Component to S-Video conversion issues

bearcat-dougbearcat-doug
in Help Wanted!
I recently purchased a 4 in 1 switchbox from Radio Shack so I could connect all of my consoles to the same TV. It has four AV/S-Video inputs and one AV/S-Video output. I connected all of my consoles using the factory AV cables and then connected the switchbox to the TV using a S-Video cable. The color and sharpness of the picture looks great on the 16 bit consoles (SNES/Genesis), but I seem to be having serious pixelation issues with the NES and the Saturn. The NES games look pixelated too the point where it's almost like reading a newspaper comic strip through a magnifying glass and the edge lines in the Saturn games look almost dotted instead of solid. I've tried two different cables so is there something I can do to fix this short of either going back to a standard AV cable or hooking up the NES and Saturn to the TV directly instead of using the switchbox?

Comments

  • daywalker2k2daywalker2k2
    i think you are supposed to be using all the same cables..i think..like all svideo on one switch and the other red white and yellow on another switch you cant put them together..or so i been told??
  • bearcat-dougbearcat-doug
    I was under the impression the switchbox could convert the composite signal and output it as S-Video. Apparently the technical term for what I'm experiencing is "dot crawl" where I'm getting a checkered pattern in place of vertical lines. This is basically an example of what I'm seeing:



  • daywalker2k2daywalker2k2
    Yeah they say they do but you get video problems as you see..Try one or the other and see if that works..try all composite and see what you get??
  • bearcat-dougbearcat-doug
    I didn't have any issues when using a composite cable to connect to the TV, but I was under the impression that using a S-Video cable would provide better picture quality. Here's the selector switch that I'm using in case this helps any: http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3964911
  • daywalker2k2daywalker2k2
    Yes s-video would be...and should give you a better quality



    How exactly do you have this set up?? Cause it depends what type on connection you got it with

    snes can do s-video..

    sega gen can do s-video but you need to mod it

    nes best you do is composite unless you super duper mod that thing..too much hassle i think lol

    saturn..you can get a s-video cable but i am not sure how good it looks..i got mine modded to s-video and it looks so much better with s-video hooked up to it..
  • Kitsune SniperKitsune Sniper
    Wait a sec. Composite or Component? Yellow plug or red / blue / green?



    Composite, which I believe you're talking about, is kinda blurry. The "dot crawl" is something that just happens, the native video signal has to be ah, dumbed down so it can be transmitted through the component cable. S-Video is much closer to how a video signal natively is. You'll have a lot less interference that way.



    Since the video is natively blurry, trying to pass it through S-Video won't improve a thing. It's like having an open water faucet pour maple syrup. You'll only get maple syrup, not water.



    Also, that Radio Shack box makes things worse. I used several of those over the years and they ALWAYS messed up the signal, either by introducing strange shadows or worse. I had to get a pro-grade video splitter box to be able to connect stuff properly and without signal loss (well, other than the RCA to S-Video thing.)
  • GuntzGuntz

    Originally posted by: daywalker2k2



    saturn..you can get a s-video cable but i am not sure how good it looks..i got mine modded to s-video and it looks so much better with s-video hooked up to it..





    That's awfully silly considering Sega made official S-Video cables for Saturn. The S-video from the multi-AV jack looks very crisp and clear, it fully breaks all dithering effects like S-Video should.
  • snstaysnstay
    Hey i bought that same switcher and the prob i got was in the sound. i cant get sterio out of my modded atari and snes I dont know what the deal is other than its a piece of &%$@. Maybe i need a better one. if anyone knows of a better one let me know.

    Bottom line is i dont like this switcher and wouldnt recommend it to anyone.



    Scott
Sign In or Register to comment.