HEL80 TV Out

Has anyone been able to get the TV-Out (with the video/left audio/right audio adapter) working?

I have an HEL80 with a TV tuner. It came with the adapter and I have seen pictures like here: http://www.xoticpc.com/laptop/32956.jpg and here: http://www.powernotebooks.com/specs/images/l8-15/l8-15cable1.jpg with the adapter in the back. I have tried it there and out of the TV tuner card, but the TV screen only blinks once when I use the Fn+F3 combo. I haven't been able to find anything in the nVidea control panel that might do the trick.

I called Chembook (since they put the system together), but after an hour and a half on the phone they didn't have any idea how to make it work either. The technician wasn't even aware that the HEL80 comes with the video adapter!

I would greatly appreciate any help since this was one of the reasons why I bought this system.

On a sidenote: Has anyone had any dealings with Chem-USA's technical support? I don't mean to bash them, but so far I have had two big problems with this system and after several hours on the phone they were not able to help at all. What have other's experiences been like?

 

Try using 84.74 from laptopvideo2go as your driver. This is just based on the knowledge that alphagamma has on the issue as I can't attest to it working. Either way, it's a very stable driver and has served me well for general performance...

 

My TV out works like a charm with any driver, just bind some key to "switch to next display device" in nview settings. I also use this one to switch from the laptop display to extrenal monitor.

 

Dirt,
How do you find that particular page in the nView settings (which, as you know, is quite extensive)? Are you using the adapter? Which port are you using - the TV tuner card port, or the s-video port on the back right of the HEL80? Basically, how did you set it all up?
Thanks!

 

First of all I don’t have any TV tuner at all.
So

It's really TV Out only, so just use standard 4 pin s-video cables. There are numerous ways to connect to TV then. I connected through SVHS->RCA cable.
nView. First enable it. Then in classic driver panel: Desktop Management -> Hot Keys -> Display mode -> Switch to next display device, press ‘add’ to define your hot key. You can also use "Toggle to TV output", but basically they do the same.

 

Thanks Dirt!
I hope that I have better luck with your method.

 

There's already a hot key for that, Fn-F3.

 

Orly, never even tried to find out what it means, thanks

 

TC03,
I had tried the Fn+F3 combo and couldn't get it to work. I do appreciate your help though and welcome any more suggestions since I (and the fine folks at Chem-USA) am stumped.
Cheers!

 

Fn-F3 combo only works when the TV-out already works. It's not a magical fix .

In my experience, TV-out works very well on the HEL-80. Picture quality is great and very easy to set-up. Maybe you can clarify where your problems lie?

My set-up is the following:
1. S-Video cable. Like this one. Attached to the s-video port on the rear right. I don't have a TV tuner.
2. SCART adapter in my very cheap TV. Picture.

I've attached the configuration in the nVidia Control Panel (stock drivers, 83.90). It's in Dutch though, but I figure you should be able to recognize the corresponding items in your drivers.

Hope this helps. Works perfect for me and many others.

 

TCO3
Thank you very much for posting the screen shots. Unfortunately the nVidia Control Panel on my laptop is missing the first page with the monitor and TV. My big system that has two monitors looks like that though which make me think that either the nVidea software is not sensing that the TV is hooked to the laptop or the laptop is not sensing the TV.

I have used the same TV with another system and it worked fine - no tweaking necessary!

I have tried attaching the TV while the system is running, booting the system with the TV attached and on, turning on the TV while the system is running - nothing seems to work and I am wondering if the port (or adapter) is working properly. What a pain!

I have had some other problems with this HEL80 as well and after several reinstalls of Windows XP and all of the drivers I am wondering if I have a lemon on my hands.

Anyway, thank you for all of the kind help!

 

Can you post which cables you are using and how you are connecting them to your TV? Your CP is missing the the first page because it doesn't recognize your TV.

I think the problems lies with your adapter, somehow.

 

TCO3
I am using an adapter that looks like this, connected through the same port. The adapter is connected to an A/V cable similar to this one (but with nicer, heavier cable).

I have connected the A/V cable to the TV's Video In in this manner: Yellow = Video, Red = Audio Right, White = Audio Left.

Since the TV doesn't have an s-video port or SCART, I can't try those.

Thanks again!

 

Does anyone know the wiring of these video adapters that come with the HEL80? It would be nice if I could check it.

Cheers!

 

Hmm, very weird.

I suppose the adapter you're connecting to your TV-out port looks like the female version of this picture?


In that case; I think the adapter isn't sufficient. I think the other computer you tested has the above s-video out port, while your Compal has the following:


I think this is the only explanation.

 

I think you need this adapter:

 

TCO3, my Compal has the output exactly like that with the numbers in the pins.
But I agree that the other adapter will work also.
I´m using mine with a regular S-video cable ´cause my VGA port is dead and I own a LCD TV.
I´ve been trying to exchange the notebook with my dealer yet.