Component to S-Video Adapter for an HDTV Tuner

[GreyDeath]

I recently bought a Samsung DTB-H260F OTA Digital Tuner, mainly to get The Tube, and watch Heroes in widescreen on my ancient 55" JVC widescreen standard def TV. I mention it's ancient because it doesn't have component connectors on the back. It's not really a problem, I watch it through the S-Video connector.

However, the Samsung unit only outputs the onscreen menus, info, and program guide through the Component or HDMI connectors. I can only change the Aspect Ratio in either output too, leaving us to watch anamorphic broadcasts on a 4:3 TV in "squished" mode when I take it to my friends' place (only composite and S-video there too )

Doing a search for some sort of adapter or converter hasn't really yielded any easy solutions. I did find a cable adapter here, but it's specificly for a certain projector. I'm uncertain if it could work connecting it between my tuner and TV.

http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_getprod.php/masterid=773698

Radio Shack has an interesting Rapid-Run wall system with some adapters. I'd have to buy the wall socket thing and the component cable adapter, but I'm also not sure if it'd convert the signal, or if it even needs to be powered.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2273368&cp=&sr=1&origkw=breakawa...entPage=search

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2287674&cp=&sr=1&origkw=breakawa...entPage=search

If anyone has any other ideas or info on if it's possible to easily convert component to s-video, I'd like to hear them.

[edDV]

None of that will work. You have Y, Pb and Pr.

Y is your monochrome component (same as S-Video Y).
http://www.vdr-wiki.de/wiki/images/e/ef/Svideo_pinout.gif

Converting PbPr to C is much more difficult. You need an NTSC encoder to modulate PbPr over a 3.58MHz subcarrier. This would be a hardware box.

Probably better to get a new TV.

[Megahurts]

I have an older Samsung HD tuner and unless the 'Resolution Select' switch (on the back) is set to 480i, there will be no on screen display over composite out.

This may aply to your model.

[ofbarea]

I do not specifically recall the brand, but I saw one DVD-Recorder that was able to accept component video and output the movie through S-Video.

Given this, I imagine that a cheap used DVD-recorded with a faulty drive (@ ebay), could still be used as a cheap component to S-video converter.

[sanlyn]

I do not specifically recall the brand, but I saw one DVD-Recorder that was able to accept component video and output the movie through S-Video.

Given this, I imagine that a cheap used DVD-recorded with a faulty drive (@ ebay), could still be used as a cheap component to S-video converter.

I think you're right. Consumer-grade adapters are really poor. It's best to make this conversion electronically rather with a passive adapter. A decent used DVD recorder is likely the best way. There are also plenty of used TV's around with built-in inputs that wouldn't require these adapters.

[David K]

I have an older Samsung HD tuner and unless the 'Resolution Select' switch (on the back) is set to 480i, there will be no on screen display over composite out.

That works on models only up to the SIR-T451. For the most recent model, the DTB-H260F, which he has, the on-screen display will not appear over composite or S-Video. The older Samsung ATSC tuners are much better suited to older T.V.s. You can find them pretty cheap on Ebay (some of these are combo DirecTV receivers, but they will work without a direcTV subscription (google for more information)): SIR-T151, SIR-T165, SIR-TS160, SIR-T351, SIR-TS160, and SIR-T451.

One reviewer of this model on Amazon came up with a way you could temporaily access the On Screen display:

This product should work fine for anyone who hooks it up using Component or HDMI connections. Unfortunately, the on-screen display does not work over Composite or S-Video! That means it isn't even possible to set up the unit on a legacy TV unless you connect a Composite video cable to the green (luminance) Component video jack -- and even then, you'll only get black & white output. After setting it up, it is possible to use the tuner with Composite or S-Video, but you'll get no indication of what channel you're watching, no electronic program guide, etc.

[Namigob]

I have solved the component video to s-video conversion problem.
After I could not find one anywhere I decided to build my own.
I needed it for the same reason as others have stated above.
That is to use with my Samsung DTB-H260F digital tv tuner.
The converter is based on the Phillips TDA8501 PAL/NTSC encoder chip.
I have documented the whole project in a .pdf file that you can download.

http://members.aol.com/gapershi5/

I have included a schematic, parts list, pictures of the finished project,
and some screen captures. The converter is powered from the USB
port on the back of the Samsung receiver. It requires +5v at 60 mA.

Namigob

[Namigob]

I have updated my documentation of the video converter project.
The parts list is now complete and added information on how you
can obtain a circuit board if you want to have one made for you.
There are ways you could make your own board using the toner
transfer method and the board pattern that is in my .pdf document.
A short description is that you use inkjet photo paper in a laser
printer. Print the board pattern onto the paper then transfer the
toner by ironing it on to a blank circuit board. Soak the board with
the paper still attached in warm soapy water then carefully peel
it off. The toner should now be transfered to the copper board and
will act as an etch resist when you place the board in the etching
chemical (ferric chloride - Radio Shack 276-1535). You might want
to search the internet for a more detailed description of this
method if you want to try it. You will also need a way to drill the
holes in the board.

http://members.aol.com/gapershi5/

[Mike99]

Namigob,

I thought about converting component output from a Comcast cable box to S-Video in order to record anamorphic video. The cable box S-Video only outputs a postage stamp letterboxed image.

Yours is the only conversion project I have seen & is more complex than I imagined. Would it be easier/cheaper to modify an existing DVD recorder? Polaroid used to make a recorder with component inputs. Perhaps this is less costly because a conversion to S-Video would not be needed.

