FIXED! HTPC to old 26" SD CRT

[conlan]

Firstly..i know this isn't the best way to go, but for now it's all i have. I'll upgrade my TV when i can realistically afford to.

I have a circa 1990 RCA 26" TV that works great. The TV has component video in (Red, Yellow, White) jacks and I am hooking it up to the TV with an S-Video adapter from SVideo.com
I have tried hooking up to the PC w/ an nVidia 9600GSO. I ran the TV wizard in nVidia control panel and enabled TV in properties. The TV shows up, but the lowest resolution setting is 800 x 600 which i believe is too high for the TV.
The picture shows on the TV during BIOS but once into windows it goes dark, while using the nVidia wizard, the picture will flash on the TV, then go dark.

TIA for any and all help

 

[BassBomb]

try without adaptor, probably use 640x480

its gonna look like jack shit regardless of what res you choose though

 

[conlan]

Thanks for the response...I know it's not gonna look well...but for now i'll have to do.

I figured 640x480 would be better, but as stated in OP, the lowest nVidia CP gives me is 800 x 600....is there a way to force 640x480?

How can i hook up the TV without the adapter?

 

[BassBomb]

Don't you have the breakout connector to allow you to use either svideo or RCA?

You seemed to say you are using an svideo -> rca adaptor which is an odd way to do things

 

[conlan]

Yup....9600GSO TV Out is S-Video....TV Video in is RCA

 

[Blain]

You may have to use older drivers.
Something to do with a newer nvidia control panel screws up the signal to SD TV's.
I had to use an older nvidia driver to connect to my 36" Sony WEGA.

I could tell it was a driver issue based on the fact that in Safe Mode the screen would look ok, but as soon as the drivers loaded (during the Windows bootup), the screen went haywire.
I Googled around and stumbled on to other people posting the same type problem.
The fix was to use an older nvidia driver.

 

[conlan]

I could tell it was a driver issue based on the fact that in Safe Mode the screen would look ok, but as soon as the drivers loaded (during the Windows bootup), the screen went haywire.

TY Blain, that is exactly what is happening w/ mine. I'll try and dig up some old drivers.

 

[conlan]

Well, the older drivers (5/'08) while offering 640 x 480 didn't fix it. I'm still getting flashes then black screens on the TV.

 

[Blain]

The 91.31 driver is the version that works for me.

 

[conlan]

Thank Blain. The old drivers didn't work for me, but put me on the right track.

I found this: http://forums.nvidia.com/lofiversion/index.php?t61279.html

It describes a registry hack for enabling the old nVidia control panel, I suspect the old CP is why those old drivers worked for you.

The TV works great now and the picture is actually real nice.

 

[Blain]

Rock On!