The graphics card driver for cards based on nVidia chips is called Detonator driver. Version 8 of TVTool requires a relatively new version of the Detonator. You get the latest version at www.nvidia.com.

Laptop users have to do a little modification on the driver before it can be installed on their machine. Further details can be found here.

Please update your graphics card driver to version 56.72 or above. You get the update at www.nvidia.com. The version of the currently installed driver can be seen on the config tab of TVTool.

Background: Since version 9.6 TVTool uses a new interface to communicate with the driver, which makes the switch process more stable and faster actually. But the implementation of this interface in nvidia drivers below version 50.xx is very buggy and can cause trouble on certain systems.

Have a look here! (This article still relates to version 4.6.)

This is no problem. First create a shortcut to TVTool. Then add the command-line parameter /tv to it (s. help file for example). Now this shortcut is placed in the startup folder of Windows. On Windows startup TVTool will automatically switch to TV mode.

If no monitor is connected to your PC then I recommend to use the monitor dummy (s. archive). Otherwise you may get problems like that you can´t use the special resolutions (768x576 and 720x480). Also the disabling of Macrovision does not work!

This can happen if the movie playback is already started and after that you turn on TV mode. Then the see the desktop normally but the window of the movie is black. Solution: Stop and start the movie again.

The reason for this behaviour is the resolution change which is performed when the TV mode is turned on. Overlay windows have to be initialized again after a change, but most players don´t do that correctly. Only the restart of the playback forces the players to do it.

At the moment these parameters are supported (Version 8.0):

• /tv - starts TV mode
• /monitor - back to monitor
• /close - quit TVTool
• /setsound - sets sound parameters
• /size1 - Standard size
• /size2 - Desktop size
• /size3 - Fullscreen size
• /1024 - switch to 1024x768
• /800 - switch to 800x600
• /640 - switch to 640x480
• /768 - switch to 768x576
• /720 - switch to 720x480
• /pal - switch to PAL
• /ntsc - switch to NTSC
• /p60 - switch to PAL 60
• /nomsg - suppresses message during TV mode
• /timerNN - starts TVTool with poweroff timer enabled (NN = minutes til shutdown, optional)
• /monoff - monitor off
• /monon - monitor on
• /show - brings TVTool to foreground
• /wss - enables wide screen signalling mode:
  • 0: Off
    1: 4:3
    2: 14:9 Letterbox center
    3: 14:9 Letterbox top
    4: 16:9 Letterbox center
    5: 16:9 Letterbox top
    6: >16:9 Letterbox center
    7: 14:9 Full center
    8: 16:9 Anamorphic

The parameters can be used in a shortcut for example (s. ill.). They can be lined up in any order. The combination "tvtool.exe /pal /800 /size3 /tv" switches to PAL fullscreen mode @800x600 for example.

The parameters does not work at startup only but as long as the tool is active. So it´s possible to control the tool by another application for instance.

Do you run one of the programs RefreshRateLock or nVidiaRefreshRateFix? This is the most common reaons for the black screen effect. These tools change system settings which can´t be detected by other programs. Therefore when trying to select another refresh rate the screen goes blank.

In order to run TVTool properly it is required to uninstall or at least deactivate these tools! (We´ll try to make the tools compatible but it´s not done yet.)

In the Internet you can sometimes find versions of TVTool which has been manipulated, for example to bypass the time limitation. But these versions often have side effects. This can cause that the userdatas are not recognized correctly anymore. Even if an official version has been installed later this effect can occur.

But it´s no problem for registered users. You get the solution in the member area, or drop a mail to support@tvtool.de and it will be solved quickly.

This resolution is available on certain TV chips only. These are: CX25870, CX25871 and SAA7104. The other TV-chips are not able to process this high resolution, therefore the option is greyed in TVTool.

This is because of the aspect ratio of the 720x480 mode which is 3:2 instead of the normal 4:3. Therefore the picture looks like it was strechted vertically on the monitor and the TV screen. To compensate this effect when playing movies please turn off the option 'keep aspect ratio' in your player software (e.g. PowerDVD). Then the aspect ratio will be corrected automatically and the movie will by displayed properly on the TV screen.

This can happen if a registry entry could not be deleted. In this case please delete the entry TVTool in the following registry key:

• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ CurrentControlSet\Services\

After next start the problem will be gone.

Probably another program has changed the required registry keys. Please check them out (with regedit.exe):

1. HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.AVI

The key '(Standard)' must have the value 'avifile'.

2. HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.MPG

Here the key '(Standard)' must be set to 'mpegfile'.

3. HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AVIFile\shell

Here you should find the key 'TVTool'. A subkey must exist named 'command', which points to the current TVTool version.

4. HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\mpegfile

Same as under 3.

This usually happens if you have clone mode enabled and play back a movie. Movies are normally displayed as an overlay window. This is a window which is layed over the normal desktop by the graphics card hardware, what improves the performance. As the graphics card is able to perform this on one head only you get a black window on the other device.

You have to options to deal with that:

1. You can chose the device where the movie is shown on the TVTool adjust tab (more options) with the option 'direct overlay to'. Nevertheless you still see the movie on one device only.

2. If you prefer to see the movie on both devices simultaneously you have to enable the option 'overlay fullscreen device' in the display properties. Go on the adjust tab of TVTool and select overlay adjustment, then enable the fullscreen device option.

Now you will see the movie fullscreen on TV always while you have the normal window view on the monitor. To do this the graphics card doesn´t use an overlay window, therefore the performance might be lower when this option is enabled.

Unfortunately these settings cannot be selected within TVTool directly so far. You have to adjust them in the display properties:

Do a right click on the desktop, then on properties -> Adjustment -> extended. Select the nView tab (s. right).

Do a right click on the monitor and select extended please.

A window will open up where you can select the TV format and the output, s-video or composite, finally.

A wrong output selection is often the reason if you get a b/w picture on TV only.

Note: Since TVTool 9.6.2, the currently selected TV format is shown at least on the mode tab. This is useful to check the adjustment.