Video Asylum

Posted by GPB (i) on January 19, 2001 at 03:29:36:

In Reply to: Clarification... posted by cryptyk on January 18, 2001 at 12:21:41:

On HDTV's, there is no support for a high definition signal over an S-Video cable. Keep in mind, a high def signal is not a computer signal UNLESS your graphics card is capable of providing such a signal; your card is surely outputing a standard NTSC which has at the most, about 525 lines of resolution, interlaced.

The vertical resolution of your set is probably greater than 1080 (depending on its size), but the HD input for all HD sets is 1080 interlaced (or 720P)...and can normally be fed via component (or RGB) inputs (not S-video or composite). This is all irrelevant to what you are doing however, but thought I'd mention it anyway.

What's happening is the video card is converting a computer signal of 800 x 600 to NTSC interlaced which inherently lowers resolution - combine that with looking at the image on a presumably much larger display and you have an inferior picture. The quality of your internal line doubler in the HD set may also be a bit of an issue. Bottom line - it's probably as good as it can get.

-- Greg