RPi Easy SD Card Setup - eLinux.org

Composite displays no image
The output display will default to HDMI if a HDMI display is connected, and composite
if not. Make sure there isn't a HDMI cable connected when you want to use composite
output.
Also, check that your TV is set to the correct input, normally marked "AV". If your TV
has multiple AV inputs, try all of the inputs, normally by pressing a button marked "AV"
or "Input" or "Source" or "->O" on the remote control.
Composite displays only black and white image
The composite display defaults to NTSC (American) output. Most TVs will show an
image with that, but older PAL (European) televisions may display only back and white
or no image. To fix this:
Edit the configuration file, see the instructions at R-Pi_ConfigurationFile.
Add the following line to the configuration file
sdtv_mode=2
(You can try other values: 0 is NTSC, 1 is Japanese NTSC, 2 is PAL, 3 is Brazilian PAL)
HDMI -> VGA adapters
Some good information can be found here:
▪ RPi_VerifiedPeripherals#HDMI-.3EVGA_converter_boxes
▪ (RPi forum) Serious HDMI Problems. What's that smell? Burning Raspberry!
(http://www.raspberrypi.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=9819)
A commonly used adapter from Ebay: gallery with detailed images & steps of a
modification to use external power source: HERE (http://imgur.com/a/sLogs/all) --by
Pinoccio
GPIO
Remember that the GPIO pins are 3.3V logic level only, and are NOT 5V tolerant.
If you momentarily shorted the two end GPIO pins together (+3.3V and +5V), or a
supply pin to ground, and the Pi appears to be dead, don't panic. The input polyfuse may
have tripped. It is self-resetting after it cools down and the polymer re-crystallizes, which
can take several hours. Set the Pi aside and try again later.