A S-Video connection fried both my laptop and TV! Help needed!

[Gabriel]

Hello,

Recently, I had a big power surge problem involving both my brand new
laptop and my less than two years old TV. Two total looses.

My main concern is that I don't really understand what happened and,
thereof, can't see a way to prevent it in the future.

Here's the story :

I bought a few weeks ago an HP notebook with an S-Video output. I used
my laptop (on battery and AC power) a week and a half before trying the
S-Video output and did not have a single problem.

So, someday, I decided it was time to try to connect my laptop on my TV
by using the S-Video output. I bought a S-Video-to-RCA cable at
Radioshack because I thought it would be more practical to have my
laptop connected to the front RCA jacks of my TV.

As soon as the contact was made, both my laptop and TV went off and I
could smell a light odour of burnt electronic components. The TV did
not seem to be damaged because I could turn it on almost immediately.
As for the laptop, I simply had to reinsert the battery to make it
start.

Maybe it was very stupid, but I thought that the problem could be the
cheap RadioShack cable. So I decided to buy a true S-Video cable.

For my second try, I choose to not plug the laptop into the AC outlet
and just use the battery. After connecting the laptop to the TV, all I
see is a black screen. By the way, I did not feel like there was a
power surge problem this time.

Days later, I really wanted to make my S-Video port work. So, I
downloaded the latest devices drivers for my graphic card and gave the
S-Video output a new try with the laptop connected to the AC outlet.
Not a good idea.

Again, as soon as the contact was made, both my laptop and TV went off
and I could smell a strong odour of burnt electronic components. This
time the damage was terrible. Both my laptop and TV are completely
fried. There is just no way to make'em work anymore.

So my questions are :

1) What happened ?
2) How could I prevent this kind of surge ?
3) Should I never try to connect a laptop to a TV ?

I made a diagram of my living room electrical setup. You can see it at
this URL : http://home.ca.inter.net/~gdupuis/livingroomsetup.jpg

I don't think that the problem is from my TV since it is almost new and
because it never fried my DVD player or VCR. I guess the problem comes
from my laptop, but I still don't really understand.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I really need to understand
since I don't know much about electricity.

Thank you very much.

(By the way, I am very sorry for the poor English. It is not my
language.)

 

[Ken Taylor]

Hello,

Recently, I had a big power surge problem involving both my brand new
laptop and my less than two years old TV. Two total looses.

My main concern is that I don't really understand what happened and,
thereof, can't see a way to prevent it in the future.

Here's the story :

I bought a few weeks ago an HP notebook with an S-Video output. I used
my laptop (on battery and AC power) a week and a half before trying the
S-Video output and did not have a single problem.

So, someday, I decided it was time to try to connect my laptop on my TV
by using the S-Video output. I bought a S-Video-to-RCA cable at
Radioshack because I thought it would be more practical to have my
laptop connected to the front RCA jacks of my TV.

As soon as the contact was made, both my laptop and TV went off and I
could smell a light odour of burnt electronic components. The TV did
not seem to be damaged because I could turn it on almost immediately.
As for the laptop, I simply had to reinsert the battery to make it
start.

Maybe it was very stupid, but I thought that the problem could be the
cheap RadioShack cable. So I decided to buy a true S-Video cable.

For my second try, I choose to not plug the laptop into the AC outlet
and just use the battery. After connecting the laptop to the TV, all I
see is a black screen. By the way, I did not feel like there was a
power surge problem this time.

Days later, I really wanted to make my S-Video port work. So, I
downloaded the latest devices drivers for my graphic card and gave the
S-Video output a new try with the laptop connected to the AC outlet.
Not a good idea.

Again, as soon as the contact was made, both my laptop and TV went off
and I could smell a strong odour of burnt electronic components. This
time the damage was terrible. Both my laptop and TV are completely
fried. There is just no way to make'em work anymore.

So my questions are :

1) What happened ?
2) How could I prevent this kind of surge ?
3) Should I never try to connect a laptop to a TV ?

I made a diagram of my living room electrical setup. You can see it at
this URL : http://home.ca.inter.net/~gdupuis/livingroomsetup.jpg

I don't think that the problem is from my TV since it is almost new and
because it never fried my DVD player or VCR. I guess the problem comes
from my laptop, but I still don't really understand.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I really need to understand
since I don't know much about electricity.

Thank you very much.

(By the way, I am very sorry for the poor English. It is not my
language.)

I would *guess* (it's hard to tell without seeing the setup live) that your
cheap un-earthed extension cable is the problem. I'm betting it also
transposes Live and Neutral. I'm not sure where you are, but if your AC
mains includes the earth, it is there for a reason, so throw out that
extension cable anyway.

Ken

 

[Tomi Holger Engdahl]

Hello,

Recently, I had a big power surge problem involving both my brand new
laptop and my less than two years old TV. Two total looses.

