S-Video vs. Composite connections (1 Viewer)

[Allan Jayne]

If the original signal was composite any time in its earlier life, the dish receiver's delivering S-video to the TV isn't going to make things better. in fact the S-video delivery of what was an analog signal could give a worse picture if the comb filter in the dish receiver (needed to turn analog channels into S-video) is not as good as that in the TV.
Digital cable or satellite occasionally includes some composite signals that were compressed and digitized. Whether it is converted to S-video or Y/Pb/Pr prior to going out to the satellite or cable network, or is so converted in your dish receiver or cable box I am not sure, but a comb filter is needed.
Video hints:
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[Bill Slack]

If the original source has chroma/luma seperated S-Vid (or better) will always be superior.

However, if the source is a composite format (e.g., broadcast TV or LD) then the signal must pass through a comb-filter at somepoint, so a composite signal will be better if your TV (or whatever you pass it into) has a superior comb filter.

In my setup I have a a CLD-704 which has a decent, but not great (by any stretch) comb filter. I have a Toshiba HDTV, an Iscan line doubler and a JVC SVHS vcr.

I could use the s-video out of the LD, or pass the composite to any of the sources above.

Obviously I want to use my Iscan since my (older) Toshiba has a poor line doubler. I was not satisfied with the JVC or Iscan line doubler (which seem a bit better than the LD players) so I purchased an out-board Camelot VPS-1 (I snagged it for only $100 off of eBay.) It makes a big difference!

As for a Dish, it should NOT look better. Mpeg itself seperates chroma/luma -- If you use composite you're combinining them and THEN seperating them, so even if the source (e.g, dbs provider) does a poor job encoding the original signal, then you're still taking what they gave you and then seperating it again. It's just one more step of conversion.

Is it possible for S-Video to look worse than composite? Sure. It shouldn't though! In the end, whatever looks best to you, you should use.

Also, most HD sets today seem to have extremely good comb filters (I'd happily use my Tosh's if it wasn't for the atrocious de-interlacer!)