What's new

S-Video vs Component (1 Viewer)

Dan Mertz

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Nov 14, 2003
Messages
97
My TV has both S-Video input and Component video input, and my DVD player has S-Video output and Component video output. Do I need to connect the TV and DVD player using both connections or do I select one or the other? If I need to select one, which will give me better video quality?

Also, as I look to add a receiver, is it true that it must have the same connections (S-Vid or Component) as my TV and DVD? I'm new to this stuff so don't get too technical.

Thanks
 

Michael Reuben

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Feb 12, 1998
Messages
21,763
Real Name
Michael Reuben
I recommend spending some time with the HTF Beginner's Primer and FAQ (link in my signature below). Many basic questions are answered there, including the differences between component and S-video.

Also, as I look to add a receiver, is it true that it must have the same connections (S-Vid or Component) as my TV and DVD?
Only if you pass your video signals through the receiver; not everyone does. Most receivers will not convert a component to signal to S-video or vice versa. So if the signal enters the receiver as one or the other, it will leave the receiver only in that format.

M.
 

Drew_W

Screenwriter
Joined
Jul 2, 2003
Messages
1,718
Also, as I look to add a receiver, is it true that it must have the same connections (S-Vid or Component) as my TV and DVD? I'm new to this stuff so don't get too technical.
In addition to what Michael said, there is no need to pass video through a receiver unless you need it to act as a glorified switchbox. In my setups, video always goes directly to the TV, which does the switching.
 

John Garcia

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 24, 1999
Messages
11,571
Location
NorCal
Real Name
John
Component is the way to go, unless you have a progressive scan DVD and non-HD capable TV (must use component for progressive). Whether you are doing progressive scan or not, component will give you much better color depth but no significant difference in resolution (maybe a little, depending on the cables).
 

Garrett Lundy

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2002
Messages
3,763
Three-cable component will always give you a better picture-quality connection than S-video, but on a non HDTV it may not be a big difference.

Most receivers have many S-video inputs (as opposed to only one or two component inputs, if any), and if you plan on connecting a DVD player, satellite reciever, digital cable box, SVHS VCR, XBox, or similar component then you may wish to connect everything with S-video connectors for a simpler "one S-video cable to TV" hookup, and not have to bother switching your televisions inputs depending what you want to watch.
 

Cees Alons

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jul 31, 1997
Messages
19,789
Real Name
Cees Alons
Welcome to the forum, Dan,

The signal on DVDs is S-Video, so component signals derived thereof contain no more information (e.g. colour-depth), in principle, than the S-Video signal. Both are much better, BTW, than a composite signal.

The quality of your resulting image depends on the quality of the circuitry that translates the S-Video (which is a component signal anyway, technically speaking) back to the separate (three-)colours. This is either done in your DVD-player or in your TV/projector/monitor.

So the best tip we can give you is: try both and compare.

Good luck with your setup! Don't hesitate to ask more and, please do not get confused by some different opinions you will meet on this great forum.

Cees
 

John Garcia

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 24, 1999
Messages
11,571
Location
NorCal
Real Name
John
back to the separate (three-)colours.
S-video carries the signal on two wires, color and image (greyscale), while Component carries separates the color onto two wires and the third is the image. Component has less loss, and therefore usually better color, because there is less interaction of the signal.
 

Garrett Lundy

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2002
Messages
3,763
I said it "may" not make a big difference. On some less expensive displays there sometimes isn't a dramatic improvement with component cables. Sometimes.:)
 

Cees Alons

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jul 31, 1997
Messages
19,789
Real Name
Cees Alons
John,

But it is necessarily derived from the signal that was recorded on the DVD. Nothing more.

Cees
 

Allan Jayne

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Nov 1, 1998
Messages
2,405
Component video permits greater chrominance resolution, or ability to transition from one color to another more quickly. The difference compared with S-video is quite subtle and not all DVD's and also not many non-HDTV TV sets will show a difference.

Video comes off the DVD as component video, S-video is manufactured in the player from that, and composite video is manufactured from the S-video. FOr the best source material, some chrominance resolution must be lopped off in order to make the S-video signal.

Whereas video comes off VHS and super VHS tapes as roughly S-video, it is converted (easily) to S-video first and then into composite video. It so happens that VHS and super VHS do not have enough chrominance resolution to use the full potential of S-video or even composite video, although it is impossible to avoid further degradation when the TV set comb filters composite video.

Video hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/video.htm
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Latest Articles

Forum statistics

Threads
356,818
Messages
5,123,893
Members
144,184
Latest member
H-508
Recent bookmarks
0
Top