My main concern is that I don't really understand what happened and,
thereof, can't see a way to prevent it in the future.

I just can give quesses also...
To giv definitive answer, I would need to be in place with
some measurement instruments...

Here's the story :

I bought a few weeks ago an HP notebook with an S-Video output. I used
my laptop (on battery and AC power) a week and a half before trying the
S-Video output and did not have a single problem.

So, someday, I decided it was time to try to connect my laptop on my TV
by using the S-Video output. I bought a S-Video-to-RCA cable at
Radioshack because I thought it would be more practical to have my
laptop connected to the front RCA jacks of my TV.

Generally sounds OK.
The safest idea is to do the connection while the components
are turned off and not plugged to wall...
Sfest bet in connection is to make sure your PC is
not connected to mains, connect the video cable and then
plug it to wall if needed...

As soon as the contact was made, both my laptop and TV went off and I
could smell a light odour of burnt electronic components. The TV did
not seem to be damaged because I could turn it on almost immediately.
As for the laptop, I simply had to reinsert the battery to make it
start.

Sounds like you got quite a surge to the system....

Maybe it was very stupid, but I thought that the problem could be the
cheap RadioShack cable. So I decided to buy a true S-Video cable.

Most propably the problem here was not in the cable construction itself..

For my second try, I choose to not plug the laptop into the AC outlet
and just use the battery. After connecting the laptop to the TV, all I
see is a black screen. By the way, I did not feel like there was a
power surge problem this time.

The surge could have damaged the video output on your PC or
the input on the TV.. A surge through RCA connector can
cause this.. RCA connector is a very stupid connector
for audio/video connection because normally it connectes the
center pin that carries the signal before the signal ground,
allowing the potential difference between the different equipment
to enter the equipment as surge! This has damaged many equipment
in systems where there are ungrounded PCs or other grounding problems...
I know people who have damaged for example PC sound cards, PC video
cards, TV audio/video inputs, AV amplifier audio/video connections etc..
And the real life experiences (few damaged components) have teched
me to become careful.

In the computer connections there would be lots of less
damaged equipment if proper connections for the applications
are used... Professional audio/video world prefers
XLR and BNC connectors for their connections, both of those
guarantee that ground gets always connected first...
Lots of less fried equipment and more reliable connections.


If things are correct, meaning the cable is correct and still working, computer
settings are correct, TV video input still working and TV settings correct
you should get picture when you run the computer from battery.
Generally with a laptop it is safest to run the computer from
battery on its own (not connected to anything else connected
to mains power or anything else). When you have just the computer
running with batteries it is harver to fry it...

Days later, I really wanted to make my S-Video port work. So, I
downloaded the latest devices drivers for my graphic card and gave the
S-Video output a new try with the laptop connected to the AC outlet.
Not a good idea.
Again, as soon as the contact was made, both my laptop and TV went off
and I could smell a strong odour of burnt electronic components. This
time the damage was terrible. Both my laptop and TV are completely
fried. There is just no way to make'em work anymore.

I would have tried the computer running at batteries without mains
connection. Your sirge problems are most proplably somehow related
to AC power connection.

So my questions are :

1) What happened ?

There was some form of surge formed when you do the connection.
There are varuous possibilities. Some possibilities:
- your TV is conencted to cable TV system that is not properly
grounded and there is some energu there that gets through
your cable and equipment to mains ground
- your ungrounded TV + DVD system is not connected to cable TV outlet,
but some equipment inside it is damaged to that the mains power
gets to the equipment case + AV conenctor ground, when you
do connection to grounded PC you will create a short circuit
(this will generate huge surge and generally burn fuse on mains panel),
- Your TV system is connected to properly grounded cable TV connection
(or properly grounded antenna on your roof) but the is something
wrong in the grounding of your mains outlet grounding (miswired etc..)
so you mains outlet ground has some power on it, when you equipment
chain makes link to cable TV ground you get a large current surge
through your wiring and equipment (might not burn any fuses..)
- your TV + DVD system is not connected to cable TV or other ground,
the ungrounded properly working equipment "leak" some small amount
of power to their cases (this is normal), so the cases are
not at ground potential (usually at around 30-60V AC potential
if you measure them agains ground with a modern multimeter),
when you do the connection with RCA connector, this voltage
difference causes a surge to both equipment on the end of cable
(before the voltage difference gts nulled when groudn gets connected)
- laptop computer power supply is damaged and leaks mains power to PC
case, this gets though your witing to cable TV ground

2) How could I prevent this kind of surge ?

Here are few tips:

- do the connections only when equipment are not powered up and
not plugged to wall
- run your PC preferably with it's internal battery only and not
connected to anything else (modem and Ethernet with UTP cable are OK,
USB connection to equipment with its own power supply is not a good idea)
- do the connections so that you always the ground gets connected
before the signal itself (might need you to used special RCA
connectors or adaters to BNC connections etc..)

