s-video port

cvitullo · 02-20-2008, 07:38 PM

I have a Dell Inspiron 1505. there's an s-video port on the back, and i've been wondering if it's input or output.
i've asked a few people, and i keep getting different responses. people in radio shack, best buy and circuit city say it's input, but people on the interweb say it's output.
i'd like to find out, i have a few things i'd like to use it for.

edit: i've checked it against s-video ports on TVs, and it looks like it's the same thing. that's what got me started wondering around a year ago.

**TriggerFinger** · 02-21-2008, 12:08 PM

check this out...

given that, i think both answers are correct... it is for input and output... input if you want to attach it to a DVD player and output if you want to use a projector or TV.

the difference is in the pin configuration for both input and output.

cvitullo · 02-21-2008, 01:47 PM

sweet, but i'd still need some kind of video input software, and my searches for that haven't given me anything.

mrbenjamin · 02-21-2008, 03:24 PM

The S-video is normaly totally run but the graphics card. what graphics card does your laptop have? i have used mine on my laptop mainly for connecting it to my main tv downstairs ( for watching vidoes off my laptop on the tv) it not software based at all its all dependent on what your laptops graphics card is set to do. (if your outputing). i havent tryed useing a device such as a dvd player on my laptop yet so cant really help you there. also make sure if you do try and input devices to your laptop is that the fequencys of the dispay is correct. i rember in the past if u try and use something that isnt compatible with your device it can cause dammage to the screen and things like that. but most of todays moddern devices and support multipul frequencys.

hope this helps you at all

ben

**TriggerFinger** · 02-21-2008, 09:16 PM

yup mrbenjamin is right... if ever you use it as a monitor for a dvd player make sure it is compatible with what you are connecting it to. Some say you get pixelated images or videos if ever the graphics card has some incompatibilities with the source device. Unless your laptop does not come with a DVD optical drive, which I doubt, why use an external player? For me, nothing beats watching DVDs on a big screen TV.

The best thing to do is to check your laptop's manuals or users guide from the manufacturer's website. That way you can be sure what's possible and what's not with your unit.

cvitullo · 02-22-2008, 12:47 PM

actually, it's to play gamecube on a bus ride :D
i have an intel gm945 graphics card. :(

i lost the manuals (two years old), and the dell website hasn't been particularly friendly to me. i can't find anything i need.

**TriggerFinger** · 02-22-2008, 12:55 PM

do you know the service tag number? post it here may be i can help you.

cvitullo · 08-27-2008, 01:38 PM

Hmm, just re-found this, i'm going to continue the conversation as if there weren't a 6 month gap in posts, just in case anybody still wants to help.

Service tag is B3187B1.

02-20-2008, 07:38 PM	#1 (permalink)
cvitullo Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 58 OS: XP/Vista SP1/7/Ubuntu 8.10	s-video port I have a Dell Inspiron 1505. there's an s-video port on the back, and i've been wondering if it's input or output. i've asked a few people, and i keep getting different responses. people in radio shack, best buy and circuit city say it's input, but people on the interweb say it's output. i'd like to find out, i have a few things i'd like to use it for. edit: i've checked it against s-video ports on TVs, and it looks like it's the same thing. that's what got me started wondering around a year ago. Last edited by cvitullo; 02-20-2008 at 07:40 PM.

02-21-2008, 12:08 PM	#2 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,144 OS: Windows 7 Beta, Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: s-video port check *this* out... given that, i think both answers are correct... it is for input and output... input if you want to attach it to a DVD player and output if you want to use a projector or TV. the difference is in the pin configuration for both input and output. Last edited by TriggerFinger; 02-21-2008 at 12:26 PM.

02-21-2008, 01:47 PM	#3 (permalink)
cvitullo Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 58 OS: XP/Vista SP1/7/Ubuntu 8.10	Re: s-video port sweet, but i'd still need some kind of video input software, and my searches for that haven't given me anything.

02-21-2008, 03:24 PM	#4 (permalink)
mrbenjamin Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 15 OS: Windows Xp sp2/ Vista Ultmate(diff comps)	Re: s-video port The S-video is normaly totally run but the graphics card. what graphics card does your laptop have? i have used mine on my laptop mainly for connecting it to my main tv downstairs ( for watching vidoes off my laptop on the tv) it not software based at all its all dependent on what your laptops graphics card is set to do. (if your outputing). i havent tryed useing a device such as a dvd player on my laptop yet so cant really help you there. also make sure if you do try and input devices to your laptop is that the fequencys of the dispay is correct. i rember in the past if u try and use something that isnt compatible with your device it can cause dammage to the screen and things like that. but most of todays moddern devices and support multipul frequencys. hope this helps you at all ben

02-21-2008, 09:16 PM	#5 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,144 OS: Windows 7 Beta, Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: s-video port yup mrbenjamin is right... if ever you use it as a monitor for a dvd player make sure it is compatible with what you are connecting it to. Some say you get pixelated images or videos if ever the graphics card has some incompatibilities with the source device. Unless your laptop does not come with a DVD optical drive, which I doubt, why use an external player? For me, nothing beats watching DVDs on a big screen TV. The best thing to do is to check your laptop's manuals or users guide from the manufacturer's website. That way you can be sure what's possible and what's not with your unit.

02-22-2008, 12:47 PM	#6 (permalink)
cvitullo Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 58 OS: XP/Vista SP1/7/Ubuntu 8.10	Re: s-video port actually, it's to play gamecube on a bus ride :D i have an intel gm945 graphics card. :( i lost the manuals (two years old), and the dell website hasn't been particularly friendly to me. i can't find anything i need.

02-22-2008, 12:55 PM	#7 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,144 OS: Windows 7 Beta, Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: s-video port do you know the service tag number? post it here may be i can help you.

08-27-2008, 01:38 PM	#8 (permalink)
cvitullo Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 58 OS: XP/Vista SP1/7/Ubuntu 8.10	Re: s-video port Hmm, just re-found this, i'm going to continue the conversation as if there weren't a 6 month gap in posts, just in case anybody still wants to help. Service tag is B3187B1.