HDTV thru S-Video on Time-Warner Cable?

[Nelson37]

OK, I know it can't be true HDTV. BUT, on another post, someone stated that on ComCast Cable, the S-Video out on the HDTV stations gave a significantly enhanced picture over standard stations. Others have suggested that there is no S-video output whatsoever on HDTV stations.

Calling Time-Warner yields little useful information, as the folks in my local office did not know what an SPDIF was and insisted they had no units with that feature available. I would have believed them except the guy in line behind me was returning a box with the SPDIF RCA jack. "Oh, you want one with the orange doohickey".

It seems reasonable that whatever the HDTV is downsampled to for S-video output is still superior to standard resolution, and it's a free upgrade. Can anyone confirm an S-Video output for HDTV stations on Time-Warner cable boxes? If so, any comments on the quality? Also, is the audio Dolby 5.1 or 2.0? Time-Warner website says 5.1, local office says 2.0.

[Ste]

It's most likely that the s-video on that box will generate some type of output to standard definition TV's while tuned into an HDTV channel. I even think it might be illegal (or just very stupid) to not include such a feature on an HDTV box. I say this because HDTV boxes are SUPPOSED to have 2 main purposes:

1.) To produce an HD signal for output to an HDTV or EDTV monitor.

2.) To downconvert an HD signal to standard definition (480i) so it can be viewed on a standard TV. This is mainly for people who still won't own an HDTV after the switch (2006 or whenever).

Alright, let's say it's 2006 and the HDTV switch is complete. You have 2 of these Time Warner HDTV cable boxes (current models) and 2 TV's. One is hooked up to your HDTV with component and another is hooked up to your analog TV with s-video. Most of the channels available to you are broadcasting in HDTV....so how would your analog TV even get a signal if the s-video on that box wouldn't output anything? You're screwed.
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OK, I'm positive that the s-video or even composite jack on that box will give you a better quality (not necessarily better resolution) signal through an HDTV channel than you would if you just tuned into the standard definition channel itself. You said it makes sense and here's why:

What would you rather have?
a.) A purely digital 1080i (or 720p) signal downconverted to a 480i signal (DVD quality) and sent to your TV.

b.) An analog signal somewhere between 200i and 480i directly sent to your TV.

Letter A, right?
Now, also remember this: digital cable = regular cable with more channels
That's all, so it doesn't matter if you're using analog cable or "digital" cable to tune your regular stations. You might sometimes get better quality with "digital" cable, but that's not true all the time.

I don't have cable HDTV but the s-video output while tuned onto an HDTV channel on my antenna HD box gives the results you would expect.
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Alright now about that 5.1 problem.
There's probably a little confusion at Time Warner about 2.0 and 5.1, but that's probably because surround sound varies depending on the show you're watching. Smallville in HD is 2.0, The Practice in HD is 5.1, most other ABC HD shows are also in 5.1, and most other WB HD shows are in 2.0. But still, if you have a Dolby Pro Logic II receiver, those 2.0 shows almost sound as good as the native 5.1 shows on ABC and elsewhere.
So depending on what you're watching, you're gonna get a different sound signal. This info is based on terrestrial antenna HDTV programming in the Chicago area, so not all of it may be the same as your cable HDTV programming.