PC/TV/Monitor Connection...

[Duzaki]

Equipment Involved:

* HP Pavilion Slimline s5257c-b (PC)

* HP 2009m (Monitor)

* Sony KDL-32M3000 32" BRAVIA LCD HDTV (TV)

* Galaxy 84GFE6HDFEXN GeForce 8400 GS (512MB 64-bit GDDR2 PCI Express x16 Low Profile Ready Video Card)

* 50ft VGA SVGA M/M Monitor Cable with 3.5mm Audio (Video + Audio Cable)

* DVI Cable

* VGA Cable

Hey mates, I'm stuck in a bit of a problem.:wut: I wanted to connect my PC to my HDTV and my monitor. In order to do that I bought a Galaxy 8400 GS video card and connected it to my HP Slimline Pavilion. I connected the monitor in the video card's DVI slot and it's been working wonderfully. So, I then proceeded to order a VGA + 3.5mm RCA audio cable because now the VGA slot in PC was free. I asked the seller if this exact wire would work beforehand and I was told it would. When I connected the VGA + RCA wire to the PC's VGA slot and the VGA PC slot in the HDTV, it did not work!!! :ablow: This is when both the VGA + RCA and DVI cables were connected. Well, I tried my original VGA cable, that came with the monitor, with the TV and it worked. But, this was when the DVI cable wasn't connected. So, I then tried the VGA + RCA cable without DVI plugged in and it still didn't work! :badmood: What might be the problem here, mates? Am I just wasting money here? Are there any settings that need to be changed? Any help would be great, need it desperately, mates! :please:

[bashar]

using NVIDIA control

try to enter setting multiple screens and see if the pc recognize the two screen at once (while both are connected )

[Duzaki]

Unfortunately, that didn't work, mate. :( It only detects the monitor that's plugged into the video card.

[bashar]

maybe the driver you are using are old , have you tried to update ur video card drivers ?!

[Duzaki]

Well, when I go under programs and features; these NVIDIA programs are listed:

NVIDIA Display Control Panel - Product Version: 6.14.12.5896

NVIDIA Drivers - Product Version: 1.10.62.40

NVIDIA PhysX - Product Version: 9.10.0224

NVIDIA PureVideo Decoder - Product Version: 1.00.0000

NVIDIA Stereoscopic 3D Driver - Product Version: 7.17.12.5896

As far as which drivers I downloaded and installed; it was NVIDIA GeForce Drivers 258.96 for Windows 7 x64. :(

[shought]

So you have this: on-board video card which has VGA output and 8400GS with HDMI output and you connect both of these (one with your monitor and one with your TV)?

I think you need to have both of them on the same video card... So maybe buy a splitter for either one of them (VGA or HDMI).

The video card doesn't have two connectors, or does it? If it does all you need is a HDMI to VGA converter (this might cause a slight quality loss, depending on the product you buy) and connect your monitor to that and the PC to the other HDMI connector.

[Duzaki]

Actually, there is no HDMI slot. I mean the TV has it but, in the given PC slot. Also, the video card only has VGA, DVI and S-Video. Since it's a low profile card, I had to take out the VGA connection. I was then left with DVI and S-Video. I wanted to connect my monitor with the DVI slot. The original VGA slot on the PC was then empty. I wanted to use that empty slot and connect it to the TV. So, for the PC to TV connection, the TV only supports VGA. I don't know if this might help but, the new cable that I bought wasn't like a normal VGA cable that comes with monitors. It wasn't blue, it was black. And it had 2, much bigger connectors on both ends. The pin count was right though and it did fit...:unsure:

[shought]

The problem here is (I think):

You are trying:

PC:

--> On-board --> Monitor

--> 8400GS --> TV

And I think it has to be:

PC:

8400GS --> Monitor & TV

or

On-board --> Monitor & TV

-----

Are these the connectors you can see?

http://www.expreview.com/img/news/071018/d8m.jpg

One blue rectangle (VGA), one black round (S-Video) and one white rectangle (DVI).

You should only use the connectors from your 8400GS.

Edit: I just understand you 'took out' the VGA connection, how is that even possible? Then you'll need a S-Video to VGA converter, I guess.

Edit 2: Seems these connectors cost quite a bit... I haven't been able to find one under a hundred dollars. Maybe try to reattach the VGA connection or something?

