Widescreen through an X800GT's TV-Out...?

[val_parthen]

I've been asking a few different groups of people (including ATi's ticket submission), but I can't seem to get a /real/ answer.

Here's the situation:
Computer: MCE 2005, Cat 6.1's, Sapphire X800GT (AGP).
TV: Philips TX-66PW60A (It's a PAL TV, 16:9, NOT AN HDTV. Has component in as well as any other input I want (minus DVI or VGA, sadly)).

I currently use the Component out with a resolution of 640x432. ::cries::

Obviously, I want to output a properly 16:9 signal to my TV. The digging around I've done suggests that it is NOT POSSIBLE using the TV-Out. Any truth to this?

ATi has said that I CANNOT use Component for my connection because it's designed for HDTVs, which my TV is not.

Using S-Video, I can set a 'standard' resolution -- 1024x768, for instance -- and it displays just fine. However, this is not widescreen. I've tried using Powerstrip to set something else, like 1024x576, but it doesn't seem to be working.

I'm sorry if this is the wrong place for this sort of thing, but I'm really running out of places to go. ATi hasn't gotten back to me since they told me that I couldn't use component, leading me to think that my recent X800GT purchase may have been worthless. Do I need some wacky Powerstrip settings I haven't found yet? A DVI->Component converter? Just a new damned TV? (Note: new TV... not so much an option, haha).

I appreciate your help and time.

 

[maaoouud]

No need to despair, you've got a recent ati card.
They're capable of sending a sync (or something like that) through VGA/DVI which enables custom modes for TV sets. However you may need a custom cable - I'm not entirely up to date on what's needed since my TV is too far gone for this to make a difference.

Here's some timings for powerstrip from a swedish page:
http://www.nada.kth.se/~feldt/vgascart/tv.html

Good luck and try not to break your TV

EDIT: Here's the original english page. The swedish page have a simpler layout I think.

 

[MuFu]

ATi has said that I CANNOT use Component for my connection because it's designed for HDTVs, which my TV is not.

Hmm - that's odd advice, theoretically it should work.

1024x576 is usually impossible over S-Vid; try 848x480. Making your own VGA=>SCART cable is a much better idea (as long as your TV supports RGB over SCART). This is the link I used to make mine: http://ryoandr.free.fr/english.html