SCART to S-Video

[Twizzle]

I know I have just posted a similar type question but I think I have sort of found the answer my self and now just want to check a few things. Im very new at all this so please bare wih me

Ok I am trying to connect a bog standard Philips Video to my PC. I know my card and software work as I have managed to connect a DVD player direcly to the card with a S-Video cable and all is well..

My Video only has 2 SCART connections on the back and I bought a SCART Phono & S-VHS lean from my local Maplins. This also has a IN / OUT switch. But I can't get this to work and give me a signal on the PC.

Am I right in thinking that as my video player is not a S-VHS player then the cable I have bought is useless as there is no S-VHS signal going down it? If this is the case, is there anything I can use that will convert my SCART signal suitably? The connector onmy card is a 9 pin VIVO connecter and it comes with a VIVO cable that allows me to connect either AV cable or a S-Video cable.

I hope that I have made sence in my rambling!

[Richard_G]

From the top. A bog standard non-SVHS video will not output S-Video, you are right there. It will output only composite video. Looking at the Maplin website (www.maplin.co.uk), it looks like you must have a VA26D. What you should have got is a TB62S (It doesn't have the switch so can only be used one way round) and connect the yellow phono to the yellow AV connector on you VIVO cable. In the software, select Composite as the input.

Make sure you use the correct scart socket on the video too. Some only use the second scart for input and not output. Make sure you use the one marked TV (usually scart 1).

Instead of the scart plug to cable you could use adapter VA12N instead, but make sure you use composite (yellow phono) instead of S-Video.

[Twizzle]

Your right, it is a VA26D.
Thanks for your quick reply and help. Ill be straight down to Maplins tomorrow and change it.

[racerxnet]

What does the seperation of the Y/C signal have to do with the SVHS standard? If that is the case then the signal from my Svideo output to the TV should quit working when I play a standard VHS. The SVHS standard has nothing to do with the output of the Svideo connector other than a better picture. Look up comb filter if you want a more detailed explanation.

[Richard_G]

What does the seperation of the Y/C signal have to do with the SVHS standard?

Absolutely nothing. SVHS is a record standard, S-Video is an output standard (with separated Y/C as you say). It is just that only video recorders that are capable of S-VHS record and/or playback output in S-Video. If you have an SVHS capable video player, it will almost certainly separate the Luminance and Chrominance (Y/C) parts of the video signal to give an S-Video standard output no matter what you are playing back on it.

In comparison, an ordinary non SVHS video will not separate the two signals so will not give an S-Video output. There is nothing to say that it couldn't, you could output in component if a manufacturer wanted to do it, just that the quality of standard VHS is so poor it wouldn't be worth the effort.

[racerxnet]

Thanks Richard,

I am aware of the situation quite well and repair VCR's as a hobby when I find a good used one at a dirt cheap price. I would find that even if the player was only VHS capable, that the signal running thru the tuner would benefit from the Svideo to the TV for playback.

[Twizzle]

Just to let you know I bought the cable you recommended and it all works A OK! Yippee.

Just curious though, I have to select CVBS and not S-Video... does this make any difference?

Thanks again for your help.

[Richard_G]

Good to hear you've got it working. You don't select S-Video now because your not using the S-Video input but the composite input. If you select S-Video it will stop working again. It's working, don't mess with it!