Anyone know with a current generation Acer Laptop (2920), if the "S" Video Output is active at all times, or does something need to be activated in a menu somewhere?

Bought a new cable at Amorn yesterday and feeding into a fairly new Samsung Tele in a hotel room, to watch movies, but no-go!

Not having my laptop (IBM) withme at the moment I will attempt to help from memory.

Generally in my experiance such video outs are not active all the time from boot up (might be a menu option somewhere) but for most laptops there is a small blue square symbol on one of the buttons/keys, I'm thinking top right had side somewhere, that toggles between the various video output options; screen, video 1, video2, screen+video1, etc.

I think to 'enable' you to toggle through those options, you need to press and hold down one of the ALT or 'Shift'-like buttons, probably lower left side of the keyboard. On my IBM the button in question is also blue.

Not sure on your model, on mine (aspire 5052) I have to use Fn +F5 or F6 to switch between the modes. Only LCD, only external or both...

Thanks guys but it was the "crappy" Amorn cable. Took it back and another one they tested (DVD Player to TV) also no-go!

Another cable purchased elsewhere in the Pattaya IT place fired up first time.

When connected, the "S" Video function comes up as Television on the Graphics Card options and can be switched as you normally do when a monitor is connected to the VGA output. Thus a combination with the Laptop's LCD or you can shut down the Laptop screen if you want and leave the external source active.