[Duzaki]

I am actually trying to do the reverse:

PC:

--> On-board --> TV (VGA)

--> 8400GS --> Monitor (DVI)

It is that exact same card in the picture but, there's no VGA slot because I installed a low profile bracket or the card would not have fit into the PC at all. :( The VGA slot is just hanging inside the PC now...But, I think I understand what you mean. Both the connections have to be in the same place. But then, what's the use of the actual PC VGA slot?! After installing a video card, is that useless?! Or...I don't know if it's possible; what if there's a way to enable the the video card + the integrated video and then the VGA slot might work? Other then these slots, there's only that S-Video slot. I don't know if it's possible to get a S-Video to VGA converter. :s

EDIT: If I connect the VGA back to the video card, then I can't use the DVI/S-Video slots...I'd have to disconnect those. :(

EDIT 2: What if I connect the VGA back and disconnect the DVI/S-Video, then try doing what I was before? I mean, connect either the monitor or the TV into the PC's VGA slot and connect the other one into the video card? What do ya think, mates? Would it work?! :w00t:

[shought]

Yep, you got what I was saying (doesn't matter which way around you're trying).

Indeed I do not think it is possible to use two different 'sources' for your video output.

As I edited in my previous post, these converters are quite costly, so it seems.

-----

You're saying the VGA slot is just 'hanging there', does this mean it is still connected, but it's not in its 'usual' place? If so all you'd have to do is create some kind of opening in your case to fit the VGA cable in and connect it. (If you can remove the side/back panel you could use a hammer and a nail(or anything else that ends up leaving a hole somewhere :P) to make a hole and then just fit the cable in there; connect the VGA cable (inside your PC) and then all you need is a tiny hole to fit the cable part, not the whole connector.)

[Duzaki]

I don't really wanna make holes in my PC, mate, lol. But, what do you think about the solution I mentioned above? Think that'll work? Some hope? :) Maybe? :unsure: Not at all? :(

[shought]

I don't really wanna make holes in my PC, mate, lol. But, what do you think about the solution I mentioned above? Think that'll work? Some hope? :) Maybe? :unsure: Not at all? :(

There's always hope, but don't count on it to work...

I think it should be possible to use both video cards, but I have no idea as to how.

-----

You do manually 'remove' the VGA slot from your newly bought video card but making a tiny hole in your PC case is where you draw the line? :P Makes no sense to me :unsure:

-----

A splitter was my second suggestion: pick one connector which fits both the TV and the monitor and use a splitter to 'copy' the signal, this would mean you'd have to use the same resolution on both (so you might have some black bars on either the TV or the monitor).

[Duzaki]

No, no! It's a low profile video card, mate! :lol: You can/are supposed to remove one of the connections if it doesn't fit in the Slimline PC. You simply take off the longer bracket that is supported by hex screws, replace it with a shorter bracket, that has less slots in it and screw it back in! ^_^ The only bad thing about that is you have to choose which ones to keep instead of all of them. :( The low profile cards aren't that common though and most people don't use Slimline PCs, so I guess that's why you were a bit confused about what I said, lol.

EDIT: Splitter? :huh: Is it possible to split VGA or DVI??

[shought]

No, no! It's a low profile video card, mate! :lol: You can/are supposed to remove one of the connections if it doesn't fit in the Slimline PC. You simply take off the longer bracket that is supported by hex screws, replace it with a shorter bracket, that has less slots in it and screw it back in! ^_^ The only bad thing about that is you have to choose which ones to keep instead of all of them. :( The low profile cards aren't that common though and most people don't use Slimline PCs, so I guess that's why you were a bit confused about what I said, lol.

EDIT: Splitter? :huh: Is it possible to split VGA or DVI??

I see... It's supposed to be like that.

Still a little odd :P

Anyway yeah there are (splitters), but as I said the drawback is a possible quality loss and some black bars on either the TV or the monitor (due to the aspect ratios not being the same). Also there could be a problem with the resolution (if your TV doesn't automatically upscale the resolution, which it should do, I believe (but am not sure)).

VGA splitters are a cheap as 5 dollar...

[Duzaki]

Are you talking about this?:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Y-SPLITTER-CABLE-SVGA-VGA-1-PC-2-MONITOR-9658-/400131445081?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5d29b15159

Coded because I don't remember if it's okay to post live links, lol. If I were to get that, then I can basically connect the VGA slot back into the video card, attach the splitter, and then attach both the monitor and TV wires into the splitter? :huh:

[shought]

Live links are fine, as long as they don't go to illegal material (sharecodes are to be used for those ;)).

Yep, a cable like that and it would work like you just described.

