S-Video to HDMI or Component ?

[kweldood]

The data:

-Best connection available on my TV is S-Video (Composite and SCART are available but below my standards; no Component or HDMI available), which is how I've been connecting my old DVD player for some 10 years now, with a great resulting picture;

-The new DVD Player I'd like to buy has everything (Composit, SCART, Component, HDMI) EXCEPT S-Video :-P

-Doing a limited period trial of the new DVD player; already tried S-Video to Composite and S-Video to SCART adapters; as feared, not up to the standard of the regular S-Video (to S-Video) connection.


The questions:

- Are there S-Video to HDMI or S-Video to Component cables or adapters I could use ? Would they be at least equal in quality as the regular S-Video (to S-Video) connection, as theory implies ?

- Other possible solutions ?

:thanks:

[SeeMoreDigital]

I think you'll find the "best" connection on your TV is actually RGB-Scart... Which is usually Scart input 1 on your TV.

And make sure you're using a "fully-wired" Scart lead :eek:

[kweldood]

Nope, S-Video provides a better picture here. It comes down to cables and playback hardware and trust me, I wouldn't have been using it for 10 years if I felt otherwise - did lots of testing back when with expensive, quality RGB SCART cables and ended up storing them in a drawer only to keep using my cheap S-Video cable. Your mileage may vary with different TVs and systems, naturally... I guess I'm just unlucky.

The only thing I haven't tried yet is a Component to SCART cable, but I'm not too enthusiastic since the quality bottleneck seems to reside in the TV's SCART interface.

[SeeMoreDigital]

What's the make and model of your TV?

[kweldood]

Panasonic TX-28DK1F... pretty nice screen for its class, and a great deal back in the time. I'm not gonna rush to buy a new TV because of this, so unless I find a different solution I guess I'll just have to give up on the new DVD Player and try and find me one with S-Video.

[SeeMoreDigital]

With regard to your proposed DVD player. If the required pins on the scart output are active, it should be possible to obtain an s-video output.

The DVD players "user manual" might offer the required information about the pins. Which are: -

15 = Chrominance (C) output signal
17 = Common ground
19 = Luminance (Y) output signal
21 = Shielding ground


Cheers

[kweldood]

Already tried it... whatever combination of cables, signals and TV/player configurations I try, nothing produces the same absolute quality of the "pure" S-Video to S-Video cable connection. It just seems that the SCART inputs on my TV (SCART1 which is RGB or SCART2 which can receive S-Video) can't match the good old S-Video input.

[pandy]

RGB Scart give You best results (better than YPbPr in theory)
Usually first SCART (RGB one) deosn't support S-Video, usually second SCART support S-Video and not supporting RGB (S-Video was not specified during establishing SCART so it was added later - Chroma signalusually use R signal line but accordingly to the newest specs forSCART also Chroma is acceptable on G or B signal lines), also You should choose S-Video in TV Input Menu (SCART specification don't describe how to discover S-Video signal - only CVBS and RGB are supported)

btw
S-Video have limited bandwith for Chroma signal - SCART bandwith (real one not specs is approx 10 -20MHz so SCART interface is not a limitations)

[tetsuo55]

Already tried it... whatever combination of cables, signals and TV/player configurations I try, nothing produces the same absolute quality of the "pure" S-Video to S-Video cable connection. It just seems that the SCART inputs on my TV (SCART1 which is RGB or SCART2 which can receive S-Video) can't match the good old S-Video input.Your results can only be explained by:
1. RGB/Svideo over scart not enabled
2. Crappy or not fully pinned out scart cable
3. Broken scart port on either the player or TV side

[SeeMoreDigital]

It just seems that the SCART inputs on my TV (SCART1 which is RGB or SCART2 which can receive S-Video) can't match the good old S-Video input.Very strange.

As Panda confirmed... Discounting Y-Pb-Pr progressive component, RGB scart should provide you with the best picture, followed by S-video, followed by composite.

What are your Scart leads like? Are they too long? Is the internal wiring fully shielded?

Personally I prefer to make my own "1-way" scart leads, at the required lengths ;)

[kweldood]

He he, theory is cool... a pity that in so many occasions, it doesn't match the real world.

Who knows, maybe tetsuo's right and something is malfunctioning... not the cables as I tried several with good quality, but a SCART port that's not doing what it should, for instance.

It's irrelevant now - I dumped the player and I'll be getting one with a S-Video port.

Thanks for the help, guys.

[Ghitulescu]

He he, theory is cool... a pity that in so many occasions, it doesn't match the real world.

Who knows, maybe tetsuo's right and something is malfunctioning... not the cables as I tried several with good quality, but a SCART port that's not doing what it should, for instance.

It's irrelevant now - I dumped the player and I'll be getting one with a S-Video port.

Thanks for the help, guys.

If you obtained better results with an old crappy S-Video cable over a good RGB-Scart one, then there's something wrong with your hardware or software.

Either RGB out is not enabled in your DVD-player, which then defaults to regular video (FBAS in German)
or
RGB-in is not enabled in your TV, I don't know the model and its settings
or
hardware problem (bad cables, bent pins, unsoldered connections etc.). I think that if your TV has a separate S-Video input, then it hasn't a S-Video enabled SCART. You may check this very simple with an S-Video->SCART adapter.

The activation of RGB is necessary because some pins of the French-invented socket may have multiple uses. It's OFF by default because most people are lazy and they want an "out-of-the-box" solution, whereas not all TV sets are capable of receiving RGB (especially older TV sets - which might be your case).

[SeeMoreDigital]

... RGB-in is not enabled in your TV, I don't know the model and its settings.His TV is a Panasonic TX-28DK1F. Scart input 1 is RGB enabled. Scart input 2 is S-video enabled. It also has a separate S-Video input...

[Ghitulescu]

Pioneer sells an external box for their flat panels (ie pure displays/monitors). It has various analog inputs and HDMI outputs. Once 500€ they are now less than 150€ in Germany.

[SeeMoreDigital]

Pioneer sells an external box for their flat panels (ie pure displays/monitors). It has various analog inputs and HDMI outputs. Once 500€ they are now less than 150€ in Germany.Any links?

[Ghitulescu]

Pioneer PD-AV100HD.

http://www.prad.de/en/news/shownews_tv1100.html