TV-Out question A8N-VM CSM

C

Carrot

Help please!

I got the new motherboard A8N-VM CSM which I want to use the TV-Out feature.
Couldn't find what this TV-Out module anywhere but found the AV/S TV-Out
module which for other ASUS motherboard such as A7N8X-VM. It seems the
TV-Out module looks the same module as the one listed in the A8N-VM CSM
manual. Anyway, I bought this TV-Out Module to try, but it can't seem to
detect my TV signal at all. Try different video driver already and also no
new BIOS to try. Anybody can help? Does anyone had any experience with this
TV-Out module or similar? Don't know whether this module really work with my
motherboard, but it does look the same.


Thanks,
Carrot
 
P

Paul

"Carrot" said:
Help please!

I got the new motherboard A8N-VM CSM which I want to use the TV-Out feature.
Couldn't find what this TV-Out module anywhere but found the AV/S TV-Out
module which for other ASUS motherboard such as A7N8X-VM. It seems the
TV-Out module looks the same module as the one listed in the A8N-VM CSM
manual. Anyway, I bought this TV-Out Module to try, but it can't seem to
detect my TV signal at all. Try different video driver already and also no
new BIOS to try. Anybody can help? Does anyone had any experience with this
TV-Out module or similar? Don't know whether this module really work with my
motherboard, but it does look the same.


Thanks,
Carrot

Video cards have "jack sensing". Your video output will be
enabled, when a loading is detected on the line.

If I was testing this on my computer, and could not get it
to work, I would grab a 75 ohm resistor, and connect it from
CVBS to GND. (I would solder a small connector and resistor
together to do this, so this would not be a good method for
everyone.) Then, bring up the Display control panel, and
see if two display devices are shown.

TV out will only work up to a limited resolution, like maybe
1024x768. This has to do with the maximum bandwidth that
baseband video supports, and the resulting inability to
display a useful image at higher resolutions. If you go to
the display control panel, and change the resolution to
800x600, you may find the video starts to work for you.

GPUs with multiple outputs, offer the option to operate
in "clone" mode, where both screens have the same resolution
and the same video output, or the outputs can be operated
separate from one another. My suggestion to switch to
800x600 is in case you are in clone mode, and the resolution
setting is being used for both screens. If the screens
are operated separate from one another, the resolution
should be individually programmable.

So, check that the cable is making good connections, that
the 5 pin header is seeing a load on at least one video
signal, switch the resolution to 800x600... and say
a prayer to the video gods :)

HTH,
Paul
 
C

Carrot

Hi Paul,


Thanks for your quick reply. Yes, you're right, may be too complicated to
use the resistor method.

For some reason, I tried to force detection tv out, it work now. Not sure
why, but now I got another problem.

I can output to the TV without any problem but the nView display mode
options only allow me to select "Single display", it doesn't give me any
option at all for Clone etc...
Do you know what could be wrong? Will it because it cannot detect the signal
still think it is only one display? that's why it didn't give me any option?
Even in Windows XP video setting usually had 2 monitor option to choose from
disappear as well.

I also tried different version of nvidia drivers, tv-out no problem, but
only single display.

Any help very much appreciated!


Thanks,
Carrot
 
P

Paul

"Carrot" said:
Hi Paul,


Thanks for your quick reply. Yes, you're right, may be too complicated to
use the resistor method.

For some reason, I tried to force detection tv out, it work now. Not sure
why, but now I got another problem.

I can output to the TV without any problem but the nView display mode
options only allow me to select "Single display", it doesn't give me any
option at all for Clone etc...
Do you know what could be wrong? Will it because it cannot detect the signal
still think it is only one display? that's why it didn't give me any option?
Even in Windows XP video setting usually had 2 monitor option to choose from
disappear as well.

I also tried different version of nvidia drivers, tv-out no problem, but
only single display.

Any help very much appreciated!


