# Solved: laptop to Sony trinitron with s-video



## mantoy (Aug 17, 2009)

Trying to use Sony Trinitron as monitor with Compaq laptop with s-video out to display video. Works very well with Vizio without any adjustment, reconfiguration or difficulty. Same setup does not work for Sony Trinitron kv32fs. No video data is apparent. I have tried going through a DVD player/recorder as well as a sony media center with same results. Have tried Video1, Video2 etc... cannot figure this one out. Audio comes through fine using split cable from ear phone jack.

What am I not seeing here besides a picture on the screen?


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## buffoon (Jul 16, 2008)

First you need to define which AV (1,2 etc.) actually pertains to the s-video input. 
Then (with your TV switched to this input first), then hold down the Fn key and toggle F? (often 3 or 8 on laptops) to clone monitor. On your laptop it should give you option 1 (laptop screen only) 2 (laptop and TV) 3 (TV only), each time you press the corresponding F key.
If the Sony recognizes nothing you may need to go into the display modus on your laptop and fiddle the resolutions. Until TV recognizes input.


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## mantoy (Aug 17, 2009)

Thank you for the reply. I had already tried manipulating between AV designations and yesterday tried the "clone" options.

I stopped to think for a moment and realized that although my girlfriend had an s-video "in" cable connecting to her set from her Sony media center which I detached and had been using to connect to the laptop, she also had a "coax" video in and old traditional "banana-plug" type jacks as input as well. It occured to me that perhaps the s-video receptacle may have been damaged over the years in moving. I reasoned that since video signals were available from other "sources" the problem never manifested. In desperation I decided to try going directly from a stand alone DVD player using the s-video cable to the TV. No video! 

Then I really got "inspired". I tried using a "new" s-video cable which I had on hand for the "Vizio". Even though there was no apparent reason for the old cable to malfunction; no visible trauma was evidenced, no history of abuse (my girlfriend is a neat freak and takes meticulous care of everything in her home) the new cable provided the answer.

I had forgotten two of the cardinal rules of my own field of expertise; when diagnosing, remember that: "common things are common" and "when you hear hoof beats think horses not zebras".


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## buffoon (Jul 16, 2008)

mantoy said:


> .............. "common things are common" and "when you hear hoof beats think horses not zebras".


Occam's razor strikes again

Please remember to mark this thread as solved and good luck:up:


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