RCA vs. S-Vid?

RWBRWB Icrontian
edited February 2004 in Internet & Media
Just curious which was the better, I would think S-Video, but I am not positive since I have read some claim it is HORRID or something, but I could not remember.

Comments

  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited January 2004
    svideo is better.
  • RWBRWB Icrontian
    edited January 2004
    So I should have my DVD player hooked up through S-Video for better visual quality than RCA? Or is it not that big of a difference for a DVD-Player? This being a normal 32Inch non-hdtv
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited January 2004
    Yes, if you want better quality, hook it up by svideo.

    Is it a huge difference? Nah. Noticeable? Yes.
  • MadballMadball Fort Benton, MT
    edited January 2004
    If your tv has a component video input (looks like three rca jacks red,green, blue) use those. That will give you the best possible picture.
  • RWBRWB Icrontian
    edited January 2004
    OK so now I am being told 2 things??? Which is it guys?

    Maybe I got confused, I have the 3 inputs, Red, Yellow, and White. Plus one S-Video on my TV.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited January 2004
    Lowest quality: RCA, red/yellow/white
    Medium quality: S-video
    High quality: Component, RGB cables.

    Which is exactly what we said.
  • DexterDexter Vancouver, BC Canada
    edited January 2004
    For starters, RCA is not a signal type, it is a connector type. The signal it carries is called composite.

    The difference is in how the video signal is carried from one piece of equipment to another.

    Composite: 1 cable, 2 wires (signal and ground.) All video signal information is carried in one wire.

    S-video: 1 cable, 4 wires - luminance information (signal brightness, also known as Y), chrominance information (signal colour, also known as C), and a ground for each. The video signal information is carried on 2 wirtes, allowing higher bandwidth for the 2 elements of the signal.

    Component: 3 cables, 6 wires. 3 signal wires plus 3 grounds. Video signal is split into 3 portions using different methods: RGB (red, green and blue) or Y-Y/B-Y/R or Y-Pb-Pr which means luminance, luminance minus blue, and luminance minus red. Consumer component signals are usually of the YBR variety. Again, having the signal split over more wires allows greater bandwidth for each element (or component) of the signal.

    The trade off comes in signal strenght over the length of the cable run: the more cables you you run over a greater distance, the more likely you are to get signal interference due to RF (Radio Frequency) signals leaking into the signal. Think of the wires as big antennas: the more wires you have, the thicker your antenna is. Use good, shielded cables wherever possible, and keep cable runs as short as possible. Don't use a 24 foot cable when a 6 footer will do. Also, RF interference happens most often at the connectors, so use high conductive connectors (ie, gold tipped) and shielded or molded connectors where possible.

    Some refs:

    http://www.audiovideo101.com

    http://www.cybertheater.com/Tech_Archive/YC_Comp_Format/yc_comp_format.html

    Dexter...
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited January 2004
    Don't know about you lot, but everyone uses SCART over here.... (bigass rectangle connectors with lots of hard pins).
  • GnomeWizarddGnomeWizardd Member 4 Life Akron, PA Icrontian
    edited January 2004
    Svideo is the best out of the two BUT Componant wires are the best but your stuff hasta be pretty new to have it like within id say 2 years
  • DexterDexter Vancouver, BC Canada
    edited January 2004
    GnomeWizardd wrote:
    Svideo is the best out of the two BUT Componant wires are the best but your stuff hasta be pretty new to have it like within id say 2 years


    Umm, no. The major manufacturers of TV's and DVD players have been making affordable consumer level component-ready equipment for over 10+ years. The low end guys have only done so in the last 5 or so. The difference is that the cheapest DVD on the market now is more likely to have a component out now, whereas say 3 or 4 years ago the cheapest model probably would not have, but the next model up would have.
    Enverex wrote:
    Don't know about you lot, but everyone uses SCART over here.... (bigass rectangle connectors with lots of hard pins).

    SCART is just a connector, and can be composite, S or component video, but is always combined with sync, and with audio, all in a combined cable with a unversal plug-in (the SCART connector.)

    Another good reference, with SCART pinouts for each format:

    http://utopia.knoware.nl/users/eprebel/SoundAndVision/Engineering/SCART.html

    Dexter...
  • progressive-scanprogressive-scan Australia
    edited January 2004
    :wink:

    yep Svideo is much better.

    some info on svideo

    http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,,sid9_gci930060,00.html
  • CBCB Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Der Millionendorf- Icrontian
    edited January 2004
    Enverex wrote:
    Don't know about you lot, but everyone uses SCART over here.... (bigass rectangle connectors with lots of hard pins).

    Wierdos! :ukflag:
  • progressive-scanprogressive-scan Australia
    edited February 2004
    RWB wrote:
    Just curious which was the better, I would think S-Video, but I am not positive since I have read some claim it is HORRID or something, but I could not remember.

    S-VIDEO is better than RCA
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