T510 Display Port to S-video (trying to connect to an old TV)

Hi all,

I have an older TV that only has composite and S-video in. I don't plan to buy a nice, HD-TV to replace it yet as I may be moving in a year or two.

I wonder, is it possible to hook my T510's display port to the S-video in on that TV? I understand this is a digital to analog type of connection and the resolution will not be supreme. Any help is very appreciated. Thanks!

 

i don't think there is such a DP to S-video cable.

Also the DP port on the Thinkpad is digital only. If you want the s-video signal, you are looking at a VGA to S-video converter box (simple direct cable solution may not work).

http://www.supplierlist.com/photo_i...o_TV_Composite_Video_or_S-video_Converter.jpg

 

I was hoping VGA to S-video cable first and may need to try the converter box option. I heard if the machine and/or video card has a TV-out capability (i.e. a connected TV-out pin in the VGA connector, meaning the chip itself has the converter function built-in), simple cable conversion would work. Do you by any chance know if NVS 3100M has this functionality?

What about display-port to VGA to S-video? Since display-port has the video signal at least.

And if I have to go for a converter box, is VGA to TV signal a good choice at all?

I understand that I am completely uninitiated in this subject. Thanks for helping me

 

DP, HDMI or DVI to TV is next to impossible, as said a VGA to composite or S-video box is available but normally expensive and the quality isnt always so good.

im afraid nowadays outputting to an analog TV is becoming more of a pain by the month

 

I know. If I had the choice I would get a new TV......

Seems there's something like THIS ~$50 range. Is it the kind of converter box?

 

thats the box you need

 

Would you guys have any information about what I should check for in purchasing one of those? Is there a particularly reliable/good brand, or is it already a legacy sort of product that there's not such thing as 'good brand'? I know it's not high definition kind of quality, but what shall I expect?

 

hum... i don't think many people use this product even when they were still using CRT based TV, since most laptops back then support s-video out.

A high quality one is hard to find nowadays, unless you go professional which can easily run up to thousands of dollars.

I think you should think of this product as a bridging device, something you would use until you can get a new LCD TV.

Most of them have average quality since the DAC chip they use are pretty low rent.

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Before you decide to jump the ship on this product, can i ask what purpose do you use this product for?

If you are using this to watch movies stored on the laptop. I would suggest you get an external HDD (320 gigs will do) and then get something like WD media player (get the basic $30 USD one that should be more than enough for you) that runs off these usb hdd or memory drive.

In this way, even when you are getting a new tv, these devices would still have its use for you, rather than this 50 dollar device that probably no one would buy even as second hand device.

 

I actually plan to use it to watch online movies/videos, movie files and sometimes DVD on my computer (I don't have a separate DVD player, as I have always been watching it on my laptop).

I haven't thought about such options as WD media player. Will it be able to suit my needs? Even pull media from the internet? Most ideally, it'd be great if the player is to be able to play whatever is playing in my laptop, through network to the TV (I don't have a separated network drive though)

 

in that case you are better off getting the s-video box. the device that you would need to fulfill all these functions is basically another laptop.

Maybe just use your wife's laptop, since it has the s-video out.

 

Indeed I am attracted to the device you suggested.

To be more specific, the main videos I intend to port to the old analog TV are (from more frequent to less frequent):

1. streaming via non-youtube/netflix websites (such as surfchannels.com, megavideos.com, hulu.com and some Chinese streaming sites). This all need to happen in the browser most probably with no local files

3. Hulu desktop and Windows 7 Media Center playback

3. Playback of ripped movies in .avi, .mkv formats, most probably in windows 7's MediaPlayer or MediaPlayer Classic

4. Play back of video DVDs on computer

5. Youtube and netflix

How many of these can be met by the WD Media Player? Or how much of these I'd lose if I opt for that option?

 

i don't think the WD media box allows you to stream movies.

I think you may need to get the S-Video Converter Box to tie you over, until you can get a LCD TV.

 

That's a pity. I am waiting to a plain VGA - S-video cable to come in. I know it may be a far fetch, but if it does work I'd be more than happy; if not, I'll go with the converter box.

Re your previous msg, I am actually using my wife's old T43p to see things on TV now, but it's quite slow already and is not always capable to load things without hiccup, plus the DVD does not always work....

 

Your wife's old T43p (it is actually not a T43p since the X300 graphics card is for the normal T43 laptop, the T43p have the FireGL graphics card), is slow due to the fact that you are using the win 7 OS.

If you use something like XP pro, the experience would be lot better. I have a T43 that has similar spec as yours, and it can handle most movies okay.

But by all means you should get the cable and try it first. It is only a few dollars, and if that works then you wouldn't need to fork out 40 dollars for a converter box that is going to go obsolete anyway.

 

Since it's my wife's primary station and she finds Win 7 a lot more convenient and intuitive for everyday usage, I'd have to stick with Win 7 for her.

I had always thought it was a t43p as it was printed on the laptop as so - didn't know I might have gotten a lemon 5 years ago.

I've already ordered the cable and it's coming on Wednesday. Hopefully it will work. I'll sure report back however it turns out.

 

So, the cable thing does not work...I am ordering a converter box to try next.