I have a HP Pavilion dv6629us notebook, it has a s-video out port. I have 2 7pin S-video to RCA cables and 1 4pin S-video to RCA cable. The 4pin cable works fine but the image comes up on the TV in black and white, the 7pin cables do absolutely nothing. Anyone having the problem?

It's probably stating the obvious, but it seems that the 3 "missing" pins are the RGB information, while the first four are signal and luminance. What does the graphics driver program have to say about all this? It usually blows up a "TV configuration" dialog box when the S-Video port is sensed as active. If not right click on the desktop, then choose "Graphics Options > Properties > Then root around til you find something that applies.

I know, I know, but I'm sitting at a machine with only single monitor capabilities at the moment, and I also don't know whose graphics driver you're using

I played around with the 7pin cables and noting, it just doesn't detect them. I dont understand why it detects the 4pin cable immediately and it doesn't with the 7pins.

Joel, a computer is not a toilet, so it stands to reason that you are less likely to fix it by shaking the handle, so to speak.

Have you investigated the graphics driver yet? (software that controls the video card) Could you tell us what equipment you are using?

Oh thanks for the great inside, I was about to **** on my computer but you illuminated me. I'm not a newby on computers. I have a nVIDIA Geforce Go 7100M and I played around with the nVIDIA Control panel but it just doesnt detect the cables. The settings should be right since the 4pin cables do work, I would think it works with 7pin cables but it doesnt I guess.

Is the TV the issue? Do you have another type of S-Video source (other than a computer) to test the cables? It would be informative to see whether you get color with the 4 pin from say a DVD player. Is this being attempted through adapter or directly from the card?