared things up ..  :y :y :y

So ..

if I connect the lappy S-video to the TV S-Video using one of these ...  http://www.ebuyer.com/product/137233

and the lappy sound to the TV phono using one of these .. http://www.ebuyer.com/product/124532

It has a fair to middling chance of working once I learn how to set it up ???

Thanks from "Home Entertainment for Dummies"  :)
Title: Re: Computer/TV questions for you experts ...
Post by: Mr Skrunts on 29 November 2008, 22:58:04
Quote
Thanks for the inputs ...  really cleared things up ..  :y :y :y

So ..

if I connect the lappy S-video to the TV S-Video using one of these ...  http://www.ebuyer.com/product/137233

and the lappy sound to the TV phono using one of these .. http://www.ebuyer.com/product/124532

It has a fair to middling chance of working once I learn how to set it up ???

Thanks from "Home Entertainment for Dummies"  :)

They should do the OK :y :y
Title: Re: Computer/TV questions for you experts ...
Post by: Entwood on 29 November 2008, 23:01:57
Magic .. for the sake of less than £10 ... ordered .. :)

This BTW, is so SWTSMBO can watch downloaded DivX stuff on the TV not the computer, as its uncomfortable and too small .. :(

I can't be bothered to keep converting DivX to DVD just so she can watch Prison Break before it hits UK TV .. !!!
Title: Re: Computer/TV questions for you experts ...
Post by: Martin_1962 on 30 November 2008, 21:31:01
Quote
Magic .. for the sake of less than £10 ... ordered .. :)

This BTW, is so SWTSMBO can watch downloaded DivX stuff on the TV not the computer, as its uncomfortable and too small .. :(

I can't be bothered to keep converting DivX to DVD just so she can watch Prison Break before it hits UK TV .. !!!

I use Tversity media server to copy to the PS3 then watch on that
Title: Re: Computer/TV questions for you experts ...
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 30 November 2008, 21:40:59
Quote
The 15 pin "D" is basically an RGB output, although some video adaptors can output S video through these, and you need an adaptor to turn it back into a "mini-din" "keyboard plug".

RGB can be fed into a SCART socket (often only one of them if the TV has more than one) but you will need a circuit to combine the sync signals into a composite sync signal instead of separate H and V signals. Secondly, you need to make sure the laptop can output a scan rate that the TC will support. Most monitors scan much faster and accept a wider range of scan rates than a TV.

In short.... Not without a fair bit of messing about.

Kevin

Cough resistor network cough............and it works although its  bit dependent on the PLL cicruits in the TV.

To be totaly correct a handful of XOR gates and a transistor or two (transistors only required for analogue sync and not TTL)
Title: Re: Computer/TV questions for you experts ...
Post by: Entwood on 30 November 2008, 23:19:15
Quote
Quote
Magic .. for the sake of less than £10 ... ordered .. :)

This BTW, is so SWTSMBO can watch downloaded DivX stuff on the TV not the computer, as its uncomfortable and too small .. :(

I can't be bothered to keep converting DivX to DVD just so she can watch Prison Break before it hits UK TV .. !!!

I use Tversity media server to copy to the PS3 then watch on that


Whats a PS3  ? ...  :)


Quote
Quote
The 15 pin "D" is basically an RGB output, although some video adaptors can output S video through these, and you need an adaptor to turn it back into a "mini-din" "keyboard plug".

RGB can be fed into a SCART socket (often only one of them if the TV has more than one) but you will need a circuit to combine the sync signals into a composite sync signal instead of separate H and V signals. Secondly, you need to make sure the laptop can output a scan rate that the TC will support. Most monitors scan much faster and accept a wider range of scan rates than a TV.

In short.... Not without a fair bit of messing about.

Kevin

Cough resistor network cough............and it works although its  bit dependent on the PLL cicruits in the TV.

To be totaly correct a handful of XOR gates and a transistor or two (transistors only required for analogue sync and not TTL)

Speak english PLEASE .....    :)

Once apon a time I couldn't even spell inginear .. and now I is one ...  :)
Title: Re: Computer/TV questions for you experts ...
Post by: Ken T on 30 November 2008, 23:38:12
Quote
Quote
The 15 pin "D" is basically an RGB output, although some video adaptors can output S video through these, and you need an adaptor to turn it back into a "mini-din" "keyboard plug".

RGB can be fed into a SCART socket (often only one of them if the TV has more than one) but you will need a circuit to combine the sync signals into a composite sync signal instead of separate H and V signals. Secondly, you need to make sure the laptop can output a scan rate that the TC will support. Most monitors scan much faster and accept a wider range of scan rates than a TV.

In short.... Not without a fair bit of messing about.

Kevin

Cough resistor network cough............and it works although its  bit dependent on the PLL cicruits in the TV.

To be totaly correct a handful of XOR gates and a transistor or two (transistors only required for analogue sync and not TTL)

You can combine them just using diodes and a couple of resistors. A diode "OR" gate and a pull up resistor. You get the pull up voltage by "rectifying" the hor and ver sync lines into a cap.

Ken