TV-Out/S-Video
S-Video 4 or 7-pin female DIN connector on the computer side.
There are two kinds of TV signals used in laptop TV-Out ports: S-Video and Composite.
S-Video
Short for Super-Video, a technology for transmitting video signals over a cable by dividing the video information into two separate signals: one for color (chrominance), and the other for brightness (luminance).
When sent to a television-set, this produces sharper images than composite video, where the video information is transmitted as a single signal over one wire. This is because television sets are designed to display separate Luminance (Y) and Chrominance (C) signals. (The terms Y/C video and S-Video means the same.)
To use S-Video, the device sending signals must support S-Video output and the device receiving signals must have S-Video input jack. Then you need a special S-Video cable to connect these two devices.
Composite Video
A type of video signal in which all information - the red, blue, and green signals (and sometimes audio signals as well) - are mixed together. This is the type of signal used by televisions in the United States and Europe. NTSC and PAL standards use such signal.
How To Connect Composite Television Set To S-Video Laptop Output
Most laptops have S-Video output as a standard. But despite the fact that S-Video standard defines only 4-pin DIN connector, virtually every laptop has 7-pin version.
First four pins (1-4 on the picture) carry S-Video signals. The other three in the middle (5-7 on the picture) are used by manufacturers to carry some additional signals with Composite video signal being often among them.
When buying new laptop or graphic card you may often receive special adapter from S-Video 7-pin DIN connector to Composite jack. Unfortunately, there isn't any standard defining where the Composite signal should on the 7-pin DIN connector reside and every producer does this differently. That's why often adapters taken from your desktop computer graphic card doesn't work with your laptop. Just find, buy or make another one that fits your laptop type.
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