Is there a better alternative to the composite video out?

[Kei]

I was wondering whether there is a better video cable to connect my K215B to my Sony TV.

The current cable isn't the VMC-20FR, but an equivalent type made by Maplin Electronics. The detail and sharpness I get from the cable is rather fuzzy when you compare it to a VGA output.
I mean are other people getting this kind of picture?
The picture looks as though lines are fuzzing vertically on the screen and the auto-crop function to fill the TV screen omits a bit from the four sides of the screen, e.g. the Start menu isn't totally showing and the top part of the most top icon is cut off, or that the left icons including the My Computer icon is a bit cut off.
I know the picture is still there because when I turn off the auto-crop function I see them and they're also there on my laptop screen.
Is this just the Maplin cable or does this also apply to the original VMC-20FR? Is this just the degradation in the signal, i.e. LCD into TV signal?
Is there any way to convert the VGA output into an S-VHS signal?
Or is there a way to branch off a video output from a USB connection into an S-VHS output?

Thanks.

[robpaxton]

The picture on you TV will never match the qualiity you get on your computer monitor. This is a limitation of the TV system and isn't a fault with your computer or the cable.

The reason part of your picture is missing is that TVs normally overscan and crop a small amount from the top & sides of a picture.

The Computers composite output is generally only usable for viewing pictures and movies - it will be difficult to read text unless is it quite large.

[feederfan]

There is no better way of connecting to a TV, My composite video out leaves lots of fuzzy lines when I try and use desktop programmes on my TV, however when I watch movies it is fine, i dont notice any quality difference. And the problem isnt solved by different TV technologies. The fuzziness problem when using the desktop is there on both my Sony WEGA plasma screen and my smaller LCD TV. Short of buying an LCD TV with a VGA in there is no way to solve this problem.

[kee-lo_]

The Computers composite output is generally only usable for viewing pictures and movies - it will be difficult to read text unless is it quite large.

I know, tried that with the laptop my step father borrowed from work.
T'was poor

[Kei]

Some alternatives I've found:
Trust Televiewer 1610RC

Trust Televiewer V2

These are all hardware based, so I guess there's no other cable which could do a similar job Except for those mini-cable VGA-TV converters, the Televiewer is the best alternative I guess.

[kee-lo_]

I bet it's not cheap

[robpaxton]

Using an external device to change from VGA to TV output will have the same effect as using the composite video output. The picture quality is limited by the TV system itself.

You may get a slightly better picture with an s-video output but it will still not match the quality of the computers display.

[feederfan]

Only solution to this is to buy an LCD TV with a D-Sub connector I'm afraid. You can get Plasmas with D-Sub connectors but they are very expensive. There is no solution for a Standard CRT Television, as they dont have a changeable resolution. Whereas LCDs and Plasmas have a fixed, native resolution, like a PC monitor