DVI to S-Video (TV) with a 7800 GT?

Question

I just bought a Quad G5, with the BTO 7800GT graphics card. I purchased along with it an Apple DVI to Video (S-Video and Composite) adaptor, Apple M9267G/A. I can't get the computer to recognize that there is an adaptor connected at all. I've tried 2 TVs as well as both S-Video and the Composite cable. I've swapped DVI ports, and rebooted many times. Zapped PRAM as well. No luck, the computer will not recognize ANY device connected to the other DVI port, and nothing displays on the TV--not even a flicker.
I spent ~3 hours on the phone with Apple Product support this morning, and after talking to 3 techs (i called back 3 times after trying things), the 3rd tech said he had 1 document saying the 7800 should support this. I also found via google a small note in the G5 dualcore Technology Overview saying only "The DVI to Video adaptor works with the 6600 LE and 6600 video cards." with no mention of other cards. I showed him this, and he then expressed his frustration of their own documentation telling him 2 different things. BTW the Tech Overview document is linked from the bottom of the main PowerMac G5 page at apple.com. The note is on Page 33. Zoom in about 400% to read it in the fine print. It's footnote #8. It was referenced on Page 33.
The most outrageous thing is that the last tech then transfered me to a 'product support specialist', who informed me that:
a) Apple can't support the Nvidia video cards, because they're made by Nvidia. He suggested I look at Nvidia's website for help. This seems insane, because of course Nvidia's website has ALWAYS said that all Mac Nvidia cards are built and supported ONLY by APPLE! Further they don't even support the PC cards--they're all only supported by the Vendor who built them. In this case freakin' Apple! Once again the Run-around!. BTW, all the PC 7800 series cards (including the GT) have an extra S-video out connector on them, and as well say in their technical notes that TV-Out functionality is supported directly in the GPU. This is on the same Nvidia tech-note that further down under compatibility says "Mac OSX" as well!
b) Apple Phone support doesn't support connecting a computer with a BTO card with their DVI to Video adaptor to a TV. He then told me my only support option was to use these forums!
So here I am.
I ask for either:
a) people who have a similar setup and have gotten it working.
b) people who have a similar setup and can't get it working.
c) Any other options for getting video out to my TV from this $3500 hunk of hardware.

Answer 1

My experience with Tech Support at most companies tells me that every call gives you a different person, and usually a different 'answer', so maybe something will come down the pipeline...I'd be very interested to find out what you get told when you call.
I was a bit hopeful that a replacement DVI to Video adaptor might help the problem, but your confirmation of the issue is disheartening. I did notice that the PDF 'Power Mac G5 Users Guide' that was on the HD of my new computer specifically says "Connect the DVI end of the DVI to Video Adapter to the DVI port on your Power Mac G5 graphics card that supports TV-out, DVI display port 2." [Page 29]
However, looking at Nvidia's specs on the line of 7800 cards (for PCs) do show they all support S-Video out (although they include an on-card port for S-Video out). It might just be a lack of support for the adaptor in a driver. If so, it's possible the next OS update might add the TV-Out functionality for these cards. It's entirely speculation, but my G4 I used with the TV initially had an ATI XClaim VR 128 PCI card I added, which didn't support TV-Out in OSX until 10.1 or something came out simply because the driver wasn't out until then. Since 10.4.3 came out before the 7800 BTO option was available, it's possible 10.4.4 might support it? I hope. The first few tech support people did tell me specifically their documentation from Apple specifically said that even the BTO option cards should be supported by this adaptor. So maybe the docs are just referencing an unreleased driver update? One can hope at least!
I just don't understand why Apple doesn't include an S-Video port on the cards to begin with...it's not like the cost for the connector should be too bad, especially when the cards are so expensive already. It'd be cheaper than adaptors anyways. Especially for video professionals who might want to view output on a TV screen or something. Of course it seems the engineers working on this first revision of the card weren't entirely paying attention anyways--considering how the thing shipped with DVI ports too close together to fit two DVI connectors simultaneously...the fact that this was caught so late that it couldn't be re-designed, but rather a DVI-to-DVI adaptor had to be shipped with the card makes it seem really sloppy. Very surprising considering the magnificent engineering that went into every other bit of this system. They should have put half the effort into this video card as they did in the Packaging!