Tv Out

[shillbert]

I've been lurking for quite a while but keeping a watchful eye on the Pandora progress. I am definitely going to order one but have thought of a question that I haven't seen any discussion of.

My Current TV has no S-Video input and I'd rather not use composite on a 1080p screen as I'm sure it will look horrendous (Wii via component isn't too nice)

Can the Pandora only output S-Video or composite? Would it be possible to get an alternative output, e.g. scart or HDMI?

Many thanks for any help on this.

PS Big thanks to the Pandora team this is my most anticipated piece of hardware in years.

Ian

 

[Mjlink]

I'm wondering when TV-Out cables will ship & be supported by the OS.

Peace & Pandora,

Link

 

[Prometheus]

It can only output S-Video or composite, yes. This is because the chipset more-or-less provides this "for free".

Regarding HDMI or whatever else, my understanding is that this isn't possible because the stuff you would use for those is used for the Pandora's own display.

 

[shillbert]

I suppose I could always get an S-Video to VGA converter, I'll wait and see what the composite output looks like 1st.

I'm jumping the gun a bit really as I haven't ordered a Pandora yet.

2nd batch can't come quick enough for me.

 

[typs lik dis]

Why don't you order one from the first batch? I believe there's a queue of people waiting to get in on it.

 

[shillbert]

Are there still 1st batch available?

 

[foft]

Few words on Scart... Scart can carry either RGB or S-video or Composite. Composite is rubbish and RGB/S-video are very close. Complication is the TVs support for the different inputs varies. e.g. my TV takes RGB/composite on one input, S-video/composite on another input and composite only on a third input.

Anyway the point being you are after something better like scart when it already has the signals for one decent version of scart...

 

[Prometheus]

As per what foft says, if your TV can handle it, an adapter like this (ignore Maplin's appalling price - you can get them for a couple of pounds elsewhere, and even Aldi sells them bundled with a huge wad of several metres of other types of cabling and adapters for £6.99 for the bunch) would probably be the way to go.

 

[shillbert]

I don't profess to be an expert on video outputs but 10+ years ago I tried to get an S-video to Scart adaptor for my CRT and I couldn't find one.

As far as I could tell it was because the S-Video device only put out Luminance & Chrominance not the required RGB.

I'm sure the above adaptor will only output composite via the scart.

 

[Prometheus]

The above adaptor has an S-Video socket on it.

 

[shillbert]

When all is said and done TV out is not a deal breaker, I still want a Pandora.

 

[Mr B]

I got an identical item to the one Promie linked to. I'm using it to feed a rgb scart signal(VHS, used as TV tuner) to a S-videofeed for my monitor. It works, but it is nowhere near VGA quality, and forget DVI / HDMI. However, this has a fair bit to do with the unit in the Telly / monitor doing the upscaling. Dunno if this is at all helpfull, but it's what i got...

Other recommendations are DVD/Bluray burners with HDMI/DVI output, and full scart inputs. They "usually" have a reasonable quality on the upscaling. But cost a bit more then the adapter above.

The "other" solution. Third option really. Isn't really an option. A dedicated video processor capable of taking a S-video or composite signal and turning it in to a DVI / HDMI signal is... Expensive. It's the way to go if you have no monetary issues, but short of having more cash then pockets to store it in... Forget it. It starts at a low end, "budget" that hardly is better then the mentioned DVD/Bluray recorders, for the same price as a second Panda, and ends in the price ranges of... Well, it's those "call us for a price quote" items. Make sure your comfortably seated when you call, you wont want to get up for a while.
B!

 

[SomeGuy99]

I hear you can get full definition by interfacing with the cable yourself. It can be off-putting at first because electricity tastes sort of funny. Also, it's not exactly plug and play... you need to learn to interpret the signals yourself. The clearest picture can be attained using the nasal port, but this has to be kept fairly clean or you get picture degradation. During initialisation, several muscles may twitch for a short period and you may start seeing some strange colours as the interface establishes. Don't worry, this is normal during the first set up! You'll know it's beginning to work when you start smelling things which aren't there.

 

[Prometheus]

Does that mean YOU ARE INTERFACED!, then?

 

[SomeGuy99]

What's that then Prometheus?

 

[Prometheus]

Look up Overdrawn at the Memory Bank (especially the Mystery Science Theatre 3000 riffing of it). I'll not go any further off-topic than that! :lol:

Suffice to say, I look forward to watching this one on my Pandora, via the TV-out, and quite possibly scarring everyone around who happens to view it.

 

[shillbert]

As I say not a deal breaker, I can always get something like this if I'm not happy with composite:

http://bestofferbuy.com/CVBS-Composite-And-S-Video-to-VGA-Converter-p-26601.html?currency=GBP&utm_source=gbase&utm_medium=cse&utm_campaign=gbase

 

[Prometheus]

I may be mistaken, but I'm not too sure that that will make any difference to it. If you're unhappy with composite, you'd be better off with a comb-filter (surprisingly, my quite cheap CRT television has one built-in - it works wonders, in many cases making it quite tricky to tell composite from RGB SCART), as I'm fairly sure that the linked convertor would be a bit redundant - it wouldn't increase the picture quality.

 

[SomeGuy99]

Look up Overdrawn at the Memory Bank (especially the Mystery Science Theatre 3000 riffing of it). I'll not go any further off-topic than that! :lol:

Suffice to say, I look forward to watching this one on my Pandora, via the TV-out, and quite possibly scarring everyone around who happens to view it.

I thought this one sounded really good till I saw the IMDB score (2 out of 10)!

 

[WizardStan]

The "other" solution. Third option really. Isn't really an option. A dedicated video processor capable of taking a S-video or composite signal and turning it in to a DVI / HDMI signal is... Expensive.

DVI/HDMI conversion yes. If you're handy with a soldering iron, however, the chip to convert s-video to component is only $10. Another $5 worth of parts and you can build an s-video to component adapter. I bought two such chips shortly after I preordered my Pandora for the purpose of eventually connecting it to my projector. 18 months later neither chip has left their protective casing
Keep in mind that such an adapter would still only give 480i (or 576i?)