Best if yuo can use all of those tips... Sometimes you can only
follow some of them and you need to take your changes...

3) Should I never try to connect a laptop to a TV ?

With a properly caefully done connection will work well...

I made a diagram of my living room electrical setup. You can see it at
this URL : http://home.ca.inter.net/~gdupuis/livingroomsetup.jpg

I don't think that the problem is from my TV since it is almost new and
because it never fried my DVD player or VCR. I guess the problem comes
from my laptop, but I still don't really understand.

The problem could in any equiopment or your house wiring
(antenna/cableTV/mains).

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I really need to understand
since I don't know much about electricity.
Thank you very much.

Hopefully my tips have helped you.

(By the way, I am very sorry for the poor English. It is not my
language.)

Your message was very well readable and understandable English.

 

[Jerry G.]

What you had was not a power surge, but a bad short circuit.

It would be very difficult to tell what happened, without actually doing
some tests with a DVM, and determine what the voltage is between the TV and
the laptop.

I can tell you that once you smell something burning from any electronic
device, there is some damage of some kind. It looks like both the TV and
laptop will be in need of service. In your laptop, the display card is part
of the mother board, so I can see what is going to have to be changed in it.

As for the TV set, the video input circuits, especially for the S-Video must
be damaged. There are going to be components that will have to be changed.

It is very possible that there is something defective on the power supply of
one or both of the units, that prevented proper isolation between them. If
the ground, and or the neutral for the AC mains outlets are not wired
correctly, this type of damage can also occur.

I am wondering if you didn't accidentally use the PS2 port as an S-Video
connection! This is something that I have see done by accident. I have seen
some low quality adaptors be able to be forced in. The S-Video connector is
supposed to have a blocking pin to prevent this, but there are some cheap
ones that do not. If there is no blocking pin, the 4 pin connector will fit
in to the 6 pin one, because the rest of the connector can align.

The PS2 port on your computer has some supply voltages on it. These will
certainly damage the input circuits of the TV set, and at the same time will
damage the components on the mother board for the PS2 port.

Your PS2 port should have 6 pins, while the S-Video connector should have 4
pins.

Normally you should be able to connect your computer to the TV set. I have
done this many times. The TV will look crappie with the computer, unless it
is the type of TV that has full VGA compatibility. The HDTV sets will do
this type of thing.

If you are reducing the S-Video output back to combined baseband, then the
quality will be even worse. So, I would not see the point of all of this.

As for the TV set, it can be serviced. Find out who in your area is
authorized to service your set. The computer will probably have to go back
to the factory service outlet for its repair as well. Since it is a laptop,
it will be expensive to service, but probably cheaper than buying a new one.


--

Jerry G.
=====

Hello,

Recently, I had a big power surge problem involving both my brand new
laptop and my less than two years old TV. Two total looses.

My main concern is that I don't really understand what happened and,
thereof, can't see a way to prevent it in the future.

Here's the story :

I bought a few weeks ago an HP notebook with an S-Video output. I used
my laptop (on battery and AC power) a week and a half before trying the
S-Video output and did not have a single problem.

So, someday, I decided it was time to try to connect my laptop on my TV
by using the S-Video output. I bought a S-Video-to-RCA cable at
Radioshack because I thought it would be more practical to have my
laptop connected to the front RCA jacks of my TV.

As soon as the contact was made, both my laptop and TV went off and I
could smell a light odour of burnt electronic components. The TV did
not seem to be damaged because I could turn it on almost immediately.
As for the laptop, I simply had to reinsert the battery to make it
start.

Maybe it was very stupid, but I thought that the problem could be the
cheap RadioShack cable. So I decided to buy a true S-Video cable.

For my second try, I choose to not plug the laptop into the AC outlet
and just use the battery. After connecting the laptop to the TV, all I
see is a black screen. By the way, I did not feel like there was a
power surge problem this time.

Days later, I really wanted to make my S-Video port work. So, I
downloaded the latest devices drivers for my graphic card and gave the
S-Video output a new try with the laptop connected to the AC outlet.
Not a good idea.

Again, as soon as the contact was made, both my laptop and TV went off
and I could smell a strong odour of burnt electronic components. This
time the damage was terrible. Both my laptop and TV are completely
fried. There is just no way to make'em work anymore.

So my questions are :

1) What happened ?
2) How could I prevent this kind of surge ?
3) Should I never try to connect a laptop to a TV ?

I made a diagram of my living room electrical setup. You can see it at
this URL : http://home.ca.inter.net/~gdupuis/livingroomsetup.jpg

I don't think that the problem is from my TV since it is almost new and
because it never fried my DVD player or VCR. I guess the problem comes
from my laptop, but I still don't really understand.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I really need to understand
since I don't know much about electricity.

Thank you very much.

(By the way, I am very sorry for the poor English. It is not my
language.)