s-video/composite cable

[SPR3DAVE]

I need to run about 50 ft of cable from my sat. reciever to my computers capture card.
which to use for the best quality....S-Video 0r Composite cable?

[Malow]

S-VIDEO..

no doubt...

composite make litles "flikers" in sharp and strong color objects...

or use a "temporal comb" filter like in dscaler

[dilly]

Yes, composite is inferior to S-Video, but doesn't S-Video signal degrade terribly at lengths above 6-12ft? Or am I mistaken?

[Lyron]

About a month ago I did just this...
Got a 50foot s-video cable (with rca audio) for something like $11 at http://www.partsexpress.com

It's a nice cable, just a LITTLE bit of ghosting. For the most part, you have to look for it before you see it. And excorcist does a good job of removing it.

Spend a bit more like $20-$30 for a nice cable and I don't think you'll have any probs.

Good luck :)

[Malow]

Lyron is wrigth, better use a good cable
i have a good AMBICO 50 meters cable with gold plated connectors...

it just do a liiittle wave in image...

is the best i can have.. :)

[John2002]

50 feet is long for an s-video cable so you may want to spend a bit more like it was already suggested. I got mine from Markertech (http://www.markertek.com/) which sells pro-quality stuff. I spent $15 for my first 50 foot cable and after I replaced it with their unbranded, no-frills s-video cable the image quality from my PC to my TV improved noticeably. It was $50 including shipping.

[SPR3DAVE]

now radio shack does sell a amplifier for log runs of s-video cable was wondering if that would help too?

[Jeff D]

The most important issue for you is shielding. When dealing with long runs of cable the cable really makes a great antenna.

Svideo is two coax cables each with a shield layer, sometimes you can get svideo a second shielding layer. The easy way to tell is to use a continuity tested and test the metal outter ring part of the cable. Most do not have a second shield. Although there are some cables that do pass this test, but only have one layer of sheilding. This will elimate most of the "noise" and ghosting you guys are seeing.

I make my own cables, belden with and inner shield level of ~98% the outter shield gives about ~95% so the noise is next to nothing. It all depends on how much electrical "noise" you have along the cable path.

My cables are overkill for my current place, there isn't a lot of enoise, despite 3 airports, navy base, tons of satellite communciation, cellular hell, etc.