# DVD/Video out computer question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 23, 2002, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-video-out-computer-question/99744 "2002-03-23T20:36:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Amazing\_Tiki\_God](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@Amazing\_Tiki\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazing_Tiki_God)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2002, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-video-out-computer-question/99744/1 "2002-03-23T20:36:56Z")
I was just curious if anyone could help me out as to why whenever I play a DVD on my computer it won’t show any picture just a black screen whenever I use a TV out to try and play it on my TV rather than my monitor. My computer setup is Win98SE, Samsung DVD rom, 64 meg Inno 3d Geforce 2 MX400 w/ TV out, 1.6 ghz celeron, and 256 megs ram. I’m using Win DVD to play the DVD’s on my computer. If anyone could hook me up it’d be much appreciated. If I’m forgetting anything pertinent I apologize. ---
**Author:** ![kore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@kore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kore)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2002, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-video-out-computer-question/99744/2 "2002-03-23T21:27:22Z")
well, you’ve probably already done this, but I didn’t see it referred to in your post, so here’s one idea: there is usually a setting that you need to change internally to switch from straight dvd to tv out. I’m sure it varies from computer to computer, but it should be mentioned in your manual somewhere. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![KeithT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@KeithT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KeithT)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2002, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-video-out-computer-question/99744/3 "2002-03-23T22:41:00Z")
1. Open the Display control panel. 2. On the “Settings” tab, click the “Advanced” button. 3. You should see a tab with the nVidia logo that says “Device Selection”. If your TV Out is hooked up to something, you should be able to select the “TV” radio button on this tab. 4. Apply, and your output should appear on the TV. Sometimes the “TV out” selection will be grayed out; this usually happens if your cable isn’t firmly plugged into the card at one end, and the TV at the other. If it does, hook up the cables again, and (assuming you’re using relatively recent drivers… either the 21.83 or 23.11 version from [nvidia.com](http://nvidia.com)) press the “Detect Displays” button. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2002, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-video-out-computer-question/99744/4 "2002-03-23T22:41:02Z")
Not every computer that has S-video out supports it for DVD playback. I have never tried it with my PowerBook but I believe I read somewhere that a PowerBook of this vintage will not play DVD out through the S-video port. ---
**Author:** ![Amazing\_Tiki\_God](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@Amazing\_Tiki\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazing_Tiki_God)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-video-out-computer-question/99744/5 "2002-03-24T01:55:00Z")
It seems that this particular cards S-video out didn’t support the DVD playback. It’s all good though. I went out and got an ATI All In Wonder Radeon 7500. Big thanks to everyone who replied. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-video-out-computer-question/99744/6 "2002-03-24T15:54:21Z")
Seems like you had a lot of company: [http://www.computing.net/drivers/wwwboard/forum/939.html](http://www.computing.net/drivers/wwwboard/forum/939.html)