question about rca to s video

[saggitarius]

I am wondering if I can do this successfully or if I am just gonna waste money.

I just bought a dvd/vhs combo unit from JVC HRXVC28B (don't bother looking on the DVD player list here, it doesn't show up) I needed an all in one unit to suit my needs for home setup (computer and TV are in same room) Build quality seems to be pretty good, nice and solid unit IMO. This unit plays everything DVD/SVCD/VCD/MP3/JPEG on the DVD side and has Quasi playback on the VHS side. Has some nifty features like picture adjustment (soft/sharp) and stabilizer as well.

Anyhow, I was dismayed when I got it home and realized it DOESN'T have an svideo jack! It does have composite out and regular RCA outs, however.

My capture card has both RCA and Svideo inputs. I was really hoping to use the Svideo to do my captures. I have setup the player to go through and 20 band equalizer for the audio first and a Sima SCC 1 for the video (to remove macrovision and other colour tweaks)

The Sima has RCA in/outs as well as Svideo in/outs. Can I use the RCA in from the VCR and the Svideo out to my PC for capture? Will there be any difference in my picture quality or am I just wasting my money? I also wonder if there is such as thing as composite to S video cables, that would probably result in a pretty good picture.

If anyone can advise, would be great.

Thanks

[BrainStorm69]

Yes, you can use the Sima to transcode composite to s-video for capture. Whether or not it will improve the picture depends on the notch/comb filter it uses for the separation of the video signal. Your capture card/device probably also has a notch/comb filter to separate the signal. The ultimate question is which has the better filter, the Sima or your capture device. Try some captures of the same source and compare them.

There are not any cables that can transcode the signal.

[INFRATOM]

most VHS does not have S-video if any combo has it most likely is for dvd play back. Quality of VHS is not such to support S-video resolution. That why dvd recorder is replacing VHS

[ZippyP.]

most VHS does not have S-video...

That's why there's S-VHS.

[saggitarius]

Alright, thanks for the info. I am going to do the composite in/ S video out thru the Sima for now and check it out, perhaps get a composite to S video adaptor and then plug that into the Sima later. I thought that component RGB cables would have been better, but upon closer inspection of the player I see that is for DVD playback only. The RWY is for VHS or DVD.

[matj]

I bought this at Radio Shack for my DVD/VCR combo. It does help the picture quality coming out of the VCR.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102651&cp=&kw=s+video+adapter&p...entPage=search

[edDV]

Alright, thanks for the info. I am going to do the composite in/ S video out thru the Sima for now and check it out, perhaps get a composite to S video adaptor and then plug that into the Sima later. I thought that component RGB cables would have been better, but upon closer inspection of the player I see that is for DVD playback only. The RWY is for VHS or DVD.

First, never use a composit to S-Video cable. They are intended to go the reverse direction which is possible. You can add Y+C to get compositer but you need a Y/C separator circuit to separate Y and C. So always use composite from VCR to Sima. If the VCR was S-VHS, you would use the S-Video connection.
http://home.aol.com/ajaynejr/vidcomb.htm

Second, if you use the Sima, it will split Y and C so better to use the S-Video out. Compare the result with a composite connection VCR to capture card. You may find either better.