Vista - Help with s-video and pc to TV

I need help getting my laptop to attach to my TV in such a way that I will have my computer screen displayed on the TV and at the same time have my laptop screen off.

I can easily extend my desktop to the TV, but that is not what I need.

I have tried turning the pc off and leaving the tv on, then restarting the pc, and actually one time randomly it worked, but not since then could I do it again.

I have a Dell Inspiron 8500, with Windows Vista.

My graphics card is ATI radeon mobility 9000.

I have an s-video cord that has the s-video thing on one end and there are A/V ports on the other end.

My tv is older so it does not have s-video, so i just have it hooked into the A/V slot.

Any ideas?

Do you have a settings panel for the ATI card? I use NVidia myself, and I know their control panel has a multiple monitors wizard/setting where you can set it to "clone" the monitors. The same exact thing on both monitors. Try finding something like that, and it should work.

~Lordbob

Any idea on where I could go to access the control panel, if ATI has one?

And if I clone the image, could I have my laptop sceen off?

there may be an option in the displays manager option for the card. the control panel for it should be called catalyst control center. im not all that familiar with it but tinker around with some stuff. look for a "dual view" option and try to designate the second as the default....again not exactly sure if you'll be able to do exactly what you need to do but theres a chance. if that doesnt work you could always try another software called "ultramon" its free and might work for you as well....good luck

I have ultramon, and I can mirror the image just fine.

The catalyst program Is just slightly to new for my radeon mobility 9000.

The thing is.. is that one random time, after getting annoyed after trying so many things, i turned the computer off, and the tv was still on, and the plugs were still in. I came back literally 5 minutes later after cooling off after a quick beer, and I started the computer and somehow it worked, and my laptop screen was off, and my tv had the desktop on it, weird, like I saw a ghost, because noone believes me that I had it working, hahaha.

I can't find anything called dualboot, and i have tried many times to make my tv the primary monitor.

I think it may be the lack of an up to date driver for my graphics card and Vista.
I will see later this week when I get my new XP disc, and I will test it out there.... unless of course I can find a solution.

hmmm yea that is quite the predicament.....the only other thing i can suggest would be to check ati's forums do see if you can find another driver for the card there....i know ive seen plenty of modded drivers from 3rd party on this forum compatible with my card (an old beat up geforce 8400gs) sooo i guess ill keep my fingers crossed for you lol

Ha thanks, i'll try to ask them at the ATI forums. Thanks for your help.

ohhhh btw.....just so you know, i tried out ultramon this morning.....if you have the tv set as the primary monitor, you should be able to disable the main monitor. try it out. the option is called "disable secondary monitor". lol anyways give it a try and see if it helps you out....good luck