4-pin S-video to 3 RCA doesn't work. fuzzy pictures. cable? Laptop?

[Techie333]

My laptop supports TV-out via a 4-pin S-video cable. My TV has RCA inputs only so I did some research and found out I could do a 4-pin S-video to RCA converter and bought a cable off ebay. I tested the cable and all I get is a fuzzy output and a lot of static noise. I thought it was a bad cable so I got a replacement and I still get a fuzzy output. I thought it was the laptop so what I did is my dvd player also has 4-pin S-video out so I used it the converter to plug the RCAs into TV and I still get the same thing! This cable comes here from Hong Kong, so you guys think it's the cable, laptop, or something else??!?!

 

[MercenaryForHire]

I bet you're getting loads of interference through a crappy convertor.

- M4H

 

[Matthias99]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
I bet you're getting loads of interference through a crappy convertor.

- M4H

That, and/or it's not really a "converter" at all. Going from S-Video to/from RCA is not just a matter of moving pins around; you need to split or recombine some of the video information.

The S-Video->RCA cables I've seen are normally for devices (mostly computer video cards) that only have an S-Video output port but can put out RCA video on one of the pins.

 

[Auric]

RCA inputs plural? Do you mean three cables for component or a single cable for composite? First off, find out what the laptop is capable of and whether a proprietary cable is required. If it really just has an S-Video output then a convertor is necessary for composite rather than an adapter cable. Those can be had for $5 and used with any common RCA plug video cable. If it is actually a mini-DIN for both S-Video and composite and possibly component too, then it may be best to get the necessary cable from the manufacturer.