Connecting VGA to Composite Video

Karlos_Sparky

Hi folks need your help,

I own a samsung WS-32Z419D 32" HD CRT television and I'm attempting to connect my PC to it. However the tv has no vga or d-sub connection and my pc doesn't have a dvi or hdmi connection just plain old fashioned vga.

I've done some digging and it seems that the vga signal is analog and therefore the video signal can be sent through the right cable to the composite input on the tv.

I couldn't source the cable so I made it using a vga cable and the requisite RCA connectors and belled it out using a meter and all the pins/ connectors tie up.

Samsung reckon the TV is capable of taking a 1024x720 input and my lowly intel graphics adaptor can output this - so should this all work or will I fry the TV ??

I appreciate any advice/ideas/warnings

Many Thanks

lamaq

Should in theory work.....but depends on your graphics card. There are cables out there to do vga to composite but I'm sure your DIY job will be fine. Usually depends if your graphics card has the output to the required resolution in my experience. The Intel driver graphics drivers are good for this sort of senario so give it a try anyway, unlikely that you will do any damage to your crt.

Karlos_Sparky

Tried everything with no joy - just get a black intermittent flashing screen. Double checked the cable and it seems to be in order but I might have to accept defeat on that one and try to source a vendor cable - any idea where i would get one ? tried maplin with no luck

lamaq

Maplin sell a VGA to scart but its a bit expensive at £60 - http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?TabID=1&criteria=usb&ModuleNo=37141&doy=search&C=SO&U=Strat15

Found this on ebay which is a lot cheaper - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VGA-to-RCA-Composite-S-Video-Cable-Adapter-for-PC-TV_W0QQitemZ170127430215QQihZ007QQcategoryZ61395QQcmdZViewItem


Not sure if it will work though, the Intel driver may only be setup to output to PAL resolution. Try downloading the latest driver from Intel anyway. You could try changing the monitor refresh rate as well.

8T8

It's got a component input according to Samsungs site so easiest solution go buy a graphics card with a component output problem solved.

The card above is AGP assuming the PC is of an older generation and does not use the current PCI-Express interface.

daedalus2097

VGA is analogue - like composite or component, but the frequencies are totally different so it's not ever going to work without active conversion circuitry like the one in Maplin. By far your best bet is a graphics card with component or s-video out...

spockety

VGA is RGB, composite is not. There is no simple "VGA -> Composite" cable.

artvandulet

two words for you dude: 'Scan Convertor'
They pop up on Ebay for about €20.
Simple.


Heres one: http://cgi.ebay.ie/Genie-Flicker-Free-Video-Scan-Convertor-PC-MAC-to-SVHS_W0QQitemZ280142157012QQihZ018QQcategoryZ21166QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD2VQQcmdZViewItem

BTW, any time I've used one its never a 'pretty' picture but its grand;)

mathias

Taking into account the cost of solutions being provided here in order to scan and convert VGA to a basic composite or component input , and considering the signal loss associated with any analog conversion , would it not be simpler to just get a graphics card with HDTV out ,

Komplett have them for as little as 39 euro , Im sure you could find cheaper ?
Both PCI express and AGP solutions here ...

http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=325501

http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=307933

artvandulet

But that won't allow him to view his PC on his TV.
Thats just giving him a video out from his PC, not Windows.

8T8

artvandulet wrote:

But that won't allow him to view his PC on his TV.
Thats just giving him a video out from his PC, not Windows.

Windows can be outputted over the video output whether it be composite, s-video or component.

Anyway the OP is long gone from the looks of it.

artvandulet

Really? I didn't know that. How do you do it?

8T8

It's fairly simple the graphics cards takes care of all the work and treats the video output as a second monitor.

All you do is plug in the link between the graphics card and TV say s-video for instance then go into your graphics cards control panel multi-display section. It should automatically detect the TV and set it as a second display from there you can then enable different modes like clone or span to make use of it.

Of course depending on the link there may be resolution limitations and picture quality issues as generally only component comes close to the quality of VGA.