How do I get better resolution on my HDTV using my ATI 9700 computer video card?
Jeremy H asked:
Ok, Here is what I got. I have an ATI Radeon 9700 video card, in a computer that I built using spare parts from my friends Alienware. I have it hooked up via S-Video cable to my TV which is a Samsung 50” LCD HDTV. My problem is that even though I am running the latest drivers, the resolution on my TV image (which is a clone of my desktop) is just terrible. I have a friend with a RCA LCD 52” hooked up in much the same way ( except he uses VGA, an option I don’t have), but his picture is crystal clear. Is there a setting I can change to repair this? Or is my friends LCD just a better TV for this type of connection? Or are my dreams of having as crystal clear 50” HD image to play Call of Duty 3 on just a bit too lofty? Should I try to upgrade to Vista (grrr) or just stick with XP Pro? Any advice, good or bad, would be much appreciated. Thank you!!
I mentioned that my TV is a Samsung LCD, it is actually a DLP… if that affects anything
also my TV runs at 720p… I have a converter piece to transfer S-video to regular video cable… I assume that won’t help. ATI sells a piece that I can attach to my VGA output to transfer to component output, $30…. worth it?
Ok, Here is what I got. I have an ATI Radeon 9700 video card, in a computer that I built using spare parts from my friends Alienware. I have it hooked up via S-Video cable to my TV which is a Samsung 50” LCD HDTV. My problem is that even though I am running the latest drivers, the resolution on my TV image (which is a clone of my desktop) is just terrible. I have a friend with a RCA LCD 52” hooked up in much the same way ( except he uses VGA, an option I don’t have), but his picture is crystal clear. Is there a setting I can change to repair this? Or is my friends LCD just a better TV for this type of connection? Or are my dreams of having as crystal clear 50” HD image to play Call of Duty 3 on just a bit too lofty? Should I try to upgrade to Vista (grrr) or just stick with XP Pro? Any advice, good or bad, would be much appreciated. Thank you!!
I mentioned that my TV is a Samsung LCD, it is actually a DLP… if that affects anything
also my TV runs at 720p… I have a converter piece to transfer S-video to regular video cable… I assume that won’t help. ATI sells a piece that I can attach to my VGA output to transfer to component output, $30…. worth it?
December 12th, 2008 at 11:50 pm
First of all, I would recommend making your computer’s video resolution the same as the native resolution of your TV. Generally the resolutions are 1280×720 for a 720p TV and 1920×1080 for a 1080i/p TV. If you using a different resolution your TV is having to scale its display to match that resolution. Another thing I would try: use component video cables or DVI to connect to your TV, if that is an option on your video card/TV. They will provide a higher quality picture than your s-video cable.
December 16th, 2008 at 1:06 am
Your problem is the S-Video connection. this is stuck at a 480i connection as that is the S-Video standard.
Your TV has to have a better way to connect to qualify as HD. You may need to get a video card that has a suitable output to match the TV’s input. You will get the best picture from a DVI - DVI link, or HDMI to DVI, if your TV has DVI or HDMI inputs.
Do not upgrade to Vista, it is a video hog and a resource hog in general. It is also rather flakey.