Is the DC-to-S-Video actually a better picture?

Adri_Magnon · Post by **Adri_Magnon** » Sun Sep 08, 2002 4:02 am

Hi,

I have seen these DC to S-Video adapters around and I want to know if any of you know if it is actually a better picture?

My train of thought is that if the DC is outputing the A/V signals for the A/V cables only, to convert that to S-Video wouldn't help the picture.

AdriMagnon

Post by **BlueCrab** » Sun Sep 08, 2002 10:26 am

The DC actually can output the S-Video signals too. So therefore the picture should be a better quality.

sonick · Post by **sonick** » Sun Sep 08, 2002 1:43 pm

If you're using a Composite (yellow plug) to Svideo adaptor, then No, it doesnt do anyhing.

But if you're outputting Svideo directly from the dremacast, then it PROBABLY will. It all depends on the comb filter. Most newer TVs will have a better comb filter than the dreamcast does. If its an older one, the Dreamcast one may be better than the TV's.

NiGHTSFTP · Post by **NiGHTSFTP** » Sun Sep 08, 2002 2:15 pm

"It all depends on the comb filter. Most newer TVs will have a better comb filter than the dreamcast does. If its an older one, the Dreamcast one may be better than the TV's." - Sonick

Well I wouldnt doubt that the color seperation done inside the DC is better than the any comb filter in 95% of todays television sets.

Under no normal circumstances should SVideo present itself as a poor quality alternative to an RCA fed input.

sonick · Post by **sonick** » Sun Sep 08, 2002 4:03 pm

NightsFTP: Thats true... and thats why i said it MAY be better... For the people who have the TVs in the other 5%

Chainfist · Post by **Chainfist** » Thu Sep 12, 2002 2:28 am

I currently run the DC s-video on my High Def Toshiba 50".
The S-video gives a sharper picture and is good for seeing tiny text etc but it may also be a bit too sharp as you can see all the jaggies. Plus there is a bit of a shimmer or wave issue.. which may be an interlaced/non-interlaced issue..

The RCA cables kinda bleed or softens the image thus smoothing out rough edges though the details get washed out...

For games like Marvel Versus Capcom with low rez characters I'd go with the RCA, but games like Resident Evil or Sonic2 the details just fly at you with the S-Video Cables!

Ex-Cyber · Post by **Ex-Cyber** » Thu Sep 12, 2002 9:10 am

I don't think there is any "color separation" done by the DC to generate the S-Video signal; it should just be spitting out the same signal (perhaps amplified/decoupled somehow) to the A/V out port as it is into the PAL/NTSC encoder. Having the DC do color separation would imply that the conversion process goes:

RGB -> color difference (YUV/YIQ/"component") -> S-Video -> Composite -> S-Video

Unless this is how it works, you'd have to have a "better than perfect" comb filter to get better quality from composite than S-Video.

Gmc · Post by **Gmc** » Thu Sep 12, 2002 11:49 am

Using a S-video cable on the DC, makes the picture WAY better than the normal composite cable. However I prefer using RGB Scart (Needs a Scart socket, most European TV's do), the picture is ALMOST VGA like

.

Chainfist · Post by **Chainfist** » Fri Sep 13, 2002 7:31 pm

[quote="Ex-Cyber"]I don't think there is any "color separation" done by the DC to generate the S-Video signal; it should just be spitting out the same signal (perhaps amplified/decoupled somehow) to the A/V out port as it is into the PAL/NTSC encoder. Having the DC do color separation would imply that the conversion process goes:

RGB -> color difference (YUV/YIQ/"component") -> S-Video -> Composite -> S-Video

Unless this is how it works, you'd have to have a "better than perfect" comb filter to get better quality from composite than S-Video.[/quote]

Dude, it sounds like you don't have S-Video. Trust me, it is sharper. Its like 25% sharper image than RCA. If you look on the DC plug, the S-video has more pins than the RCA one. I'm sure the s-video is produced in the exact same way as every other s-video camcorder, dvd or VCR out there...