Analog-to-digital converter from Radio Shack

[Marc Rochkind]

This little box ($50) from Radio Shack converts analog audio to digital (digital coax or Toslink) and composite video to S-video. No kidding.
http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...5Fid=15%2D1242
I wonder why anyone would do this, as everything I can think of with digital audio input also has analog, and everything with S-video also has composite. Can it be true that the Radio Shack device does a better job than a decent receiver or TV? (My understanding is that converting the composite video signal to S-video involves what a TV's comb filter does.)
Anybody know the details of this box?

 

[Bobby T]

Would this work with DVD audio and SACD so your receiver could do bass managemant?

 

[Allan Jayne]

>>> Tired of the analog audio or composite video from your old VCR, CD player or other A/V equipment?
(as quoted from the Radio Shack link above)
This gadget is useful only if you really want all the video to go to the TV as S-video and all the audio to go to the A/V receiver as digital. It will make choosing what you want to watch easier because you don't have to pick up as many remote controls and you don't have to push as many buttons. But the video quality will be no better than connecting the composite video directly to the TV and probably will be worse. (You might not notice any quality difference with VHS tape playback.) The audio will also be degraded, simply because it is undergoing more processing compared with not using this device.
If you have Video Essentials or AVIA, view the resolution test patterns and the Snell & Wilcox Zone Plate and compare.
Video hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/video.htm