HD Output Using your S-Video

I thumbed through my manual when I got my 1520 to see if there were any cool features outside what was obvious and there was! The S-Video port offers component (instead of composite) output and digital audio out.

So I realize there's a ton of info on this site and I did a quick search and didn't see this mentioned.

The part has to be ordered by calling the Dell sales line and then you have to pay full retail, blah blah blah...

http://www.pacificgeek.com/product.asp?id=30273&C=199&S=951

So who needs HDMI? Well, it would be nice not to have to carry 4 huge cables and an adapter, but this is the next best thing, right?

I'm pretty sure this applies to most of the newer Inspiron notebooks but I'm not sure about anything else.

 

I can warrant the SPDIF part works great. However, not sure why pacificgeek.com is labeling this as HDTV.. Note it's labeled composite (not component) Composite is actually below S-video in the video quality food chain....

HDMI is all digital and several times better in video quality.

 

One can dream can't he?

 

At any rate - how true is the s-video? Can one benchmark it?

My desktop graphics card has a simlar output and it calls itself an HD video card. It just uses the smaller interface to connect more cables to.

I guess the best method is to try and hook it up to an HDTV and look at your results.

 

To say that digital is worlds better in video quality is saying an orange is a better color than an apple. 1.) To cause distortion on a digital signal, a bit needs to be altered from 0 ---> 1 or vice versa, in order for this to happen the bit has to be impacted quite hard by some sort of interference. In order for an analog signal to be distorted, the voltage needs to be altered which can be done quite easier. I believe this is the only benefit of digital over analog. With the shielding used on cables now, this doesn't happen too often. 2.) Analog signal in reality can be better than digital. With digital copyrights chips, theres a point where the chip intercepts the signal and alters it. It's believed that this copyright chip introduces another form of digital to analog to digital conversion which may actually degrade the signal. Im not 100% sure on how this works, but you can google it. Also, you can avoid copyright issues such as macrovision and upscale a dvd video to fit your TV resolution without having to buy a upscaling dvd player. This can be done with a program called slysoft. 3.) Analog cables can be run 3x further than digital cables. This is useful if you plan to use a front projection home theater.

As of right now, I use a component dongle connected to my HDTV through my ATI all in wonder card. I use slysoft to remove macrovision. This allows me to upscale all my dvds to 720p.

Beside the possiblity of interference being a fraction of a percentage less with digital cable, there is this idea that running a solid digital signal from source to a digital panel (lcd tv) uses no digital to analog conversions. introducing no noise or distortion. While this is not always true, these are the only realistic benefits of using digital connections.

Personally I like my spdif split out from the video signal so I can connect it to a dolby digital decoding receiver.

 

It's not really a analog vs digital debate. S-video quality is inferior to HDMI... not just because it's digital but because its a better newer format.

 

The TV out port can be converted to a component output with a dongle cable, nevertheless, I think you are still getting only 480 (not sure it is i or p) output. It is definitely not HD.
There is another dongle cable with S-video, composite, and digital sound. I have the latter dongle cable that came with my old Inspiron 8200 which also works in my Vostro 1400.

 

If that adapter is as pictured and described (Y, Pb, and Pr outputs), and works with your notebook then you should be able to get HD as it is component video. If your notebook really supports it, it's not doing any converting. There's extra pins in this s-video port which send out the appropriate signals.

From wikipedia, YPbPr is the analog signal used for component video.

 

I think for $15 its worth a try...

 

Again, it is component at low resolution, not HD. Same thing in Wii.

 

1- I haven't read anywhere that the S-Video signal is the one converted to component.

2- Wikipedia(sorry, I don't have a better source) states that some 7 pin quasi-DIN S-Video carry component video signal - meaning that the S-Video signal is not converted to component as your post seems to imply claim.

3- One of the reviews on the S-Video to TV-Component adapter clearly states that he was able to get 1080p out of the laptop. Review here: http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&sku=310-8272
(click on costumer ratings)

4- The wii only outputs to Composite, and S-Video, so I don't see where the comparison came from.

I can conclude that one can in fact output 1080p out of a newer Inspiron

 

component at low resolution should still give 480p. I believe the dongle out will set up a multi monitor, which you can set at any given resolution. 1280x720 for 720p (which is my fav) or 1920x1080. You should be able to send 1080p. Not sure if components are 1080p compatable.

 

If true.. this is a great find...

 

Awesome...

 

Guy here http://reviews-cdn.dell.com/2341/310-8272/reviews.htm (see entry at teh bottom) claims he got 1080i on his XPS M1210.

 

Here it is at the US site: http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/...x?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=310-8272#Overview

 

So If I get the kit does it work with the Red, Yellow, and White connection on older television set? or does it only work on newer Hi-Def TV, also if you look closely the kit only included Display cable, does this mean we have to purchase a separate cable for the audio as well?

 

I just ordered one for my inspiron 1520 so i will post how it works when I receive it in. I have a 1080i tv i could test it on.

 

Yes, this adapter is for a different kind of signal.
However, there is another adapter that does go to the 'old' style TV:
http://www.amazon.com/S-VIDEO-7-PIN-TV-OUT-Laptop-Cable/dp/B000S677D4
Don't know how good it works, I've seem some posts here on NBR of people not beign able to output to the TV using adapters like this one, but a few others did have success. As for the audio part, you can use a 1/8 to RCA cable like: http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...kw=1/8+to+rca&kw=1/8+to+rca&parentPage=search
So you can use the headphone jack on the laptop to output sound.

