TV-Out question

[The Grunt]

Ok this seems like a really simple question, but I can't figure out the explanation.

In the manual for my new vid card (PWC 9800 Pro for those wondering) It says that you are not supposed to plug in a cable to the tv out while the computer is running. Why is this? Does it fluxuate the power a bunch or something?

[©opy®ight]

Hm, i have a ATI TV card and pluged all my cables in while my computer was turned on, didn't see any change ... it probably does have something to do with the power supply or something !

[The Grunt]

Yeah I know, I unplugged and plugged the tv out on my 9600 all the time, and noticed no adverse affects... That's why I'm wondering what it's supposed to make happen... The manual (of course) didn't say what the consequences of doing it was, they just said not to do it. I went back in my 9600 book and it says the same thing, and it doesn't use external power...

Anyone got any bright ideas?

[©opy®ight]

I think they're just trying to make it extra safe, it's like when it says don't take out a light blub when the lights on, but you can take it out unless it was on for a long time and it hot......

[The Grunt]

Could be...

Anyways another thing along these lines, why does it say that my power cable for my video card is supposed to plug unto the PSU then the hard drive? Why does it have to be plugged into the hard drive? Or is that just for stupid people who can't figure out how to make sure everything has power?

[nihil]

The Grunt,

I am not too sure what you are getting at. Older and lower end video cards just mount into the AGP or a PCI slot, and get their power from the motherboard.

Modern up market cards have a cooling fan that needs power. This is what you plug into the PSU.

Your hard drive does not connect to the motherboard, other than via a data cable............you need to connect it direct to the PSU for it to receive power.

why does it say that my power cable for my video card is supposed to plug unto the PSU then the hard drive?

That is the bit I do not understand. There is no connector to attach your video card to your hard drive, and no reason to do so.

I can only think of two possible explanations:

1. They are recommending that the hard drive and the video card fan supply share the same outlet via a cable splitter, which is sensible because the fan uses very little power (remember we are talking current, not volts here).

2. A lot of stuff is made in China these days..................the translation of the instructions into "English" can be somewhat confusing

Take your pick

[The Grunt]

Ahh, nihil, you haven't played with enough high end stuff lately!!! Almost ALL new high end video cards require outside power, this I can assure you. The power is NOT for the fan either. The fan can get all the power and more from the AGP slot. The GPU is what pulls all the power on these newer cards. All the upper end NVidia and ATi cards require either the normal 4 pin connecter or the ATX 4 pin (that one cable you never knew what purpose it served), and on some of the newest ones, the 6pin PCX power cable. What I am saying is like how most fans have two power connecters, one to connect to the PSU, one to connect to other things in the computer. The manual specifically states that I need to connect to the hard drive. I am wanting to know if this actually serves a purpose or if it's just a way to tell people who don't understand that they will still need HDD power after they unplug the power from their hard drive to plug their video card in.

[nihil]

The Grunt,

Thanks pal! that is something I will look into. You are quite right, I haven't looked at high end graphics cards for almost two years now You know how it is, office and SOHO environments where the boss doesn't want to pay for a box of crayons, let alone a decent graphics card.



Otherwise it has been upgrades of kit that either would not support or would not justify the high end graphics.

Thanks for the heads up, I didn't realise that I was falling behind in that area.

As for your question, yes it makes some sense now. But, say I have two additional case fans a graphics card and a HDD, I would far rather run graphics card + fan and HDD + fan than graphics card + hdd and the two fans from the other outlet. If you see what I am getting at. I think you are right about the reason for the instruction, even though I do not agree in theory with it.

After all the graphics card and the HDD are both high consumption and variable consumption.........case fans tend to be constant. I would rather run the floppy or CD writer, which you don't use that much, from the video passthrough supply.

cheers