Laptop AV out

[Paddy]

I have loads of old TV recorded as AVI files. I can watch them on my laptop, but it would be nice to output it to the TV if possible. There is a 3.5mm minijack port for S/PDIF but I dont have a suitable cable to see what the audio would be like from that. Any suggestions?

My laptop has USB, firewire, VGA, and a HP expansion port3 (whatever that is), 1xPCMCIA.

Cheers guys

[ZokesPro]

It doesn't have an s-video out? What's your laptop Paddy?

[Paddy]

No it doesn't. I didn't think of checking before i bought it.

It's a HP Pavilion 6174ea

[ZokesPro]

Is it the dv6174ea? Cause if i do a search for the same model without the dv it comes up as a desktop.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericDocument?docname=c00777686&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en&jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN

Seems to have one but if you say it doesn't then you can probably pick up a vga to s-video converter.

[Paddy]

yeah it is the DV sorry

Yeah, you are right. It does say S-video. that is the right model... where the hell is it!

[Paddy]

Doh!!!!! found it... i thought that was ps2

oops!

[Paddy]

Do you know what s/pdif cable i'd need? My amp has optical and phono inputs.

[Paddy]

Is a cable a cable?

There is one here...

[gt40]

That's an s-video connector.
s/pdif could be an optical toslink or RCA connection.
In the case of an RCA connector you could use just a regular audio cable, but it is not recommended for longer runs. I have used regular RG59 or RG6 cable with proper terminators.
you will just need to verify your amp as an optical input with an RCA connector.

[az]

No idea about the video cable, but the audio cable you'd need is one like this. A digital cable is a digital cable, quality-wise, so just buy the cheapest. You need sn S/PDIF cable with TOSLINK on one side (to the AV) and 3.5 mm minijack on the other (notebook SPDIF/headphone socket), and probably activate SPDIF somewhere in the drivers.

[gt40]

what Az said, missed the part about it having a 3.5 mm connector.
D'oh!

[Jammrock]

Doh!!!!! found it... i thought that was ps2

oops!

I always explain to my cliens that that port is video out, not PS/2. You can either plug an s-video cable directly into it, or get a breakout box. SOmething like this:

http://dpreview-cnet.com.com/PNY_HDTV_Video_Breakout_box_S_Video_composite_component_cable_5_ft/4014-3105_9-31973522.html?tag=coco&

Jammrock

[ZokesPro]

Doh!!!!! found it... i thought that was ps2

oops!

That solves it!

[gt40]

I'm wondering if that 1/8 plug is an electical or optical output?
Either could be used for S/PDIF

[az]

They are almost always optical. I don't even know if they exist in electric. They are ordinary headphone sockets, but at the far end is a laser diode or whatever generates the red light for TOSLINK. The plugs are plastic with a clear tip.