# What does TV-out on a video card look like? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 16, 2003, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-tv-out-on-a-video-card-look-like/195662 "2003-08-16T23:10:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elfoldo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47c2d/32.png) [@elfoldo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfoldo)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-tv-out-on-a-video-card-look-like/195662/1 "2003-08-16T23:10:06Z")
I have a video card with an S-video output jack. Unfortunately, I don’t have a device which can display S-video. Before I go out and purchase a $30 S-video to composite converter, I was wondering if anyone could tell me what the video will look like on the TV. For instance, do I have to run the video card at a certain resolution? I usually have my screen at 1280x768. Would that look good at all or would I have to run the computer at 640x480. ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-tv-out-on-a-video-card-look-like/195662/2 "2003-08-17T00:03:59Z")
I use the TV-out function of my GeForce3. I find the quality to be acceptable, but not great. And, at least with the Nvidia cards, you’ll have to pony up 12 euros ($13.50 USD) for the TvTool program if you want the video to take up your whole screen. Otherwise, it’ll have black borders. I think I remember hearing somewhere that the TV-out on ATI cards looked better, but I don’t have one and can’t vouch for that. Text will look pretty blurry at high resolutions on the TV. I have a 25" TV and I usually set my resolution to 800x600. I have 20/20 vision and can just _barely_ make out the file listings in Windows Explorer from the couch seven feet away at 800x600. I’m running S-video to RCA, though, and using a cheap Sanyo TV, so your setup may look significantly better. ---
**Author:** ![Gozu\_Tashoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@Gozu\_Tashoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu_Tashoya)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-tv-out-on-a-video-card-look-like/195662/3 "2003-08-17T05:22:09Z")
Eh, it should look alright. About VHS quality if you’re watching video, and everything else will be kinda grainy. I’d recommend 800x600 resolution at best. As far as the cost of the adapter, I’m not sure what you need exactly, but you can get one for ~$3 [here](http://www.cablesamerica.com/product_list.asp?cat%5Fid=6802). ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-tv-out-on-a-video-card-look-like/195662/4 "2003-08-17T05:38:03Z")
Yeah, I wouldn’t try to use it to replace your monitor, but I watch movie files on my TV all the time, and it looks fine. ---
**Author:** ![anewthought](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@anewthought](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anewthought)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-tv-out-on-a-video-card-look-like/195662/5 "2003-08-17T05:46:31Z")
Different cards with different qualities. I have one specifically designed for TV-OUT and it works great. Yeah it can replace a monitor as well (or TV can be used as one). Of course this is 27" TV. ---
**Author:** ![elfoldo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47c2d/32.png) [@elfoldo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfoldo)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-tv-out-on-a-video-card-look-like/195662/6 "2003-08-17T13:44:55Z")
Thanks **KKBattousai**! I owe you a $27 dinner! ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-tv-out-on-a-video-card-look-like/195662/7 "2003-08-17T19:23:55Z")
:smack: I had misread the OP as “component” instead of “composite” (RCA) cables. I have an adapter very similar to the one in **KKBatousai** ’s link. Works great. ---
**Author:** ![Gozu\_Tashoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@Gozu\_Tashoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu_Tashoya)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2003, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-tv-out-on-a-video-card-look-like/195662/8 "2003-08-20T05:31:46Z")
Woohoo! Free food! Heh, no problem. Hope it works out for ya. 🙂