Laptop as a dvd player input into TV (S-video)

[Norman]

Hello,

My dvd player just bombed out on me and I am deciding whether or not to buy a new dvd player or to set up my laptop to be able to play dvds on my tv.

I have a Sony KD32FS130 32" FD Trinitron WEGA Television for your reference.

The problem is that my dell notebook only has S-video outputs. I know nothing about the S-video format versus the component output that my old dvd player has. Would it even be worth it to use the S-video?

Anyone who can offer me some insight into this, please do.
Thanks,
Norm

 

[NateTG]

You should have little trouble getting the S-Video feed to your TV.

 

[neurocomp2003]

a 5-10feet S-video Cable cost 50$ CDN 4 years ago...hopefully it will cost less now.

 

[Norman]

I guess I did not phrase my question very well.

Is the S-video comparable to component video connections and is it worth it to use for DVD quality video? Or is a traditional DVD player better?

From http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-component-video.htm" it seems that component is the way to go and that I should forget about the S-video from my laptop and just get a new dvd player. Anyone have an opinion? Or can offer some insight?

 

[z-component]

If all you need to buy is an s-video cable (assuming your TV has an s-video in port) then your laptop could easily serve as an entire DVD player, with the exception of a remote. The quality of video over s-video, I noticed, is good.

The only problem is you have to remember, s-video only carries video, and no sound. If you want the sound to come out of the TV as well as the video, you'll need to buy an adapter that goes from your computer's audio/headphone jack to two RCA (red and white) cables to plug into your TV. If your TV doesn't have RCA ports or an s-video in port, you'd have to hook up a VCR or switch box to the TV first, which isn't really worth it in your case.

 

[russ_watters]

I've done this before due to necessity, but the loss of surround sound is a dealbreaker for me (unless your laptop has outputs for it, which would surprise me).

 

[Norman]

Well I don't have surround sound as it is, so no loss there. It sounds like S-video will work fine so I suppose I can save myself a little money and just do this. I found a cord to set up the sound with, no big deal there.

Thanks everyone for the input. I really appreciate it. I already checked and the TV has all the proper inputs needed. It has about 4 sets of component inputs, plus the S-video input. I also considered trying to get a converter for VGA to component but those seem a little more expensive.

Once again thanks all.
Cheers.

 

[Pengwuino]

Isn't RCA and Component two different things?

Boy i have a 25 foot cable that's awesome for what I do (which is exactly what the OP wants to do except with RCA). It has 2 audio RCA and an SVideo cable. Both hook right up to my TV (actually i have a dvd player so i route through that) and kapow, computer on the tv. I wish i knew how i could compare svideo to rca however.

 

[NoTime]

Isn't RCA and Component two different things?

RCA is the type of connector.

You have 4 different types of video.

Composit Video
This has a max bandwidth of 3.5 mhz, usually somewhat less, due to the comb filter.

S-Video
Component Video
These are much the same with the olny difference being that the color info is put on one cable for s-video and two for component.
More of a sales tactic than a technical benefit as bandwidth limits are about the same.

RGB Video
Potentially unlimited bandwidth.

All of these use RCA connectors (just like audio) except for s-video which has its own connector, although you will also see BNC connetors in use for RGB.

 

[guy_mu1]

Hey, where did you get the S-video which transfers both audio and video signals?

 

[Evo]

I can play DVD's on my computer either with Real Player or (my preference) Intervideo WinDVD. It plays DVD''s better than when I play them on my tv. And it's free.

 

[russ_watters]

Hey, where did you get the S-video which transfers both audio and video signals?

S-video, as the name implies, is video only.

The sound output on every laptop I have ever seen is a 1/8" stereo headphones jack. To get that to a tv, you use an adapter to convert it to RCA stereo.

 

[Integral]

Wear and tear on a $1k laptop vs a $50 DVD player

 

[bjincs002]

My PC Problem

My Laptop (HP Pavilion dv6000) has an S-Video out port. I have all the needed cables and adapters to go from that port to my TV (I have an adapter that switches S-Video to Component Video). However, what do I do to get the video to transfer? When I connect the cables, I don't get any signal on the TV. I looked at the help files on my computer and did some research, but I am still stuck. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Norman]

You have to tell your comp to send the video out through the externel port not to the internal screen. It differs from comp to comp but usually there is a button on the keyboard.

