Shorting Pins

Ok, I have a laptop with an S-Video port. I have a 4 pin S-Video to RCA adapter, which then goes into the RCA ports in a TV. I just do this to watch movies on a bigger screen.

Now, normally when the desktop appears on the tv, it's all in black and white. I've tried various settings and they all don't work. I read somewhere that shorting the two top pins on the adapter/connector will fix the problem. So I used some tin foil and shorted them, and then I could see color.

But here's the deal. I have to wedge something under the adapter  so it shorts them... the foil or other metal used makes the adapter go wonky.

I had a thought though. This is probably laughable but I don't have much of a clue about this sort of stuff.... if you short two pins, you're ultimately making both pins dead right? So if that's the case, would I get the same result if I just completely removed those two pins (ie, snip them off)?

if you have a couple spare adapters give it a try; then come back and report results

no, shorting them makes them each each equal. if you are fighting with black and white at all, do you have your pal ntsc set correctly ? or was the adapter really cheap ?

>>3

I've tried all settings.
I've tested the adapter and the same cables on my old desktop using a GeForce4 MX440 and it displayed color just fine without the need to short the pins, on the same TV I'm using now.

I only have this problem when my retard drivers forget that I'm connecting to the s-video on my TV, and reverts to composite.  As soon as I fix the setting back to s-video, colour colour colour.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM, OP.