dv9000t svideo port, extra pins?

I was just looking at the svideo output on my dv9000t, and I noticed that there seem to be 3 extra pin holes in the middle of the connector. Does anyone know if this is a typical SVideo port, or is there some additional functionality you can get with some type of adapter/dongle? The svideo cables I have only have 4 pins in them.

 

I tried a regular S-video cable and got the cr*p picture it delivers..I doubt there is any functionality built into this port.

 

Could it be a VIVO port instead of an Svideo port? They look very much the same but the pin configuration is different....

 

Most probably it is S-Video and composite combined and you need an adapter for it to function as intended. At least it looks just like desktop version which I've seen a lot.

 

It's not a "standard" S-video port. It's actually a kind of 3-in-one "smart" port fairly common on video cards. It will except a standard S-Video connection, a composite video connection via the included adapter, or a component video connection via an optional "break-out" cable.

The component break-out cable is a fairly standard part that ships with many video cards, and makes use of all the pins on the port.

Hope that helps.

 

Thanks for the explanation. I've had 2 dv9000ts (had to return one), and neither came with any break-out adapter. Did anyone else get something like that with their 9000t?

I do know that electrically you can convert svideo to composite video using only the standard 4 pins. I guess the extra 3 allow you to also have component? Anyone know where to get such an adapter?

 

JadedRaverLA, do you have more information regarding this component output? I find it hard to believe it exists for this model as a component interface can deliver resolutions into the High Definition region which is not mentioned anywhere in the pc documentation or nvidia website.
If it really is possible, then it would be a great upgrade for those with 6000 series that don't have HDMI on them.

 

I just tested the port on my dv2000t (w/ Nvidia graphics). Using a component break-out cable that came with my ATI X800 Pro desktop card with the same port, I just connected my notebook to an HDTV. After connecting, I went into the Nvidia control panel (driver version 158.18 on Vista-64) and the I was able to set the HDTV as a clone, standalone, or dual view display. Once enabling it, a new option appeared to select the signal format for the component output. you can select 1080i, 720p, 576i/p (PAL), or 480i/p (NTSC). I attached a picture for you all to see what I'm talking about.

So, there you go: a nearly free HDTV output upgrade for your Nvidia-based HP notebooks. All you need is a component cable adapter, which you should be able to get at a local computer parts store, or you can go to The PowerColor Store, and buy over the web. It's a $10 part there, no charge S/H.

You'll want to scroll down that page until you see the listing for:
Product Name: HDTV Video Cable (Image may be varied from actual products.)
Features:
7 pins
HDTV Cable 9 inch
Price: $10.00 USD
Shipping: Free shipping and handling fee
Tax: CA 8.25%

Be SURE to get the 7-pin cable, and not the 9-pin cable which they also offer.

Hope that helps.

 

I have a couple of laptops which also have the 7 pin s-video outlet. I just purchased an adaptor from Dell which gives me component out as well as SPDIF 5.1 sound. If you have a receiver that decodes this stream (most of them do) you're up and running with Hi-Def and Surround sound. Pretty cool. I thought I was hooped as my new 52" Sharp LCD does not have VGA input. Still waiting delivery of the adaptor but my owner's manual explains it quite clearly so I'm sure it will work fine. The part # is 310-8272. Cost is $19. Although, Dell specifies it is designed for a certain model, it should work for most, if not all, 7 pin s-vid configurations.

 

I have a similar adapter for my older dell laptop (inspiron 4150). I'm not sure how they get SPDIF through a video port, but I think mine has that too, though I don't have anything that take SPDIF, so I never used it. My adapter only has outputs for svideo and composite video though, so I guess that's a sign of how old it is . I tested it with this laptop, and the composite video worked fine.

 

The dell adapter image attached. Seems they use the s-video 7-pin connector with a double implementation of the usual s-video pins (Y/C) or composite out swapped to spdif.