Ultralink S-video to Composite conversion cable (1 Viewer)

[Ben_wood]

Hi, I just saw an ad for Ultralink Products and they have a cable I'm interested in. Its a s-vhs to composite converter cable. I need a cable like this because my T.V. (a JVC AV-32320) has video input jacks on the back for component cables and s-video only. The only composite video jack on my TV is on the front of the set (which is fine for hooking up a camcorder), but I don't want a video and two audio cables permanently installed up front. Any way this seems to be a good way for me to hook my VCR to my receiver and then use another s-video cable to my TV. I'm new to HT and would appreciate any thoughts or advice you can give me. Are there another companies making a cable like this? Is anyone in the HTF using this connect? And finally, does anyone know where I can order this cable? Thanks in advance!

 

[Bill Kane]

The only composite video jack on my TV is on the front of the set (which is fine for hooking up a camcorder

JVC features list shows two sets of RCA composite inputs, presumably one of which is in back: red/white audio and yellow video???

These VCR questions are always a brain-teaser because there are always several ways to go. You may not need this Ultralink cable. But first, you're getting a tv signal from an incoming RF coax cable, right? Are you using a DVD player? Might tell us the receiver brand/model.

orig. post edited

 

[Bob McElfresh]

Hi Ben.

At Radio Shack the sell a little $20 converter that will convert Composite to SVideo. A number of people use this to run SVideo from all devices through their receiver, then a single SVideo cable to the TV.

The quality is not great, but for tapes it works ok. (One of the most expensive parts of your TV is the "Comb Filter". It's job is to convert Composite to SVideo).

Hope this helps.

 

[Ben_wood]

Thanks for the replies Bill and Bob. Bill, my TV is on the lower end of JVC's product line. The rear jack pack has the following inputs: audio R&L (rca), s-video, component video, and a 75 ohm VHF/UHF cable (F type?) jack. There is also a pair of audio (L&R rca) output jacks. I just never thought that a new TV (especially one with component video inputs) would not have (in my opinion) an adequate rear jack pack. My receiver is an Onkyo TX-DS595. I currently have my DVD player's video hooked directly to the TV via s-video.Bob, I did find a potential solution to my problem on the partsexpress.com website. It's similar to the Radio Shack item you mentioned, but cheaper! They have a composite to s-video converter jack that is priced at about $6. I plan to plug this into my vcr's composite video out, plug an s-video into the converter jack, and then into my receiver. Then I can either change to component video cables for my dvd to the TV, or use s-video from the dvd to the receiver and have just the other s-video between the Onkyo and TV. Let me know if I've got my thoughts straight on this, I hope I've written this in a clear manner. Thanks!

 

[Bill Kane]

Ben, your schematic looks good and it all revolves around how much convenience video switching you want to achieve at your rcvr, considering others in the family who might struggle adjusting the tv and the rcvr controls to line up the modes each time.

Since video component is top-of-the-chain, DVD direct to tv is the highest choice. Obviously you must use DVD S-Video if going thru the rcvr, and here is where you are trying to optimize the VCR video signal path. The composite to S-Video device then gives you VCR A/V switching at the rcvr, as you figure.

I'd try your plan first using the S-Video path. Perhaps later you can get some component cables to see if there's much DVD picture quality improvement over S-Video.

Not meaning to muddy the waters, I'll mention some other ideas with connecting VCR without your conversion cable (I said this is a brain-teaser! or hair-puller in trying each method). In the event, Keep It Simple:

1.Incoming tv coax RF to VCR RF IN.
2.Connect another cabletv coax ink w/ F-terminals on both ends from VCR RF OUT to tv’s ANT/RF IN. This allows someone to play the tv using its own speakers and bypass the receiver, e.g. for kids watching cartoons without turning on the VCR. More direct RF path and avoids a RadioShack splitter on the wall feed.
3. VCR audio cables go to rcvr’s VCR1 (or whatever yours is termed) red/white audio INs.
4. VCR composite video cable goes direct to the tv’s RCA yellow input in back. Conceivably, the VCR composite video cud go to the rcvr and then out to the tv’s rear RCA video input, but it depends if the JVC permits both composite and S-Video inputs on separate circuits independently.

I think, in the end, if you have the DVD and VCR inputting S-Video to the rcvr and MONITOR OUT S-Video to tv, then you can leave the tv set on one video mode most of the time. Watching regular television broadcasts means switching to the VCR1 mode if I've got this right.

I didnt mean to go this far, but: this method uses the VCR's comb filter for tv bcst channels and VCR remote to change channels.

Otherwise, you feed the cabletv/ant coax directly to tv RF In, and must run audio L/R outs from tv to rcvr's D-TV audio IN (sigh...)bypassing the VCR which stays off.

 

[Ben_wood]

Thanks for the advice Bill, I appreciate your time! I've learned at least one thing from all of this: take a good long look at the jack pack of any TV you're considering buying. It's sad, but the TV the JVC replaced (a 27 inch Zenith Advanced System 3 built in 1990!) is more user-friendly connection-wise. It has s-video as well as a full complement of composite video and audio jacks. It still has a great picture and now is being used in the bedroom. Anyway the moral to this story is don't assume anything!