 

[bjincs002]

Button Blues

Yeah, there is a button, but when I press it...nothing. It pops up a little window with a picture of a laptop with an arrow pointing to a second laptop. But nothing else happens, no matter how many times i press it.

 

[MeJennifer]

S-Video
Component Video
These are much the same with the olny difference being that the color info is put on one cable for s-video and two for component.
More of a sales tactic than a technical benefit as bandwidth limits are about the same.

It is not correct to say that component has no benefit over s-video.

Also note that DVDs are encoded in component format.


The best connection is DVI or HDMI since there is no signal loss in the cable.

 

[neurocomp2003]

go to your graphics option , and select s-video or tv out as a display.

 

[bjincs002]

Graphics?

Where would I find my graphics options? Where is it in the control panel?

 

[russ_watters]

The applet for "display" (you can also right-click your desktop and click "properties". In display properties, try settings->advanced->monitor, or, if you have it, Catalyst Control Center.

My laptop had a button (holding fn+F8) that says "CRT/LCD" - the other common standard is a button with a picture of a tv on it (just a rounded square). I don't know what button you are pressing, but it ain't the right one...

 

[bjincs002]

Help

Nothing is getting a picture on the TV screen. I have tried all those things, but still nothing

The button i am pressing has a Monitor symbol on it (a little square)

 

[neurocomp2003]

in your graphics/display options ...s video or tvout should come up...and you should be able to hit somethign like identity. iff that doesn't come up with 1 or 2...then umm...no idea.

 

[russ_watters]

Are you holding down the function key while pressing that button...?

Does your screen blink when you press it?

Have you looked here...?: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c00213448&lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&product=1842155&rule=45232&lang=en

It says both of the things I said...

 

[Crosson]

Wear and tear on a $1k laptop vs a $50 DVD player

That's what I am thinking...I bet companies like HP, Dell, etc love it when people use their computers for this purpose. It seems like people appreciated this concept only two decades ago, with dedicated rewinding machines for VCR tapes. I don't think I will use my computer as a dedicated video player until all our media is stored in solid state formats.

 

[russ_watters]

I don't consider the usage as a dvd player to be a major wear and tear issue. Why would it be?

 

[Crosson]

I don't consider the usage as a dvd player to be a major wear and tear issue. Why would it be?

Because a dvd player is a mechanical device, not solid state. Dedicated dvd players run at 1x speed, my laptop dvd player runs at 24x. It is designed for data transfer, not streaming movies. I am sure laptop dvd players use more power, burn out faster, and also cause wear and tear on the hard drive, and at the very least fragmentation.

 

[bjincs002]

Are you holding down the function key while pressing that button...?

Does your screen blink when you press it?

Have you looked here...?: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c00213448&lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&product=1842155&rule=45232&lang=en

It says both of the things I said...

The article doesn't give any detail on how to use S-video

 

[russ_watters]

Because a dvd player is a mechanical device, not solid state. Dedicated dvd players run at 1x speed, my laptop dvd player runs at 24x. It is designed for data transfer, not streaming movies. I am sure laptop dvd players use more power, burn out faster, and also cause wear and tear on the hard drive, and at the very least fragmentation.

Most laptop optical drives are variable speed and they don't cache to your hard drive, they only cache to memory. With an MTBF of tens of thousands of hours or more, I just don't see the issue.

Laptops are multipurpose devices. It is not correct to say they are not designed to play movies (or cd's, for that matter). They clearly are. That's why they have dvd drives (only very recently has dvd started to be used much for data) and dvd movie software.

 

[russ_watters]

The article doesn't give any detail on how to use S-video

Uh, yeah it does. bjincs002, I'm sorry, but we can't help you unless you are much more descriptive about what you have done and what happens when you do it. A bunch of suggestions have been made and questions asked and you haven't given good feedback into what you have actually tried and what has happened when you did.

For example: are you holding down the "fn" key when you press "f4"? I asked that before and you didn't answer.

The only thing I can reasonably suggest at this point is that you take your computer to a technician who can actually show you how to do it. HP also has chat tech support that you can access through that link I gave you... Also from that link is a copy of the manual, which has the same instructions, but with pictures: http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c00772632.pdf

Another one I just thought of: what channel/input do you have your tv set to? Did you press the "input" button to cycle through the tv's inputs?

 

[bjincs002]

Got it

Nevermind, I bought an adapter, and its working fine. One of my cables wasn't working, I discovered, but I got a new one. All is good