Thanks,
Carrot

The feature set of the 6150 is here:

http://www.nvidia.com/page/gpumobo_6150-430_features.html

If you click the link under "NVIDIA nView Multi-Display Technology"

http://www.nvidia.com/object/feature_nview.html

and "On-screen display setup"

the picture only shows dual CRT options ?

http://www.nvidia.com/object/display-config.html

In this thread, you can see the control panels are very complicated,
and it is hard to tell what options will work:

(From a search on "nview tv clone")
http://groups.google.ca/group/alt.c..._frm/thread/fe0b37baef77e410/3bc13bf599aa75ae

http://groups.google.ca/group/alt.c..._frm/thread/6e31f962903f65cc/97bd1f1577cd65a3

If you like instructional videos, I found one here (10MB):

http://www.nvidia.com/docs/io/2137/web03_multi_display.avi

The movies are listed on this page:

http://www.nvidia.com/object/nview_tutorials.html

Paul
 
C

Carrot

Hi Paul,


I read all the link you mention but doesn't seem to help. I just don't have
the option other then "Single Display". I reckon if the computer can't
detect the TV, it may not give you the option to choose different display
mode. Which back to the original problem, I can force to output to
television but just my computer not detect :(

Can you think of any other easy way other then using some resistor that you
mention before? Or point me the right direction if you think this is not the
problem.


Thanks,
Carrot
 
P

Paul

"Carrot" said:
Hi Paul,


I read all the link you mention but doesn't seem to help. I just don't have
the option other then "Single Display". I reckon if the computer can't
detect the TV, it may not give you the option to choose different display
mode. Which back to the original problem, I can force to output to
television but just my computer not detect :(

Can you think of any other easy way other then using some resistor that you
mention before? Or point me the right direction if you think this is not the
problem.


Thanks,
Carrot

I got out my P4C800-E with Nvidia FX5200 to do some
experiments. I use Win2K as the OS and am using a
slightly older driver for the FX5200 (61.xx series).
My FX5200 has DVI, VGA, and a SVHS video output connector.

First of all, I had never used more than one display output on
this FX5200. I went to the Display control panel, and
used Advanced. The first thing I had to do, was enable
Nview to work.

Now, down on the taskbar, is the Nview icon. If you access
the popup menu from the Nview icon, there was an option
that said "Install DualView". After I did that, and perhaps
a reboot, I had more capabilities. The option to "Install
DualView" seems to disappear after it has been "installed".

I found that with the TV connected, once the software detects
the presence of the TV, it doesn't continuously check for
the TV. At that point, I could disconnect the TV and the
software did not notice. However, if you select one of the
four modes, like Clone or Spanning, at that point the software
again seems to check for the presence of a display.

I could even fool it into seeing three display devices. My
17" LCD was on the VGA connector. The TV was connected to
the video card, via an SVHS to RCA adapter and 75 ohm cable.
To trick the card into seeing a third display, I connected
a DVI to VGA adapter, and to the VGA adapter I connected
a special, home made adapter, with termination resistors on
the R, G, and B outputs. The Nvidia software recognized this
as "Analog Display", because it could not query the display
with DDC.

With those three display options, I was offered four dual-display
combinations as potential outputs. If any of the cables are
removed, and a new display setting selected, the Nview software
then sees the hardware is missing and modifies the menu.

So, to help you, have you "installed DualView" from the Nview
icon on the taskbar ? Have you selected "Troubleshooting" from
the Nview left-hand-side menu, and requested forced detection
of TV ? That is about all I can suggest, to get more than
one display to show up as an option for cloning or spanning.

In clone mode, the software was smart. It allowed my primaty
display to run at 1280x1024, while the TV was running at
a resolution less than or equal to 1024x768. When using
spanning mode, the display resolution went to 1600x600,
equal to 2 x (800 x 600), and each display had an 800x600
portion of the screen. That was very cramped vertically. I
suppose I could have bumped up the resolution a bit more, but
didn't test it further.

