The TV-screen only shows b/w! Why???

[Leviathan]

A friend of mine has a laptop (Toshiba) which only displays b/w on the TV-screen when connected to the TV-out port on the computer. There shouldn’t be any technical problem with either the TV or the computer cause they’re both quite new. So, if you’ve had this problem, please, help me. Thanks.

I will be grateful for information regarding problems with s-video/composite cables and system configurations, but write down anything that can be valuable. (No need telling me to check if I use the correct standard though.)

//Leviathan

[The PIT]

It would be nice to have some further info. Like what hardware is being used etc. Sadly someone stolen our crystal balls so trouble shooting isn't as easy as it used to be.

[Wombat]

You sure everything is set up correctly for PAL? That happens sometimes when something is trying to operate in NTSC.

[Leviathan]

The info I've given you is sadly everyting I know at this moment cause i haven't seen the computer yet. However, the reason for this thread was mainly to make it easier for me to find what's wrong when i get there. I already know that there may be just a simple problem with the pal/ntsc config, but I can't be sure... So I think it's better to be prepared for the worst. Maybe not the best way to solve problems, but better than nothing.

Thanks.

//Leviathn

[Ribbit]

Check the settings on the TV. It might have a bunch of different options for using the S-Video port. I've seen this myself, I just can't remember what the right option was.

Try pulling out any SCART leads as well. For some TVs, the S-Video input option is the same as a SCART input option.

[TnT]

I think this is caused by incorrect settings in the TV-Out configuration.

[KvHagedorn]

Any number of things could cause this.. poor signal if it's an antenna, defective svideo cable or jack, TV-out configuration, defective card.. try to eliminate the easy things first.

[Ribbit]

OK, I had a quick look at our Sony. I remember setting it to "AV2" (S-Video port or 2nd SCART socket) gave a black-and-white image from a laptop. Setting it to "YC2" instead fixed this. I think it just reads colour information from different wires. Hope this helps.

[Leviathan]

Thanks guys!
I really appreciate all your help!

The thing Ribbit wrote is the kind of info I'm looking for. Has anyone encountered scimilar problem with a Toshiba?

//Leviathan

[dZeus]

If you've hooked up with s-video through scart, you'll need to check the tv manual wether s-video input is supported on which scart socket (in case of multiple inputs on the tv), and how to enable it.

if that's sorted out, and you still get b&w, be sure to check PAL/NTSC settings for tv-out.

[Goc]

There are also different kinds of S-video cables around. To be more precise, different connectors. I think there are 4, 6, 8 and 9 pin versions. Don't know which is the standard one, but I've seen at least three of them on different VGA cards.
Pinout for different connectors is of course different, so in a certain combination you get a B/W picture on TV without a chance to change it to colour with settings on your VGA card or your TV. Only solution is to get the proper cable...
I've had this problem with few Radeon cards (manufacturer unknown) that used some exotic mini-din connector. I couldn't find a proper cable anywhere I looked and was forced to use SVHS->composite converter that came with the card to get colour output.

[Ribbit]

BTW, the Sony I referred to above was the TV, which is where the AV2, YC2, etc. settings were. The laptop in question was a Dell, and all we had to do there was turn the TV-out on. Just so everyone's clear.