I know I'm grasping at straws here, but do you think it is possible to modify a Panasonic recorder? If Polaroid could cheaply add the required circuitry then why can't anyone, if they knew what they doing? The Polaroid supposedly had component, S-Video and composite inputs. Would I be correct in presuming that all these would have to come together at some point? IOW are they all parallel circuits? If so, do you think it would be feasible to add the additional input circuitry to a different make recorder?

I know some electronics, enough to get me in trouble. I was hoping to find some free online schematics just to compare things, but so far no luck. I'm probably over-simplifying things, but both the Polaroid & Panasonic have to accept the same S-Video and composite signals. Therefore their input circuits might be similar enough to "cut & paste", so to speak, the component circuitry into the Panasonic.

Am I way oversimplifying this?

[edDV]

Namigob,

I thought about converting component output from a Comcast cable box to S-Video in order to record anamorphic video. The cable box S-Video only outputs a postage stamp letterboxed image.

Yours is the only conversion project I have seen & is more complex than I imagined. Would it be easier/cheaper to modify an existing DVD recorder? Polaroid used to make a recorder with component inputs. Perhaps this is less costly because a conversion to S-Video would not be needed.

I know I'm grasping at straws here, but do you think it is possible to modify a Panasonic recorder? If Polaroid could cheaply add the required circuitry then why can't anyone, if they knew what they doing? The Polaroid supposedly had component, S-Video and composite inputs. Would I be correct in presuming that all these would have to come together at some point? IOW are they all parallel circuits? If so, do you think it would be feasible to add the additional input circuitry to a different make recorder?

I know some electronics, enough to get me in trouble. I was hoping to find some free online schematics just to compare things, but so far no luck. I'm probably over-simplifying things, but both the Polaroid & Panasonic have to accept the same S-Video and composite signals. Therefore their input circuits might be similar enough to "cut & paste", so to speak, the component circuitry into the Panasonic.

Am I way oversimplifying this?

Main issue is you would need to run the cable box in 480i mode (no HD).

...

If anyone has any other ideas or info on if it's possible to easily convert component to s-video, I'd like to hear them.

Back to the original problem, a TV with S-Video in would also have composite in. You can get the menus in monochrome by connecting Y to TV composite in.

[Mike99]

Namigob,

I thought about converting component output from a Comcast cable box to S-Video in order to record anamorphic video. The cable box S-Video only outputs a postage stamp letterboxed image.

Yours is the only conversion project I have seen & is more complex than I imagined. Would it be easier/cheaper to modify an existing DVD recorder? Polaroid used to make a recorder with component inputs. Perhaps this is less costly because a conversion to S-Video would not be needed.

I know I'm grasping at straws here, but do you think it is possible to modify a Panasonic recorder? If Polaroid could cheaply add the required circuitry then why can't anyone, if they knew what they doing? The Polaroid supposedly had component, S-Video and composite inputs. Would I be correct in presuming that all these would have to come together at some point? IOW are they all parallel circuits? If so, do you think it would be feasible to add the additional input circuitry to a different make recorder?

I know some electronics, enough to get me in trouble. I was hoping to find some free online schematics just to compare things, but so far no luck. I'm probably over-simplifying things, but both the Polaroid & Panasonic have to accept the same S-Video and composite signals. Therefore their input circuits might be similar enough to "cut & paste", so to speak, the component circuitry into the Panasonic.

Am I way oversimplifying this?

Main issue is you would need to run the cable box in 480i mode (no HD).

...

If anyone has any other ideas or info on if it's possible to easily convert component to s-video, I'd like to hear them.

Back to the original problem, a TV with S-Video in would also have composite in. You can get the menus in monochrome by connecting Y to TV composite in.

I realize I would not be able to record in HD, but I would be able to record 16:9. My cable box does output 480i, however the S-Video output is letterboxed & produces a floating postage stamp picture. The component output would give me what I need.

[mbryan]

Howdy;
It looks like this link to your work will not work, op.

http://members.aol.com/gapershi5/

AOL took down their hometown- hope that doesn't happen to where I live...

Anyway, could you please repost somewhere?

My issue is that I have purchased a "Venturer" (Toshiba) HD-DVD player from Woot! that only has the following video outputs:
HDMI
Component
Composite

I would like to connect it to my S-Video, old fashioned TV.

I think your work will send me in the right direction.

Thanks in advance.

Mark

[edDV]

Only choice on that list is composite.

I noticed Philips deleted the S-Video out on the 5992... Cheapskates, must have saved maybe a dime.

[mbryan]

Actually namigob's schematic should get me from component to s-video.
I would prefer not to use composite.

Thanks,
Mark

[Milan]

Actually namigob's schematic should get me from component to s-video.

Am I reading this right, you want to go backwards from component to S-Video?

Or do you want to go from S-Video to Component

[edDV]

Actually namigob's schematic should get me from component to s-video.

Am I reading this right, you want to go backwards from component to S-Video?

Or do you want to go from S-Video to Component

He wants to connect component to an old TV with only S-Video in.

[Milan]

He needs to get this

There is another one that will also upscale to full HDMI 1.3 (1080P). It is around 40.00 more

I'll be ordering one within the next couple of days if he wants a full review, but just be aware that the sale price might not be in effect by the time that I receive and review it 8)

[mbryan]

He needs to get this

There is another one that will also upscale to full HDMI 1.3 (1080P). It is around 40.00 more

I'll be ordering one within the next couple of days if he wants a full review, but just be aware that the sale price might not be in effect by the time that I receive and review it 8)

Right, so that is backwards from what I want.
I want component in and s-video out.

Mark