Is S-VHS superior to RCA cables for DVD? (Really)

[Kristian]

Hello fellow Murcers

Im getting a new widescreen TV soon. I have checked it up a bit and noticed that it had an Super VHS input. When I play DVD'd with my G400MAX today I use a regular RCA videocable. I think the quality of that is very good, I can't say that I notice any flaws. However is if worth the extra bucks (5 meter cable equals $25) for the supposed quality increase.
Can somebody with experience comment on this?

Regards
Kristian

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Striving for perfection

[paulcs]

I'd like to second Tim's endorsement.

I have a satelite dish and my roommate is using both his TV's S-Video and RCA inputs. You can really notice the difference when toggling between the two. It just looks a lot nicer.

Paul
paulcs@flashcom.net

[xortam]

It would be especially noticeable when the source of the video is digital satellite: That is because the chrominance and luminance information is maintained as separate signals on that medium. You should notice a slight difference (less red bleeding, etc.) with other medium (analog satellite, off-air, Laser Disk, etc.), but not nearly to the extent of digital satellite. You're really best off by avoiding NTSC entirely and use a VGA connector if your TV supports it.

[Elie]

Don't forget, not all S-VHS cables are created equally.
You can buy a cheap S-VHS cable for $15 which will give adaquate results and there's cables in the $100 range where each lead is properly sheilded with boosters to provide near lossless or minumal signal degridation between the 2 devices, Especially needed for video editing.

Regards,
Elie

[RoGuE]

Elie is correct, good quality (S-Video, not S-VHS ) cables are essential.

[CMB]

Think SVHS is cool?
a friend recently made me a lead that goes from VGA to RGB-SCART
and it knocked my socks off
now i can surf the web AND read the text on my 32" widescreen tv
and NTSC DVD's play fine with no skipping now, before if i selected NTSC i got a B+W picture...

for me the difference is like RCA-SVHS all over again
:O)
YAHOO!!! Im off to watch American PIE then the matrix :O)

[CMB]

both uncut reigion 1 versions of course....
:OP

[Thundrchez]

NTSC is not the best video standard out there. It originally started out as a black and white image. A few years later, they added the color to the NTSC signal in a backwards compatible way. Unfortunately, it is ambiguous exactly where the luminance (black and white) stops and the chrominance (color) starts. Every TV does it slightly differently. What is supposed to be in black and white (such as a referee's jersey) may jump out in color at just the right zoom out level. However, it might do it for your TV and not for your neighbor's.

The S-Video connector sends the chrominance and ground down one set of wires, and the luminance and ground down another set of wires to make sure that the two are kept separate. DVDs, fortunately, are not coded in NTSC, and they know how to keep the chrominance and luminance separate.

There is widely varying quality of S-Video connectors, though.

[Bixler]

Definitely, unquestionably, worth the extra $25.

Composite Video (RCA Connectors) have to combine the chrominanace (Color) and Luminance (picture) signal which involves some inherent compromises. At the other end these combined signals must be separated which resulting in interference problems and phase canceling between the two signals...Get the S Video. You have none of these problems, higher potential resolution etc. etc.

If you want a better explanation, post over in the desktop video forum...you'll get a much better technical overview.

[KilroY]

Hey guys,
I've been thinking about making some nice long s-video runs by converting coaxial cable (since i got quite a bit extra when my cable modem was installed). I was going to use this for watching dvd's in the next room from my g400. here's the plan:

Audio: Simple, 1 cable with a coax-rca adapter on each end. From the digital out of my sb-live to the dolby digital 5.1 amp

Video: Here's where I need some help. Somehow I need to splice an s-video connect at each end into 2 coax cables (luma/chroma).
Are there any adapters that would facilitate this? If I have to do it the hard way, how would I handle the seperate shielding on each cable? If the ground is on the s-video sleeve, could I just connect the jacket of each cable to this, or does combining them defeat the shielding in some way? I've never really looked at the way an s-video cable was set up, and I really only have a basic knowledge of cabling.

Please help with any suggestions you may have,

Thx

[This message has been edited by KilroY (edited 21 February 2000).]

[xortam]

I run my A/V lines using RG-6/QS coax with F-RCA adapters (the audio line is waiting for a digital audio decoder). I have limited Y/C equipped components currently (S-VHS VCRs and RPTV only) so I don't use that connection. I have a friend that does have long Y/C runs and he convinced a local shop to stock the adapters. You can find these (and many other contraptions such as composite to S-Video) at HomeTech Solutions. I pass the A/V lines and Cat5 runs through their TechWire Wiring System for that professional installation appearance. A great-all-around home automation store.

[This message has been edited by xortam (edited 21 February 2000).]

[ph0rk]

Don't forget S-Video's other very important use: to hook your console up Damn Dreamcast looks good!

Now, I just need to find S-Video cable for my SNES. (damn straight I still play SNES - just picked up copies of Castlevania IV and Metal Marines recently, too)

I thought I saw one in a very, very old issue of Nintendo Power magazine, but all the local shops say there is no such thing, and I am not into making that kind of thing myself...

Different topic:

What settings (on your TV's and in the Matrox display properties) do you guys (girls?) find works best for S-Video from the G400? Is there a way to get text readable, even in 640x480 on a 32" TV?

I was planning on some experimentation this weekend to find the optimal settings for me, but since I have you all here anyways (*wink*), maybe you could save me the trouble?

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"The iMac is for conformists who think they are non-conformists. They are also for morons."
John Misak

[extreme]

CMB: Could you please post the specs of the cable your friend made you? I'm very interested in one since my widescreen tv has a rgb-compatible scart, and it would be very nice to be able to read text properly on the telly ;-)

with regards,
eXTREME

[Nicap]

i've got specs of the VGA -> RGB cable. Thanks to siriokd@infinito.it

I'll put the pictures on the web, becuase i don't know how to put them here.

ok, heres the url:<a href="http://www.rendo.dekooi.nl/~verbij/g400.htm">There</a> you go!

Nicap


[This message has been edited by Nicap (edited 21 February 2000).]

[KilroY]

Thx for the links xortam. Thats exactly what I had in mind, especially the S-Video to BNC Breakout Cable.