Cables. What cable do I need?

[Ethel]

My laptop has an S-Video port (round, yellow, multi-pin) and I want to connect it to my standard tv, to use the tv as the display screen.

I have googled S-Video cables but am goggled at the huge range. What needs to be at the other end of the cable? Not scart but I will want sound and vision.

A link to the perfect cable would be wonderful.

[Ethel]

I have looked at my tv. I have an S-Video din (?) socket - if that is anything to do with it.

[rojash]

What you need at the other end will depend entirely on what sockets your TV has.
S-video does not include sound, so you will need to take the line out from your sound card (probably green) 2.5 mm jack socket and connect that separately.

[Ethel]

Thanks Rojash - totally useless where cables are concerned. I have nothing green - but I do have a headphone socket. Would that be it?

Any chance of a link to the proper cable?

[rojash]

Difficult, Ethel, as I'm not really clear about the DIN-like socket on your TV - have you not got a SCART socket?

As to the audio, if you don't have a line-out, then yes, you could use the headphone socket.

[Ethel]

I have got scarts - but they are at the back, very difficult to get at, and already in use.

[LeMarchand]

Feel around the sides of your TV, or possibly the bottom of the screen - many TVs have a "pop out" connection panel (to plug in a camcorder or the like) that often includes an S-Video socket and phono connections for sound. You'll probably need a phono-to-3.5 jack adapter as well, plug this into the headphone socket on your computer and use the leads you've posted elsewhere about to carry the sound.

If you don't have such a panel, you can get an adapter that you can plug your S-Video cable and phono cables into that will then plug into a SCART socket, you could get a multi-scart adapter (like a trailing plug, but for SCART) which would make access easier.

No time for pics/links as Primeval is starting and then I'm off to work.

[rojash]

Ethel, you can get a multi-way SCART adaptor from pretty much any electrical store. Then you will need something like this:

http://www.svideo.com/svideoscart.html

[Ethel]

Thanks, Rojash. I couldn't see a need for it when I bought my laptop three years ago, but I certainly can now.

[fo3nix]

Going S-Video to S-Video is probably best.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Philex-S-video-1-5m/dp /B0009HC4NA

That may be what you want -- do both of your S-Video ports have 4 small holes?

I'd buy from a local electrical store -- Maplins or Radioshack are good. Hopefully they'll let you return if it you see that it's definitely wrong.

As above say though, it'll only carry video. Do you have two phono ports for sound (perhaps white and red coloured, labelled L and R)? If so, these will take sound, and will hopefully work when using S-Video too.

You can get a headphone (3.5mm jack) to phono cable from the above shops too. Your cable you took a photo of is one of these phono cables, with phono connections on both ends, so you could get a phonon to 3.5mm adapter if the cable you have is long enough already (and isn't damanged).

If possible, check the instructions on your TV. The manual should let you know what connections to use for audio when you're using S-Video. Failing all this, there should be a yellow (I think) phono jack next to the white and red ones. This is for video. A S-Video to phono cable should be available (again, with the addition of another cable for sound).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-Video

Note for all this: S-Video is an analogue connection. As such, timing signals aren't properly in phase with the signals, and it can only carry SD (480dpi vertical or so) resolution. So, it won't be nearly as good as your laptop's screen. It may suffice though.

[Ethel]

Thanks, fo3nix.

My laptop port has a largest slot at the top, a small slot at the bottom, four small round holes in a line and three slightly larger, squarer holes underneath.

So from top to bottom - one larger slot; 4 round holes, 3 squat holes; one smaller slot.

The tv is the same. The tv does have three coloured sockets alongside the s-video port - my zen plays sound and vision perfectly when connected to them. Sadly, the zen cable is specific to zen and will not fit my laptop.

I am determined to do this, and will go to my local Maplin's this coming week. Is it necessary to buy the most expensive cables?

[fo3nix]

Not really, no. But slighter better quality, thicker cables, are better to buy if there's hardly a difference in price. Oxygen-free cord and gold-plated plugs are the ones to watch out for. Won't really make much of a difference though, unless you're an audiophile and your stuff is all top of the range.

There seem to be many types of mini-DIN connections (what S-Video uses). I can't narrow down to exactly what you have -- the last one looks most like yours perhaps.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini-DIN_connecto r

I'd just try and buy a regular S-Video cable, and see what picture you get. Just don't try and force the thing in, obviously. It may be that while your laptop has room for lots of pins, not all these are required to export the video feed.

(I've only ever gone from DVI to DVI with a computer monitor, btw.)

[The Builder]

Ethel.....just had a thought...........I don't expect you have the operating instructions that came with the TV - but, if it's not too old, post the make and model number here - I often do this - search the net for a tech specification for the TV - worth a shot maybe - that would tell you exactly what inputs you have..............:o)

.......................er.................we don't say "hope this helps" any more - do we?

[Ethel]

It doesn't look like any of those, fo3. :(

I do have the tv manual, buildersmate. It has an S-Video input jack, which looks different to the one of the laptop;
and three audio / video input jacks alongside - they are yellow, light blue (or white) and red.

[Ethel]

Is this what I need - and a cable for the audio?

[Ethel]

Forgot the link

http://tinyurl.com/yq58gj

[fo3nix]

Ethel,
That's exactly what you want. Just a bit longer ideally!

That S-Video to RCA (phono) output. This will likely be yellow on the phono end and will fit into the video phono.

Then just get a headphones to phono cable. Likely red and white.

[Ethel]

Hurrah!

Thanks so much. All sorted.