Any way to force composite through s-video?

[Danny_G13]

I've managed to get colour through s-video by forcing composite, but this feature is only available, as far as I can find, in Dscaler. I can't find any other software which will allow me to force a composite stream through the s-video channel.
I'm using a Pinnacle PCTV Rave card, and I really don't want to shell out £130 or for an SVHS VCR, and composite through s-video is superior to pure composite.

Any ideas of such a utility or hardware modification?

Cheers.

[Snakebyte1]

HI..

I use a simple Composite to S-Video adaptor to capture from my composite only VCR to S-Video on my capture card.

Something like this: http://www.ultralinkcables.com/flash/products/new_products/p15/

I've seen these adaptors vary in price from $9 to $99

D.

[FulciLives]

I've managed to get colour through s-video by forcing composite, but this feature is only available, as far as I can find, in Dscaler. I can't find any other software which will allow me to force a composite stream through the s-video channel.
I'm using a Pinnacle PCTV Rave card, and I really don't want to shell out £130 or for an SVHS VCR, and composite through s-video is superior to pure composite.

Any ideas of such a utility or hardware modification?

Cheers.

Well I have never used this myself but RADIO SHACK has a small adapter with a female composite video input on one end with an S-Video male output on the other end and as you can guess this is to convert composite video to S-Video.

Here is a direct link: CLICK HERE

Good Luck

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

P.S.
Some video switching devices will convert composite input to S-Video output but such models are usually at least $100 USD or more.

[Danny_G13]

Appreciate the response but remember the old adage - what goes in comes out.
The basic composite from my VCR through that channel is inferior to the composite through s-video, so there would be little point doing that.
Converting it to s-video would not enchance the signal, unfortunately

[FulciLives]

Appreciate the response but remember the old adage - what goes in comes out.
The basic composite from my VCR through that channel is inferior to the composite through s-video, so there would be little point doing that.
Converting it to s-video would not enchance the signal, unfortunately

Well what are you trying to do?

Your original post sounded like you wanted to input a composite video source into a S-Video input.

Snakebyte1 and myself provided you with info on a small inexpensive device that does just that.

So again maybe we are confused as to what it is you want or are trying to do.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

P.S.
The RADIO SHACK device said it will also convert S-Video to Composite

[Snakebyte1]

If you are looking at enhancing the signal coming from a composite output on a VCR there are various powered amplifiers or signal converters that may be what you are looking for starting around $40:

http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&product%5Fid=15-1242

More expensive units would have a TBC built in which may be a benefit with older video tapes.

Personally, I'm not sure the cost/quality trade off is worth it .

The quality you get when capturing from a VCR varies dramatically from tape to tape. There is no silver bullet which works all the time. I've had VHS tapes that captured (much) better using composite connections on a cheap VCR than it did using S-Video on a more expensive machine. Go figure. Sometimes I think the simplest connections are the best.


D.

[Danny_G13]

Thanks very much for all the info.

John:

The problem is the equipment I have (And I may not have been too clear on this one) is a SCART adapter which has an S-video output on the back - this all comes out the VCR to allow me to to hook up the s-video to the TV card.
I'm trying to establish whether I can input the s-video cable as things stand without yet more expense, and force the PC software/hardware to take it in as composite.
The adapter you provide seems only to convert the already average composite signal into s-video, but I'm not sure where I'd plug it into - the PC end, the VCR end....and would composite being converted like that to s-video be inferior to the composite I have through the s-video? I've checked out the composite signal through the proper composite cable (no s-video) and it wasn't as good as the s-video signal composite.

Snakebyte:

I don't want to spend yet more money on converters et al - I'd be better off just buying a cheap SVHS VCR (Which I may end up doing anyway (!)).

I might try and get a hold of a good quality composite cable and test it out, but it's not necessarily ideal.

But if anyone has any further (inexpensive ) ideas, I'll gladly listen

[FulciLives]

Sorry but the whole European SCART thing never made any sense to me and I still don't understand what it is you are trying to do ... it still is not clear to me but then again that might be due to my limited understanding of the whole SCART thing.

You probably should just get a S-VHS VCR that has a direct S-Video output than have to use a SCART adapter thingie.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[Danny_G13]

Sorry but the whole European SCART thing never made any sense to me and I still don't understand what it is you are trying to do ... it still is not clear to me but then again that might be due to my limited understanding of the whole SCART thing.

You probably should just get a S-VHS VCR that has a direct S-Video output than have to use a SCART adapter thingie.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

SCART is a universal all in one audio and video channel many devices have - it's given a dedicated channel and provides pretty excellent picture and sound quality.

As for your latter point, yeah, it looks like either that or I have to tolerate the flakey and resource hogging DScaler...