What's this port on my X800XL?

[fustercluck]

Edited to the max! Please help.

I upgraded from a 9800 Pro to an X800XL, and i went to plug in my S-video cable into it, only to find it's a whole different thing. What is it? Is it S-video but needs a different type of cable or something? I think it looks like this one in the middle here

My S-Video cable only has 4 pins. What do i need to get and is the 11 pin s-video port any improvement over the 4 pin?

 

[Ackmed]

Its to hook up the component (and other) cables. They are in your link.

 

[fustercluck]

Ah, ok. Well why is it different? Is it an improvement (big or small?) over the original 4 pin Svideo? Mine didn't come with any cables, i'm wondering if it's worth it to go out and buy the right cables (what would i need?) so i can make it work. Mainly though i'm wondering if it's some kind of big improvment or if it's an improvement at all. Anyone have any idea? I don't have an HDTV or anything

By the way, i'm camping in this thread until i get my answers

 

[fustercluck]

Bumparoo (sorry, but i gotta leave soon)

I just want the best possible quality so i can see some things from my computer on my Television instead, without much quality loss. Any advice on what cables to get or anything?

Edit: Actually, I'm not even sure it IS s-video, though i assume it is. The Port has 11 tiny holes, all the same size, the one i linked to in the picture before was different, i updated it now, it looks like the one in that picture i linked to above i think

 

[Concillian]

Originally posted by: jacktackle
Ah, ok. Well why is it different?

It is different so that ATi can offer several different outpu options while maintaining only one connection, since space on the backplate is limited.

This way if you want S-video you hook up the S-video cable, if you want composite, you hook up the composite cable and if you want component, you hook up the component cable.

Why don't you have cables?
I bought the OEM version and still got all the cables in my x800XL.

 

[fustercluck]

Ok, well that's something. What different output options are there and is it better quality than the standard 4 pin S-video? Holy crap cables are confusing.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: jacktackle
Ok, well that's something. What different output options are there and is it better quality than the standard 4 pin S-video? Holy crap cables are confusing.

The quality of connections are like this

composite<<<<<s-video<component

Composite is the yellow video cable
S-video it sounds like you know about (usually black, 4 pins etc.)
Component is a red, green, and blue cable set

The big jump in quality comes from moving from composite to s-video. S-video to component doesn't get you much. The colors look a little better, but on an SD tv, it's not going to make much difference at all. Is this a SD or HDTV you're hooking up to?

If this is an SD set, I'd say don't bother with component because the cables are going to be kinda costly and you already have an s-video cable.

I think you're going to need to get that cable pictured in the set you linked to that has two black and two yellow connecitons on the end to get s-video out of the card if the s-video cable doesn't fit. If you don't have a VIVO card, I think an s-video cable should be able to plug into the card. Don't force it in if it's not working, but try to plug it in even if there are more holes than pins.

If you need the adapter that's shown in the picture, ATI has it in their accessory store.

 

[fustercluck]

Thanks for the help. So a 4 pin S-video cable should work in the port in the picture linked to above? I don't think it's going to go in there...I'll just put my 9800 Pro back in if it doesn't work, i don't want to buy a whole bunch of expensive cables that probably won't work anyways.

Oh, and i found my exact card here: X800XL

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: jacktackle
Thanks for the help. So a 4 pin S-video cable should work in the port in the picture linked to above? I don't think it's going to go in there...I'll just put my 9800 Pro back in if it doesn't work, i don't want to buy a whole bunch of expensive cables that probably won't work anyways.

If it's a VIVO card, I think you're going to need that $10 adapter. If it's a regular X800XL, I think an s-video cable will fit.

 

[Ackmed]

No it wont work, you need the adapter cable for S-Video. You should have gotten that even with a OEM card.

The cables are cheap. But really there is no need to hook up your video card to a TV, to me. Unless its a good HDTV, and then you will want component.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Yeah, that's a VIVO card, you're going to need that adapter.

 

[fustercluck]

Ok, thanks again, can i just buy those cables at circuit city or something?

No quality improvement at all then eh?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: jacktackle
Ok, thanks again, can i just buy those cables at circuit city or something?

No quality improvement at all then eh?

That's not a standard cable. You're going to need to get it from ATI or a manufacturer of ATI videocards I think.

Quality improvement between what?

 

[Ackmed]

I doubt CC will have them. Newegg would, and various others.

Im not sure what you are trying to do. Do you want to hook your PC up to your TV? If its not a high end TV, its going to look pretty crappy, with a very low res. What exactly are you trying to do?

 

[fustercluck]

Yeah it's PC to TV. It doesn't look too bad surprisingly, the color is sometimes off and there is tearing...and it's a little blurry, but it's pretty nice actually. It'll be a looong time before i can afford an HDTV - It gets the job done though, and is definitely something i need.

 

[SonicIce]

long live RF cables!

 

[fustercluck]

FizzUCK! I tried to put my 9800 Pro back in but it died...or was murdered. Anyways, i guess i'll have to buy some cable so i can use the S-video on my X800XL.

Is this the cable i need, yes or no...answer soon please: cable

Also will i need any kind of adapter or some other crap so i can hook it up to my TV or will my current 4 pin S-video somehow go through that and connect to my X800XL?

 

[fustercluck]

bumparoo would like to purchase, the sooner the better.

Any chance ATI will send the cables to me? How long might it take?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

That's the right cable. I hope you didn't spend too long looking for it since I gave you a direct link earlier to where you can buy it from ATI.

You should be able to plug a standard s-video cable into that adapter.

I'm not sure how long it would take for ATI vs. Chumbo to send it to you, but ATI is going to make you pay $10 too as I indicated above in case you're thinking they'd give you them for free.

 

[fustercluck]

Thanks again, are you up at all hours or what?

I noticed the one from the ATI site in your post earlier but the shipping cost is higher than the price of the thing. Looking closer at the BFG one, it doesn't look like it would work.

Edit: Alright! Must be my lucky day, i decided to try "freeship" in the promo box at the ATI site and it actually worked , heh, that's nice. Perhaps i'll post the code in the hot deals forum...maybe it's already known though

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Awesome.

I work at 5:30am and I went to bed right after signing out last night... time to get to the zoo

 

[fustercluck]

Thanks again for the help, i got the cable in the mail this morning, works like a charm. The picture is actually a little clearer as well, and there is no tearing, surprisingly. I had bad tearing before.