S-Video on Radeon 8500 and FCP question

[karavite]

Forgive the dumb newbie question, but I want to use a TV to preview my video with Final Cut Pro. I assume the S-Video out from my Radeon 8500 will let me do this, but just how does FCP, the computer and/or the card "know" what to do with this output jack? Is there anything I need to do with my system or FCP to get this to work or is it just magical!

Also, the only TV I can use right now does not have S-Video ins. I notice lots of people make S-Video to composite (yellow RCA video jack) adapters. Will this work as well?

Thanks in advance!

 

[karavite]

P.S. ATI has some instructions on using system preferences to turn on Mac2TV, but there are a few things that scare me (see: http://www.ati.com:80/support/infobase/3812.html)

Monitors which do not support the 60 Hz vertical refresh rate required by video equipment may be damaged when Mac2TV is enabled. Turning off your monitor display is a safety feature, protecting your monitor from any potential damage._ If you are uncertain whether your monitor supports the necessary refresh rate select an NTSC or PAL mode rather than Simulscan.

However, if I chose NTSC or PAL, it will shut off my monitors (or both since I have 2). If I choose Simulscan it will not (this is what I want). My monitors are both Hitachi SuperScan 776 - 19" and I'm not sure how I can find out if they "support the 60 Hz vertical refresh rate."

Currently they are running at 75 Hz (the recommended rate in system prefs, but I imagine this has no way of knowing the monitor - just the 8500 card). The last thing I need now is to blow up two 19" monitors! Any help would be appreciated - maybe I am worrying too much, but I guess it is better to be safe than sorry.