TV resolution

[digitalme]

Ok, here's the situation.

My gf's pc is in the living room next to the TV (~recent Toshiba model) and they are both connected via S-video. The pc also has a Samsung CRT monitor set on 1024x768 in the VGA plug.

We use this pc to watch videos (.avi, .mpeg through Windows Media Player) on the TV through the S-Video cable. Everything is working fine with the nVidia GeForce 6600GT as the software (nView) was easily allowing us to "clone" the samsung display on the TV and they were both the same resolution. What i mean is that both resolutions were "compatible" as all the content on the CRT monitor was visible on the TV.

Yesterday, I changed the Samsung CRT monitor for a Samsung Syncmaster 940B LCD monitor. This LCD monitor is set at 1280x1024 and is connected in the DVI plug.

Since i made that change, the TV (still a clone of the display) doesn't show everything as it is seen on the LCD monitor. When i move the mouse to the extremes up, down, left or right of the desktop, the content on the TV is "sliding" into view just as it was a zoom.

Obviously, it's a question of TV resolution and I tried various settings with the nView software (dualview, single display, etc) but nothing is working properly.

This morning a re-installed Forceware drivers and all the hardware and software related to the LCD display and the 6600gt and nothing, same problem.

Anyone can help ?

 

[Ika]

nView should be able to let you set different resolutions for two different displays. at least i thought that was the case...

 

[MercenaryForHire]

You'll have to set different resolutions - a TV over SVideo is limited to 1024x768 by cable bandwidth, so you're getting the "virtual desktop" effect there. And while you're setting resolutions, set your TV to 640x480 if possible. Since all you're doing is watching video, you don't need the "higher" resolution for text. I say "higher" because the TV is only outputting a 480i signal anyhow, so more than that gets seriously diminishing returns.

- M4H

 

[digitalme]

thanks for the reply, but it's still buggy.

New elements:
1- My Device Manager shows 3 "default monitor" entries, all with the driver from MS, version 5.1.2001.0. It also shows my Syncmaster 940B.

I tried to delete them (the 3 default monitors) and reboot to see if WinXP will ask me for driver but it didn't and the 3 default monitors reappeared

2- When I boot, I can see correctly all the "dos" data and the Windows XP first screen. It's when windows shows me its welcome blue screen that it's not the correct resolution.

Question:

Where can i find new version for the default monitor ? Does drivers exist for TV ?

 

[ForumMaster]

bit it shouldn't require drivers. i also have a 6600GT and while i don't have a tv connected to it, i know that you can tell windows whether to extend the desktop over the tv or to copy it. change it.

 

[Auric]

I think the clone resolution is limited due to the TV encoder, not the connection. That is, 1024x768 is the highest that can be matched without scrolling. But regardless, the S-Video output is indeed limited to 480i and so one solution is to use a player such as Media Player Classic set to automatically change the monitor resolution and playback full-screen (if using the PC monitor simulataneously for other tasks is not desired).

Another option is to extend the desktop and drag the player over to the TV or otherwise configure so that it will open there somehow.

Yet another and possibly best option is to find a driver or player setting allowing for full-screen playback on the TV independent of the monitor (remaining in a Window if so desired). ATI calls their such driver option Theater Mode but I am not familiar with Nvidia. MPC will make use of TM but does not have an independent feature in lieu of the driver. PowerDVD, for one, does but I would not otherwise recommend it as a general player. You could check out VLC (not familar with recent releases).