S-Video with a GeForce 8400

[paragonconcept]

I'm trying to enable S-Video output so i can hookup my TV. I have the latest nVida 1.8 driver installed, but i can't seem to get it to detect an external tv. Any Ideas? I'll post my xorg.conf

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier     "Default Layout"
    Screen         "Default Screen" 0 0
    InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
    InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
EndSection

Section "Module"
    Load           "glx"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

    Identifier     "Keyboard0"
    Driver         "keyboard"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

    Identifier     "Mouse0"
    Driver         "mouse"
    Option         "Protocol" "auto"
    Option         "Device" "/dev/psaux"
    Option         "Emulate3Buttons" "no"
    Option         "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Configured Video Device"
    Driver         "nvidia"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Default Screen"
    Device         "Configured Video Device"
    Monitor        "Configured Monitor"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "NoLogo" "True"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
        Modes      "nvidia-auto-select"
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Extensions"
Option "Composite" "Enabled"
EndSection

[warp99]

Nvidia uses a non-standard connector for TV-out, it's a connector with 3 RCA outputs and an S-Video adapter. You have to make sure you have this connector or TV-out will not work.

Now you can just use a standard 4 pin S-Video cable, but you have to break off the little plastic guide pin in order for it to fit on the back of the video card. With this you'll only get video for x-server, no console mode. So your best bet is to have the special connector out for composite TV if you need console mode.

The only changes you need to make to your xorg.conf for TV is to add the following:

Section "Device"
        Option          "TVStandard" "NTSC-M"  <- or PAL
        Option          "MetaModes" "1024x768" <- or "800x600"
        Option          "UseDisplayDevice" "TV-0" <- TV only Display
        Option          "TVOutFormat" "COMPOSITE" <- or S-VIDEO
EndSection

If you want to run TV and a monitor or any other options information is available here:

ftp://download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Li...hapter-15.html

I had an awful time getting my nvidia 6200 TV port to work. I basically got the port to work first with an S-Video cable, a composite adapter, and setting the TVOutFormat option in xorg.conf to "S-VIDEO". Once the picture was established I switched over to the composite output on the connector, got a fuzzy picture, changed the TVOutFormat to "COMPOSITE", and rebooted the computer. Only at that point did the composite TV output, and more important console mode, finally work.

[paragonconcept]

I was able to get the TV to show something by using the S-Video connector.

I had been doing an S-Video to composite adapter. Switching to pure Svideo fixed it.

However, now this only shows the bios, and ubuntu splash screen. once X kicks in, it goes black.

When i goto nvidia-settings - it says the TV is disabled, and that i'd need to restart to give it its own X-Session. After X is restarted, the TV display option goes back to being disabled in nvidia settings.

Here is my new xorg.conf output:

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen 0 "Screen0" 0 0
Screen 1 "Screen1" RightOf "Screen0"
InputDevice "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
InputDevice "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "glx"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"

Option "Xinerama" "1"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

Identifier "Keyboard0"
Driver "keyboard"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

Identifier "Mouse0"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "auto"
Option "Device" "/dev/psaux"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "no"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor0"
VendorName "Unknown"
ModelName "STN SAMTRON"
HorizSync 30.0 - 85.0
VertRefresh 50.0 - 160.0
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor1"
VendorName "Unknown"
ModelName "TV-0"
HorizSync 28.0 - 55.0
VertRefresh 43.0 - 72.0
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Configured Video Device"
Driver "nvidia"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Device0"
Driver "nvidia"
VendorName "NVIDIA Corporation"
BoardName "GeForce 8400 GS"
BusID "PCI:2:0:0"
Screen 0
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Device1"
Driver "nvidia"
VendorName "NVIDIA Corporation"
BoardName "GeForce 8400 GS"
BusID "PCI:2:0:0"
Screen 1
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "Configured Video Device"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
DefaultDepth 24
Option "NoLogo" "True"
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "nvidia-auto-select"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"

Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Device0"
Monitor "Monitor0"
DefaultDepth 24
Option "TwinView" "0"
Option "metamodes" "CRT: 1280x1024_60 +0+0"
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"

Identifier "Screen1"
Device "Device1"
Monitor "Monitor1"
DefaultDepth 24
Option "TwinView" "0"
Option "TwinViewXineramaInfoOrder" "TV-0"
Option "metamodes" "TV: 640x480 +0+0"
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Extensions"
Option "Composite" "Enabled"
EndSection

[warp99]

Your xorg.conf file is a "mess". Here's a cleaned up version that should work.

Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier 	"Default Layout"
	Screen 0 	"Screen0" 
	Screen 1 	"Screen1" RightOf "Screen0"
	InputDevice 	"Generic KeyBoard" "CoreKeyboard"
	InputDevice 	"Mouse" "CorePointer"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
        Identifier      "Generic Keyboard"
        Driver          "kbd"
        Option          "XkbRules"      "xorg"
        Option          "XkbModel"      "pc104"
        Option          "XkbOptions"    "altwin:super_win"
        Option          "XkbLayout"     "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier 	"Mouse"
	Driver 		"mouse"
	Option 		"Protocol" "auto"
	Option 		"Device" "/dev/psaux"
	Option 		"Emulate3Buttons" "no"
	Option 		"ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier 	"Monitor0"
	VendorName 	"Unknown"
	ModelName 	"STN SAMTRON"
	HorizSync 	30.0 - 85.0
	VertRefresh 	50.0 - 160.0
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier 	"Monitor1"
	VendorName 	"Unknown"
	ModelName 	"TV-0"
        HorizSync 	30-50
        VertRefresh 	60
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier 	"Device0"
	Driver 		"nvidia"
	VendorName 	"NVIDIA Corporation"
	BoardName 	"GeForce 8400 GS"
	BusID 		"PCI:2:0:0"
	Option          "NoLogo" "True"
       Option          "TwinView"
        Screen          0
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier 	"Device1"
	Driver 		"nvidia"
	VendorName 	"NVIDIA Corporation"
	BoardName 	"GeForce 8400 GS"
	BusID 		"PCI:2:0:0"
        Option          "NoLogo" "True"
        Option          "TVStandard" "NTSC-M"
        Option          "TVOutFormat" "COMPOSITE"
        Screen          1
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier 	"Screen0"
	Device 		"Device0"
	Monitor 	"Monitor0"
	Option 		"metamodes" "CRT: 1280x1024_60 +0+0"
	SubSection 	"Display"
		Depth 24
	EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier 	"Screen1"
	Device 		"Device1"
	Monitor 	"Monitor1"
	Option 		"metamodes" "TV: 640x480 +0+0"
	SubSection 	"Display"
		Depth 24
	EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
        Option          "AIGLX" "True"
        Option          "Xinerama" "False"
EndSection

Section "Extensions"
	Option 		"Composite" "Enabled"
EndSection

[warp99]

After reading your post again you may need to change the following:

Option "TVOutFormat" "COMPOSITE"

to

Option "TVOutFormat" "S-VIDEO"

[paragonconcept]

My TV can handle composite, and i have those cables from nVidia. Is there any benefit to using that over s-video?

I'll give this a shot when i get home today.

Thanks

~Jack

[bmj2728]

S-Video is limited in it's actual resolution. I've heard varying numbers but it can't exceed 1280 X 720. It depends on what you intend to do with the TV as to whether it is worthwhile. If it's for watching internet video and DVDs then you'll bt fine with the S-Video. I have a Geforce 9500 GT and use the "HD out" connection from the S-Video. I get a max resolution of 1024 X 768 in Ubuntu, but with huge overscan issues, that are still a work in progress.

[warp99]

My TV can handle composite, and i have those cables from nVidia. Is there any benefit to using that over s-video?

S-Video is suppose to have better picture quality then composite out because of the way the signal is output, but the difference is not that noticeable, well at least not for me. I would use the output that gives you console mode and x-server. In other words TV picture from boot to desktop.

The real limiting factor is the resolution of analog TV (480 lines of interlaced horizontal resolution). This is why the card is set to a max of 1024x768 for that port. Anything higher is not going to make any difference.

[paragonconcept]

So i swapped out my xorg.conf for the one you posted, and changed composite to s-video.

I still don't get a picture when xorg is active.

I launched nvidia-settings to see if there was anything in there, and it's still set to disabled.

[paragonconcept]

I unplugged my Monitor and it worked....

Is there something i need to do so i can mirror them?