Please do post results!!
I do some HD editing on this machine, but I'm limited to WSXGA before I get black bars, so if the output quality is good enough I might just get an HDTV for Xmas

 

The pin layout in the svideo connector has more pins than the typical 4-pin svideo to begin with, so I am relucatant to believe that we can't get some form of hi-def signal (even if it isn't the greatest).

Those of you who are ordering - are you ordering from Dell's site or PG? The one on dell is cheaper.

 

It is TV-out port, not S-video port, although the 4pin S-video cable can plug in. It is not converting S-video into component.

That probably depends on the video card. Most video card don't give HD TV-out signal. In addition, it may be upconvert by the TV to HD, not the native output resolution.

It seems you don't have a Wii, or you are too lazy to search. There is component output cable for Wii that gives only 480p. The original cable only gives composite. Both S-video cable and component cable are aftermarket accessories.

 

Woah... careful with those poly-negatives, Eugene! Sounds like good news, nonetheless.

 

Heres a picture of it. Its labled as composite(on the image, and on dells site) but i'm 99% sure thats a typo.

And yes, its a TRUE component output... The extra pins in the S-video port carry the component signal, so you should ATLEAST be able to get 1080i out of it(possibly 1080p if you have a TV that can accept 1080p over component. few can though)

The limiting factor for this over HDMI is the lack of HDCP. Its analog and thus, cant carry HDCP. Not a big issue UNLESS you have a blu-ray drive in the thing. Most Blu-ray movies req. HDCP.

 

I am sure that Component can output both 720p and 1080i but not sure about the 1080p though.... Composite cant output anything more than 480p..... So Component can output atleast 3 of the 4 HD resolutions.....

I actually wanted a S-Video to Composite cable but instead I got a Component cable.... And unfortunately my TV does not support Component IN and only Composite IN

 

While HDCP is indeed included in the specs for Blu-Ray and HD DVD, until/unless the ICT Flag is enabled, we should be able to get HD resolution output from PC's playing Blu-Ray's, over Component connections (e.g. VGA). I say "should" because my new Dell with Blu-Ray is still under the X-mas tree and I have yet to test it out.

 

Component can output 1080p.

We need someone here with a 1080p tv to get one and try it.

 

I don't think current driver supports 1080p. I've tried unofficial drivers but they have all sorts of problems with Component video out. Though I didn't try them all...

 

Anyone able to figure this out? If not I can buy the line and try it on my grandparent's HDTV, yeah yeah we are getting our own Hi-Def TV soon. =P

 

Whats it going to hurt if it doesn't get the best of the best resolution anyway? Its the only TV out on the laptop. Anything over than standard svideo or composite has to be better, right?

Its only $15.

 

I bought the adapter and I have a 1080i tv . Its due to come in the next couple of days. I only have a 1080i tv and my notebook doesnt have the blueray drive (way to expensive) .When i receive the adapter I will post back.

 

Your best bet will be to try to adjust the resolution on the TV. See if you can set it to 1920x1080. That will be your test. Even if your TV only supports 1080i, you should still get a picture (unless your TV has some sort of protection). I've done this with my HTPC and my Panny 50PX60u with no problems.

 

Good to hear, Thank you Major Tom.

 

if your TV can do inverse telecine properly then there would be no difference between 1080p and 1080i with movie playback (assuming software on pc is doing the right job).

 

I just wanted to say that i received the adapter today and will test it when I get home from work.

 

I was able to get 1080i out of the adapter but dont have a 1080p tv ( my hdtv is a crt tv and doesnt even accept 1080p in) but got a perfect 1080i picture.

The digital out worked perfectly for surround sound on dvd's using vista.

I suggest everybody buying this if they have a 1520.

 

That's excellent news, thanks

 

YOo hOo + yay.

 

The adapter was only $13 dollars. It says its for the 1720 but worked perfectly for my 1520. I do recommend having one of the nvidia gpu's though.

I also found out that my old tube hdtv has better video quality then the screen on my 1520

 

Very nice. This adapter coupled with my free IR remote will be awesome.

 

majortom:

What was the part number of the item you bought?

310-8772?

Thanks

 

I saw $12 with free shipping right now.

 

This looks interesting, I've tried to output my laptop's screen to my hdtv using VGA but for some reason it never uses the right resolution. It tells me it can't support 1920x1080 (It is a 1080p tv) or 1280x720 but there are some obscure resolutions that worked like 1900x1200 but they look kinda weird. Has anyone else had these problems? Should I abandon VGA and get this adapter?

 

What video driver are you using? You should be using the nvidia driver.

 

Thats correct

 

I'm using the latest nvidia driver, 169.09 I think it is. I have tried this with the Dell one and that didn't work.

 

Hmm thats wierd as soon as i hit detect with the adapter connected to my tv (with the latest nvidia drivers) it detected the tv and set it at 1920 x 1080

 

Are you sure it's 310-8772 and not 310-8272?

 

This allows output of at most 1080i, as I can't get the nVidia control panel to output 1080p to my 1080p lcd hdtv through component. And yea, my tv can take 1080p through component, as evident by my 360.

If anyone knows a way to get around this limitation, that'd be awesome.

 

Actually, I believe the 360 only outputs 1080p via VGA or HDMI. At least, that's the case when using the HD DVD add-on drive->YPrPb=1080i.

 

It outputs 1080p through component, just not during HD DVDs or regular DVDs thanks to HDCP.