Connect Arduino To Your TV

TV Out with Arduino

This Instructable is for those who would like to use your Arduino to output to a TV. Granted the Arduino is only powerful enough to produce a black and white picture it can still be fun to play with and useful for some projects.

Step 1: Item list

Things you will need:

Hardware

• Arduino
• A TV
• A Protoboard or PCB
• 2 Resistors
• 1x 470 ohm ( Yellow, Violet, Brown )
• 1x 1k ohm ( Brown, Black, Red )
• 2x 2-Pin headers (Only 3 are used but the 4th helps with stability)
• Spare RCA cord you don't mind cutting up

Software
- Arduino Software ( http://arduino.cc/en/Main/Software )
- The TVout library ( http://code.google.com/p/arduino-tvout/ )

Step 2: Assembly

Ok I had already made this connector piece before I decided to make an Instructable.. And I apologize for the poor quality of the images, my cell phone's camera isn't the best but I think you'll get the point.

I got this schematic from the TVout Libraries Google code website:http://code.google.com/p/arduino-tvout/

Step 3: Programming

Now for the fun part... Programming...

When it comes to the TVout Library there is a new version but it's still in beta and I've found it to be buggy so I just use the R5.91 release (http://code.google.com/p/arduino-tvout/downloads/detail?name=TVout_R5.91.zip&can=2&q=)

I'm assuming you have a basic knowledge of Arduino programming so I won't go into too much detail here..

For a complete list of commands for the TVout Library go here( http://code.google.com/p/arduino-tvout/wiki/FDcomplete )

Instructable_01.pde

#include <TVout.h>
TVout TV;
unsigned char x, y;

void setup ( )
{
    TV.start_render( _NTSC );
}

void loop ( )
{
    TV.clear_screen ( );
    TV.print_str ( 10, 10, "TVout FTW!!!" );
    TV.delay ( 60 );
}

For PAL (Europe) TVs just replace the:

  TV.start_render( _NTSC );

with:

  TV.start_render( _PAL );

Step 4: Finished Product

Now this is just the start... There is so many possibilities with this.

Some sites shows how the Arduino can be used as a game console:

Wayne and Layn LLC now makes a shield that uses this library, the video game shield

• http://nootropicdesign.com/hackvision/

Nootropic design is selling a stand alone arduino compatible board the

• http://nootropicdesign.com/hackvision/
• http://nootropicdesign.com/hackvision/games.html 

Also I (JuggaloMemnoch) plan on releasing more projects to further explore uses of the Arduino and TVout library

Base On: http://www.instructables.com/id/TV-Out-with-Arduino/