[Duzaki]

Well, what if I want to use the DVI slot, since DVI is supposed to be better then VGA:

1. Keep the DVI/S-Video slots connected into the video card.

2. Buy this: DVI Splitter

3. Connect this wire with the video card.

4. Buy this: DVI/VGA Adapter

5. Connect the DVI side to one of the DVI wires from the splitter.

6. Connect the VGA cable on the other side of the adapter and connect it to the TV.

7. In the other splitter wire, connect the monitor DVI cable.

Whew...what do ya think? :lol:

EDIT: Btw, thanks for the info., mate. :)

[shought]

DVI is not better than VGA, in my experience ;)

VGA might suffer from interference, but my mate got a DVI cable as well and the quality was just poor (it depends a lot on your video card), VGA was better.

Anyhow what you just suggested could, probably, work, but remember: the more connectors, splitters, converters and such you add the more quality you loose, in the end.

I'd go for 2x VGA and see if the quality is any good (since the cable is like a dollar, lol :P) and if it's not try DVI and then notice the quality sucks even more and use VGA again :rolleyes:

No problem :)

Edit: come to think of it my mate might've been using a converter of some kind, so maybe DVI is better... Just buy both, lol :P

[Duzaki]

All right, I'm gonna have to try all these things next week. Going to be a bit busy. I'll post my results here. Hopefully, everything will work out in the end, mate. Thanks for the help, again. :)

EDIT: :lol: That's what I was thinking. Just buy both and try and see if anything works out. :)

EDIT 2: Wait a sec! Are these the right cables? I was just looking at the pins of this DVI splitter and this one as well, it's clearer. There are these 4 holes with 1 slit/line in the middle, on the right side. When I look at the the main DVI connection that splits it, I don't see any pins that go into that spot. Maybe it's just me. I'm not really sure. :huh:

EDIT 3: Hmm...I'm starting to get a feeling that maybe, just maybe this 50ft wire is messed up. I'll connect my monitor VGA wire (which worked) and connect the DVI as well, then I'll see if it works. If that works then, I'll just need some sort of VGA extension cable since the original is really short, lol.

[LeetPirate]

The connector without the 4 pins around the dash is not DVI, it is DMS 59 port which is basically 2 DVI ports packed tightly into 1 physical port. No DVI cable can fit into that port so do NOT buy that splitter unless your video card has that non standard port, it won't work. Ironically the video cards that come with the DMS59 port also come with a DMS59 to dual DVI splitter cable because those cards need that cable even if you only plan to use 1 monitor. The video cards with the DMS 59 port are the ones capable of dual monitor outputs like what you want to accomplish.

There is no possible way to enable onboard video plus the discrete video card, sure they just recently introduced hybrid crossfire and hybrid SLi but even those modes don't do what you want to accomplish.

Try some of the older drivers, like the super old ones and if you configure multiple displays in the settings. Start from the top of the list, if you still have no success then maybe your card is not capable of dual monitor setup.

http://www.nvidia.com/object/win7_winvista_64bit_186.18_whql.html
http://www.nvidia.com/object/win7_winvista_64bit_190.38_whql.html
http://www.nvidia.com/object/win7_winvista_64bit_190.62_whql.html
http://www.nvidia.com/object/win7_winvista_64bit_191.07_whql.html
http://www.nvidia.com/object/win7_winvista_64bit_195.62_whql.html
http://www.nvidia.com/object/win7_winvista_64bit_196.21_whql.html
http://www.nvidia.com/object/win7_winvista_64bit_197.13_whql.html
http://www.nvidia.com/object/win7_winvista_64bit_197.45_whql.html

[Duzaki]

Well, I was really eager to try out some of the methods mentioned above, so I started out today instead of next week, screw all the other things I had to do, lol! :) And, I mostly met with failure. :( But, there are still some options left. :dance2: Thanks for telling me about the difference between the cables, Leet, mate or I would have bought that one already. :cheers: As far as trying the drivers you mentioned; I did try each and everyone of those just now and none of them seemed to work. :( I know, I can make it work with the video card's disconnected VGA slot, by making a hole in PC, as mentioned by our mate shought above but, I'd still keep that as my last option. ^_^ I found one more cable just now that might be able to work: DVI-I (M) to VGA & DVI-D 2 ports (F) Splitter Cable

What do you think about this cable, mates? Other then this cable, I seem to only have one other option left, to get some sort of S-Video to VGA cable/adapter. :think:

[shought]

It could... Who knows whether it will or not.

I'd go for making a small hole in your case though :rolleyes:

[Duzaki]

Mate, if I were to do that, how do you suggest I go about it? :huh: As in, what tools? A drill?

[LeetPirate]

Forget drilling the case, just leave the side panel open. LOL :D

Call Jason-X he has a knife that can magically cut trough steel titanium alloys. :P

[shought]

I don't know what kind of material your case is built out of nor what kind of tools you have, but I would obviously first try this out with the side panel removed to see if it actually works :P

Afterwards you can start thinking about how to make a hole ;)