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Amilo Pi 2515 s-video adapter

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Amilo Pi 2515 s-video adapter

Postby ninpuukamui » Tue Dec 14, 2010 9:09 am

Hello,

I have been researching this topic for some time, but I haven't been able to resolve it; however I apologise in advance if it has been answered elsewhere. Also, sorry if I'm not using the right terminology :)

I have an Amilo Pi 2515 with a VGA video output with Windows 7 and latest official Fujitsu graphic drivers (from 2007!!). I also have a TV with composite and s-video inputs; I'd like to connect them, preferably using the s-video connection. Until now I have been using a laptop with a Nvidia video card with a s-video output and had no problems whatsoever.

I was not able to install any of the unnoficial drivers, and I don't know if that would help either.

The first thing I did was checking if VGA to s-video is possible; it seems like that it depends on the card, but I gave it a go because the ATI Drivers have a TV Output option. I bought a cheap VGA to S-Video adapter, and the TV is detected as a "Monitor", but the signal is just some kind of TV noise. The I can't select TV as the second video device, and the TV wizzard doesn't detect anything in automatic; in manual it gets to the output method selection screen (s-video, etc.), but I can't advance from there.

So anyway, I checked what other options I have and it seems like:

- There are no expresscard/54 video cards, at least with s-video output.
- A VGA to s-video adapter box (scaler) is about $100, which is more than I was expecting to spend.
- I wasn't able to find a compatible graphic card with s-video; I'm fairly tech savvy, so I wouldn't have any problems installing one myself if given the option.
- I *may* be able to get a USB graphic card with s-video output; I'll probably go to the shop tomorrow and check it out. This is my least favourite option because I already have one video card in my laptop!

If anyone has been in this situation before or could give me any tips on where to go from here, I'd be very greatful.

Thanks in advance!
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Re: Amilo Pi 2515 s-video adapter

Postby hikaru » Tue Dec 14, 2010 10:33 am

You can't get an s-video signal out of your VGA port. Their signals are not compatible. Some graphics cards allow to send an s-video signal via VGA but intel cards don't belong to that category.
I see only two options for you:
1. Get the USB adapter you mentioned. - Frankly, I wouldn't do that. The transfer rate of USB 2.0 is pretty limited which means that you won't get a very good image. The other problem is s-video. It's also very limited. I tried it myself. Watching videos this way is acceptable, but the image is just too blurry for desktop work.
2. Get a new TV with a VGA port.
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