VHS to DV capture: Component video vs. S-VHS

[vega12]

For converting my dear old S-VHS footage to DV, I use a Canopus ADVC500. It has inputs for Component video and S-VHS. However, my VCR (JVC 9700) only supports S-VHS.
My question: Is component's advantage over S-VHS visible? I.e. would you advice me to look for a VCR with component outputs if I want to get the "best " result within a reasonable investment?

Cheers

[danno78]

Your vcr has S-video and composite output. S-video is better and for S-VHS tape must be the best choice.
More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-video
S-Vhs signal can be sent through S-video and Scart connector. Composite signal is sent through RCA and Scart connector. Check the manual:
http://www.jvc.co.uk/files/instructi...ib_hrs9700.pdf

[edDV]

S-Video is good enough for SVHS. VHS is a color under format.

Component would require a Pro level S-VHS deck. Cheaper to have a dub house do the work on their well maintained Pro decks.

[2Bdecided]

S-VHS stores luma and one separate single chroma channel.
S-video carries luma and one separate single chroma channel.

Component carries luma, and two separate chroma channels.

Component, in and of itself, offers absolutely no advantage for S-VHS.

Digital video is always luma and two separate chroma channels, so a conversion (actually, decoding of the NTSC or PAL chroma) will happen somewhere. In this case, it'll happen in the ADVC device.

Unlike composite, where the combined luma and chroma is difficult to separate, the chroma of s-video is trivial to decode properly. The ADVC should do as good a job as anything.

Cheers,
David.

[vega12]

Thanks fellows for some very helpful answers, and sorry for not being quite correct about when to say S-VHS and S-video in my question.

[victoriabears]

David, how about using S Video connection for a standard vhs tape played on a super vhs vcr, does that offer any advantages over composite or scart?

[themaster1]

David, how about using S Video connection for a standard vhs tape played on a super vhs vcr, does that offer any advantages over composite or scart?

yes, it does

[2Bdecided]

I think it does. Not in theory (chroma and luma from VHS don't overlap in the composite signal because there's no high frequency luma left! So they should be perfectly separable even via composite) - but in practice it seems to help many capturing devices a little to keep them separate. My ADVC 110 is subtly but genuinely better (same VCR, same tape, same ADVC110 - just swapping composite for S-video).

"SCART" can be anything - composite, S-video, or RGB - depending on the configuration. (Though I bet you knew that). VCRs don't normally generate or output RGB, though IIRC at least one used RGB for its on screen display. SCART lets you switch between RGB and composite "per pixel" (well, it's analogue, but you get the idea! The switching signal has the same bandwidth as the video signal, and TVs are designed to act upon at as-such) so cutting an RGB OSD into a composite picture is comparatively easy.

Cheers,
David.

[victoriabears]

I think there are so many variables, I have seen better picture quality from composite, but I am not using a advc, often a TBC often nothing.

I am lucky my VHS collection is very good to start with.