I have an Nvidia GeForce FX 5600 ultra and recently decided to change from s-video out to the DVI out. The best imput connection my Toshiba 65H82 TV has is component, so I picked up a DVI to component dongle, thinking it couldn't be that hard to configure an output. I haven't gotten an output on this thing yet, after three days of trying different xorg configurations and reading so many forums I can't hardly see any more.
I'm starting to wonder if anyone has successfully converted DVI to component for their TV?
Does anyone have some tips for me or an xorg.conf to review?

Thanks,
Steve

Edit: changed the word "converter" to "dongle". I think it better describes what I am using.

My 6200 shoots component video from the S-video jack, via a dongle/adapter. Maybe yours does too?

All the posts I have read here and other sites say that s-video can't do HDTV, and HDTV which is what I am trying to accomplish.

My Nvidia card has a special S-Video jack. It can take a special dongle with additional pins that carry the HD signal instead of the SVideo signal. I think you'll be looking for 10 pinholes, if thats the case its NOT a standard Svideo jack and can also carry component video.

Steve -- there is no "generic" DVI to component adapter. The two technologies are waaaaay different. DVI can carry either a digital signal (DVI-D) which isn't analog at all, or it can carry analog signals which are equivalent to a typical VGA connector. BUT -- VGA isn't compatible with component video. It encodes the signal as red-blue-green while component is luminance-chrominance-chrominance.

I think the DVI-component dongle you picked up is for a specific card that makes its DVI connector do double-duty. Just as the S-video connector does for that Nvidia card.

Joe

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It looks like a have probably wasted a lot of time on this dongle then, and of course some cash.
So now I would like to try the s-video approach, based on what the first reply stated. I do have a 9-pin s-video connector on my video card. I can't find in my manual or online specs any information about this connector, other than it's an s-video connector for connecting my TV. I also don't recall seeing any posts here on configuring HDTV using this type of s-video connector, so here are some details I want to try to clear up before I make another purchase:
My intention is to get an HDTV widescreen picture on my TV, I use MythGallery frequently and the images on my TV are of poor quality and distorted (wide).
Since mine is a 9-pin can I just assume it is this special type? Again I can't find anything stating that in my manual/specs.
If I go the s-video to component path what are some of the xorg.conf settings; such as TVoutFormat, TVStandard... anything else important to know?

Thanks for the help

From your post, I don't know who the card maker is, just the chip used on the card. I did a quick google search and looked at the specs of one 5600 card, and it didn't have component out, only Svid, DVI, and VGA. Do a google search for your specific model and that will tell you.

I think you have two choices...

Either replace the video card with one that supports component video out, or get a "transcoder" which takes VGA input and produces component video out.

The transcoder approach will cost a little -- $105 to >$300 depending on features. The Audio Authority 9A60 unit that sells at mythic.tv is a fine choice for your needs. (I have to add that mythic.tv is a big supporter of KnoppMyth and that "Human" has been a huge benefit to us all.)

http://mythic.tv/index.php?cPath=21_22& ... 7d7a4249b1

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Thanks to both of you for your help. I think I'll end up staying with my old s-video config for two reasons.
1) I picked up my video card used and it didn't have a model on it anywhere, it did come with a user manual for an eVGA card but there is next to nothing useful in there, it's very generic and doesn't even state the model. I imagine if it could do component via some s-video setup that it would state that some where, but it doesn't. BTW- it does have s-video, DVI & VGA.
2) I can't spare any cash at this time to put toward better/additional hardware but something will be going on my "must have" list.

Thanks again,
Steve

scsever -

I assume your setup uses a AGP video card. If you are looking at getting a inexpensive way to go componet video out, check out this video card:

GIGABYTE GeForce 7600GS

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6814125039

The video card comes with a "Dongle" that uses componet video out. My setup uses a pci-e slot for video so I am able to use this video card (It uses the same dongle)

GIGABYTE GV-NX72G512P1 GeForce 7200GS

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6814125073

Use the VGA output on the card, and the aforementioned Audio Authority 9A60 from mythic.tv.
Using this, I can get 720p or 1080i on my 4-year-old SONY HDTV.

I have to say, I think that Audio Authority box is the way to go. If my TV didn't already come with a VGA input connector, I'd have gone that direction. The quality of the converter box is first-rate, from what I've heard, and it doesn't depend on any particular video card, driver, etc.

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