LCD or Plasma TV?
Assuming you have an LCD or Plasma TV then you probably have a better alternative to using S-Video or RCA (phono) connections for TV out. Most new TV's will have either VGA or DVI or HDMI connectors which will produce far higher quality picture than S-Video or RCA. These connectors can also be found on newer graphics cards and will give much higher picture quality if used. The following two images show the connections on PC graphics cards
Graphics card with (from left to right) VGA / SVideo / DVI
Graphics card with (from left to right ) Svideo / HMDI / DVI
The idea is to use the best connector you have available on the graphics card to connect to the best connector you have on the LCD or Plasma TV. Not all connectors can convert from one to the other e.g.. you cant have S-Video to HDMI or VGA to Scart but you can have VGA to DVI.The following table gives the possible options , the top of the list being the preferred method.
| Graphics Card | TV |
Available lengths |
| HDMI | HDMI | 2m,3m,5m,10m |
| HDMI | DVI | 2m,3m,5m,10m |
| DVI | HDMI | 2m,3m,5m,10m |
| DVI | DVI | 2m,5m |
| VGA | DVI | 2m |
| DVI | VGA | 2m |
| VGA | VGA | 2m,5m,10m,15m,20m |
| S-Video or RCA | Svideo or RCA or Scart |
Technically the HDMI or DVI connections give the best quality although VGA follows close behind. The SVideo/RCA/SCART methods are fine for basic dvd playback or photo images but wont allow use of 'windows' on the TV as the image is rather blurry or at best flickery . So if you want 'monitor' like quality on your TV then hopefully you have either VGA,DVI or HDMI !
Be aware sound is still an issue, the HDMI connectors are designed to transmit sound as well as video but in PC use invariably don't. This is because the graphics card you are connecting to does'nt have sound flowing to it to be able to output sound through the HDMI connector. So if you want sound as well as picture its possible you'll need extra cables.
All a bit complicated??? Confused????, email kevind@computerbase.co.uk
and we will attempt to answer your question.
Note from kevind :,The most common question is 'What cables do i need?' and I cannot answer it unless you tell me:
The connection on the Notebook or PC
The distance you want to go?
The connection on the TV?
Whether you want sound or not?
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