Why did plugging in an S-Video cable completely fry my laptop?

Question

I was trying to see if I could hook my laptop up to my flat screen TV via an s-video cable.

I looked online for some youtube vids explaining how to do this.

I turned OFF the TV. I turned OFF my laptop. I connected the s-video cable (brand new) to the TV's input. When I tried to connect the other end of the cable into my laptop *POOF* there was some little explosion inside my laptop, the lights dimmed and now my laptop works no more.

Does anyone know why this happened? What exploded in my laptop? Is is replaceable?

Did I do something wrong? Does this happen often to people?

Help!



anagAh.

Answer 1

Did you set your laptop to display a screen on another monitor? You see, by default the S-Video port of your laptop acts as input instead of output which means signals from other devices can come in but your laptop cannot output signals. Go to display settings and set your monitor to number 2 meaning that it will produce outgoing signals through the S-Video port, the VGA, etc.



The reason why your laptop blew a few was that it wasn't built to accept signals from your TV. Since the S-Video port is soldered onto the motherboard of your laptop, we have the assume that a microchip is fried. This means, that you have to purchase a new one.



But to be sure, have it checked out first but I'm right about your motherboard being blown, then just buy a new one.

Answer 2

if you actually heard something, then your laptop is toast. the video section is a part of the motherboard. Lucky your TV isnt toast too. There is no high voltage carried on an Svideo cable. ground faults and the like just mess up your video. same with bad shorted or open wires.

somewhat inexplicable, unless you plugged it into something on your laptop that looked like Svideo, but only used the mini-din form factor. no converters?



doesnt have to be completely fried, the HD and memory probably survived.





examples





Apple Desktop Bus (Pinout diagram)

S-Video (Pinout diagram)

Thomson SpeedTouch 605 Console Serial Port / DSL Router (pinout diagram)

Tandy MC-10 Serial port (pinout diagram)

Low voltage power supplies like the Seagate Pushbutton External Drive Power Supply

Answer 3

There must have been a voltage difference between the tv and the laptop. You will probably have to replace the laptop, a motherboard will be nearly as expensive as a new machine, and there may be other damage.