TV Out Feature

I have a Sony VGN-SZ780 notebook, wih the switchable graphics--either Intel integrated, or Nvidia discrete. The NVidia graphics card is GeForce 8400M GS.

When in Nvidia mode, in the Nvidia Control Panel, it looks like there is a possibiity of TV Out built into the NVidia card. The notebook does not have a special TV out port, so it seems to be one of those that can send the TV Out signal through the VGA port.

I bought a cable for that, VGA on one end, the other end a RCA composite video plug, and also an S-video plug. Cheap, through a vendor on Amazon. (Note--not a converter, just a cable, made for notebooks that can send TV Out hrough the VGA port.)

It doesn't work. I cannot get a decent signal to the TV that way, and the Nvidia card does not recognize that the TV is connected.

I don't know, however, if it is a defective cable, defective NVidia card, or whether that feaure really does not work well at all for anyone, and better to buy one of the converter boxes, that converts regular VGA output to TV?

Anyone here tried TV Out?

 

I've always had the impression TV-Out requires the S-video interface, no? Are you able to configure the output signal to the TV, e.g. PAL/NTSC? Does this thread make any sense: Board Message

 

Tofurky,

TV-Out used to be an S-Video port from the laptop. Some laptops may still have them. ,and newer ones may have digital TV outputs like HDMI.

However, there is also the option now in some notebooks, to have TV out through the VGA port. Then they don't have to put a separate S-Video port on the computer.

I assume my Sony VGN-SZ780 was one of the latter, while in Nvidia mode, because of the following: 1) No S-video or other TV out port is present. But 2)-- the nvidia control panel certainly mentions a TV out capability.

Therefore, I bought a cord to do that with, but cannot get it to work right. I don't know though, if the problem is in the cord or the computer.