S-video hook up yields B & W picture

[dzachau]

I have hooked up a Motorola DCT 2000 digital terminal (TV Cable box) to my Hauppage 350 tv tuner card via an S-Video cable from the S-video ouput of the digital terminal to the S-video input on the Hauppage card. Trouble is I only get a B/W picture. When I hook up a composite video cable via the video output on the digital terminal to the Hauppage the color returns. Why am I losing color when trying to hook up via S-video with this configuration??

[redwudz]

That can happen if two of the S-video terminals are reversed or are making a bad connection. You might try another cable.

[dzachau]

I bought a new S-video cable. Now I am getting a "scrambled" picture that apears to be color. If I use the composite video on the Hauppage 350 all is well. I just can't seem to get the S-video input to take the s-video signal from the digital cable box. any other thoughts??

[edDV]

Can you test the cable by connecting to a TV S-Video input? If that works, something is wrong with the PVR-350.

[dzachau]

Appears there is something wrong with the S-video output connector on the Motorola Digital cable box. If I wiggle the cable at the s-video output I can unscramble the picture for a moment. Before getting a new cable box: Is there going to be a noticeable picture quality difference if I use composite versus s-video from the cable box to my hauppage 350 pvr??

[lordsmurf]

Your cable might be bad. I've seen this with bad cables, the color thing, many times. You bought a dud, I bet.

[edDV]

S-Video will look better. If composite, the first thing the PVR needs to do is attempt Y/C separation.

[dzachau]

Thanks for all your help. Lord Smurf, you were correct. It was a bad Monster S-video cable. I bought a new cable (by Acoustic Research) and bingo! Thanks again for your expert advice and quick responses!!