HTH,
Paul
 
P

Paul

"lsho" said:
Hi Paul,


Are you able to tell me briefly how to make that resistor?


thanks,
Carrot

OK. The following device is connected to CVBSout and GND.
That is composite video, which would normally be connected
via an RCA connector.

Parts list - in an ideal world:

http://www.frontx.com/order_c.html

(1) CPX075-2 - this is a plastic holder, and is not the
same thing as a disk drive jumper. A disk drive
jumper is a short circuit and would be an overload.

http://www.frontx.com/cpx075_2_1.gif

(1) CPX076 - package of 10 female pins. You will need to
use 2 pins from this package of 10.
Brass colored end goes over the motherboard header,
tin colored end is where a resistor is crimped.

http://www.frontx.com/cpx076p1.gif

In Aus, I found this electronics business. I don't know what
their minimum order terms are.

http://au.farnell.com/jsp/home/homepage.jsp

A 75 ohm resistor, for example, like this one, is the last
part you need:

http://au.farnell.com/productimages/farnell/standard/42253825.jpg
http://au.farnell.com/jsp/endecaSearch/partDetail.jsp?SKU=770486&N=401

My problem is, I have a tough time finding the FrontX components,
in catalogs like the Farnell one. So, an alternative, is to
snip the connector, plus a bit of wire, from the end of a dead
computer case fan.

Snip the excess lead length off the resistor. You will only
need two adjacent pins in a three pin fan connector, so the
third wire, if one is present, can be cropped real short.

Strip the plastic insulation off of two adjacent wires.
(Wires separated by 0.1" distance.) If you expose about 1"
of bare wire, it should wrap pretty easily to one end of
the resistor. Snip the excess lead length off the ends of the
resistor, leaving only enough tinned lead on there, to hold
the wire you are wrapping on it. Affix electrical tape (black
vinyl) over the wires, so there is no danger of your
"project" touching anything on the motherboard. This is the
circuit you are building:

75 ohm
+------/\/\/\-------+
| resistor | <--- keep slack wire length short,
| | like 1" or less of slack wire
+------+ +---------+ on each side. Use tape to
| | cover the bare wire to
| | + avoid shorting.
| | |
--------- 3 pin female fan
| | connector, from an
|X X X | old motherboard fan.
---------- Cut off the third wire, if present.
\
^ ^ \____ the empty one doesn't connect
| | to anything.
| GND
|
CVBSout

If the small plastic index ribs on the fan header get in your
way, use a small file to grind them off. Do not attempt to
remove the unused third pin on the end of the housing, as you
may destroy the strength of the rest of the plastic.

For a home builder, the easiest way to strip the plastic off
the ends of the fan wires, is to use a razor blade. Place the
razor blade over the wire, and rotate the wire on your table,
while applying the razor blade. It takes a deft touch, to sever
the plastic, and not damage the wire inside. Take the wire in
hand, and pull on the plastic insulation, and it should slide
off, exposing the wire.

The result, should be a 75 ohm resistor, connected from CVBSout
to GND. A GPU, such as the Nvidia one on your motherboard, should
be able to detect the 75 ohm load, and it will assume the load is
caused by the baseband video input on a TV set.

As I said before, I cannot guarantee this will work, because
the actual issue could be a software or a BIOS one. The Nvidia
web site claims the chip supports multiple monitors, so in the
fullness of time, with BIOS and driver updates, it should
start to work.

If this test succeeds, and yet it doesn't work with the Asus
adapter you bought, the adapter pinout may not be correct for
this motherboard. That is a very remote possibility, as the
pinout is so simple, they could hardly screw it up.

HTH,
Paul
 
C

Carrot

Hi Paul,

Thank you so much for your detail explanation. Either way whether it work
for me or not, very much appreciated for your patient & time. Hopefully I
can help you or others in future.


Thanks again,
Carrot
 

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