On Sun, 13 Apr 2014 20:57:46 +1000 Chris Angelico <ros...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Sun, Apr 13, 2014 at 1:39 AM, Chris Angelico <ros...@gmail.com> > wrote: > > On Fri, Apr 11, 2014 at 12:50 AM, Chris Angelico <ros...@gmail.com> > > wrote: > >> I've just converted a laptop from Windows XP to Debian Jessie, with > >> the expectation that I'd be able to do everything at least as well > >> as before. That's been mostly true, but I'm stuck on a problem > >> with the S-Video output: whatever I do, the TV shows only 800x600. > > > > In the interests of experimentation, I live-booted AntiX on that > > same hardware. The result is exactly the same; xrandr says the > > S-video output is in its only mode of 800x600 60Hz, and telling it > > to go 1024x768 just results in the top left 800x600 being visible. > > Further experimentation has revealed a rather interesting result. It > seems that Windows was claiming that it was driving the S-video at > 1024x768, but was actually stretching it down to 800x600. Short of > reinstalling Windows (which I will not do!), I have no way to prove > this, but anecdotal evidence is that text is a bit more readable now. > So it's looking like 800x600 is all we really get anyway. Everything's > working other than that, so I'm basically going to consider the matter > closed, unless anyone has fancy ideas to try. > I was waiting for someone more knowledgeable to answer, as I've never used S-Video with computers, but downconversion does seem likely. I did wonder what was going on, because as far as I knew S-Video is defined only for PAL and NTSC, 576i/50 and 480i/60 in modern terminology. The point of it is that analogue luminance and chrominance are carried on separate channels, thus avoiding some of the nastiness inherent in encoding colour into a luminance signal. It really is a TV signal, and an analogue standard definition one at that. It would seem that the Linux driver doesn't control the video card downconversion process properly, but as you say, a downconversion from 1024x768 isn't going to give you better results than from 800x600. Mr Google says that JVC first used S-Video in 1987, but it would have been around 1981 that I modified a Hitachi SK-81 camera to provide separate Y and C outputs to feed a portable U-Matic, modified by Roderick Snell who was then working at Brighton Polytechnic. -- Joe -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: https://lists.debian.org/20140413162729.34ff9...@jretrading.com
