VGA to TV

I built my parents a media centre PC, and I've been trying to get output to the TV via a VGA to RCA/SVideo adapter (using onboard geforce 6100 - I'm trying to avoid putting a graphics card in).

Of course, it's not working. I connected the RCA video, but I don't get a signal on the TV - just a blue screen. I have the resolution set to 640x480 @60Hz.

Any suggestions? I'm going to try using the S-Video to see if that makes any difference, but I doubt that it will. Do I have any other options, or should I grab a cheap Geforce 4 with a TV out or something?

Well, one of the things I found out when I was trying to hook my TV up to my computer, at least through the S-Video out on my GeForce 8800, is that it has to be hooked directly to the TV, so maybe if you are trying to go through a cable box or a VCR/DVD player remove that and hook directly up to the TV.

For the price of a video card you could get a cheap television with digital input. (A small one ;) ) How big is the screen?

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Originally Posted by Wraithan

so maybe if you are trying to go through a cable box or a VCR/DVD player remove that and hook directly up to the TV.

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Already tried it directly in the TV :(.

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Originally Posted by brewbuck

How big is the screen?

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27" CRT

I'm thinking I'll just throw a graphics card in it anyway. Trying to keep it cheap though, which means eBaying for things ;). How much difference would I notice in picture quality between the TV out on an older Geforce4 MX and a GF 6200?

The picture quality is almost certainly going to be limited by your TV, not your card. So a cheap card should serve you well for what you're doing with it.

Although the VGA converter should work so I'd make extra sure its not just a TV or System setting thats messing you around before you go buy anything else.

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Originally Posted by lightatdawn

Although the VGA converter should work

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It should, but I'm not really expecting it to. I got it from work, and apparently we had a customer a little while ago who tried it and couldn't get it to work either. Unless we're both doing something wrong?

Probably a continuity problem in the wiring then. More work to find and fix than the 40 bucks for a graphics card.