G400 Tv-out: can 4 pin s-video be connected to 7 pin?

[Spek]

Hi,

My question if very simple, but i couldn't find an answer for it here or anywhere else on the net.

Can the standard 4 pin s-video cable be used to connect the TV with the original g400 tv-out cable, which is 7 din?

A moderator at the matrox techforum said he "thought" it should be possible, but i'm not sure. Anyone tried it?

And if it can, why can't the original g450 tv-out cable (which is a 4 pin) be used for the G400? (except for the fact you wouldn't be able to make use of the RGB output then).


Spek

[Peter Aragon]

Sure it will work...
Good luck,
Peter

[Spek]

I just heared from someone who owns one that it indeed does work, BUT you will only have a black&white screen!

A solution is to use the composite part of the cable to, and then you will have colour too.

Now part of why i'm asking this is, is because i have a G450 but wanted to get a G400 instead because of its proclaimed superb tv-out.
I am not sure whether i'll go through the hassle of making a HD15>scart RGB output cable, so my question now is: will the quality of the G400 tv-out using the above mentioned setup (with the composite&s-video cables) still be better, or just as good as the g450 tv-out with S-video cable only (or perhaps be worse)?


Spek

[Peter Aragon]

Well, I don't know what kind of TV he got, but I'm using a normal 4 pin S-VHS cable for it. If your tv got an S-VHS input connector, you should get color. I'm using a JVC Video recorder for it, so I can also watch a movie in the bedroom TV (through the video channel on the cable)
It is only black and white when I use it on a converter to SCART. Then you will need the composite cinch to add the color. The output quality is not noticibly worse than using the S-VHS input.

[Spek]

Originally posted by Peter Aragon
Well, I don't know what kind of TV he got, but I'm using a normal 4 pin S-VHS cable for it. If your tv got an S-VHS input connector, you should get color. I'm using a JVC Video recorder for it, so I can also watch a movie in the bedroom TV (through the video channel on the cable)
It is only black and white when I use it on a converter to SCART. Then you will need the composite cinch to add the color. The output quality is not noticibly worse than using the S-VHS input.

You're right. I've now also heard from someone else it works fine, unless you use a s-shs>scart, where in the scart not all pins are connected.

Thanks dude!

Spek

[Maggi]

Originally posted by Spek
I just heared from someone who owns one that it indeed does work, BUT you will only have a black&white screen!

in that case the TV is configured to use FBAS/Composite input only and not set (or maybe not able) to run in S-video mode (Y/C)

reason behind it is that the FBAS/Composite line is the same line that is used for the luminance signal (Y) in an s-video environment and therefore you only get a b/w picture