Is COMPOSITE just as good as S-VIDEO when recording from LASERDISC?

[KeepItSimple]

Hello!
My Pioneer LD-838 LaserDisc player has no s-video output, only composite and I'm looking to get the best signal I can to the DVD-Recorder (JVC DR-M10S).

In the capture forum https://forum.videohelp.com/viewtopic.php?p=1549433&highlight=laserdisc#154943 Jagabo states:

S-Video keeps Y and C (NTSC or PAL) separate. Composite has Y and C combined in the same frequency space. If you use composite, the first thing the capture card or VCR has to do is attempt to separate Y and C. There are significant losses created during Y/C separation.

The only exceptions to this rule are devices that are natively composite. The only natively composite device found in the home is LASERDISC.

Does this mean that since the Laserdisc system is "natively composite" recording from Laserdisc to DVD-Recorder will be just as good using composite output as it would with an S-Video output (if it had one)? That would be great since that's all mine has.

Also along those same lines:
Does one of those little composite-to-Svideo adatpers do anything to improve the signal or would it be the same result as hooking up composite output to composite input in the DVD-Recorder?

ALSO does anyone know the best compostite video cable to get for Laserdisc-to-DVDRecorder use? I know they have REALLY expensive ones and I would buy one if it really made a difference.

Thanks in advance for any help!

[jagabo]

The video is stored on the laserdisc as composite video. If you had a player with s-video output the question would be which device does the better job of splitting the composite signal, the player or the recorder.

The "best" composite cable won't get you any better image quality than the average composite cable. It will just cost you an arm and a leg.

[Frobozz]

To summarize, just use a decent composite cable and be happy.

[ofbarea]

To summarize, just use a decent composite cable and be happy.

A great recommendation. At one point in time I bough a Monster Cable CSVC-1 passive composite to S-Video converter (a $75+ device ) to connect my Laserdisc to a receiver using s-video connections, but I did noticed that the TV image was better when connecting the Laserdisc through composite.

By the way, in my setup, when using Radio Shack gold cables I could not notice any improvement over expensive Monster cables. In summary get good cables, but not the most expensive ones

[edDV]

You need a high quality comb filter to split Y and C from composite native Laserdisc. Use the best Y/C splitter you have. The one in the laserdisc player is probably the worst one you have so use composite cable.

A great FAQ on comb filters and Y/C separation.
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/vidcomb.htm

[gshelley61]

The JVC DR-M10 DVD Recorder has an excellent quality digital 3D motion adaptive Y/C comb filter, along with very effective chroma and luma noise reduction filters. Far superior to what was available in the vast majority of s-video equipped laserdisc players. You will be perfectly fine using the composite output.

[Andregr19]

My brother has a bunch of old laserdiscs he wishes me to transfer to DVD blank media. All I have at the moment is a Lite-On LVW-1101HC1 DVD Recorder. Would anyone have any suggestions on the Lite-On units comb filter quality?

Thank you!

[vhelp]

(my first post since last year, haha) Happy New Years, all

@ KeepItSimple

For laserdisc transfers (via capture route) it is highly recommended that
the Composite (RCA) output connectors be used instead of S-Video (for the
reasons already described)

Also, on the hardware side (capture devices) the comb-filter (built into
these cards) plays a very important part in the transfer quality. And,
each has their own level of superiority of craftmenship.

As such, some do a poor job than others, and some do better. (If memory
serves me) I think it was my ATI TV Wonder VE card that did a great job
of capturing the fine details off of the laserdisc, Pioneer CLD-V2600.

But, because of my continue issues with Line Noise during capturing with
these PCI cards, I can't use them in my projects. That is why I use my
Canopus ADVC-100 (external DV capture device) for almost all my
video tranfer projects -- because it is noise-free!

But in the end, it doesn't matter, as long as the final encoded to MPEG
results are indisguishable (almost) from the source -- the laserdisc.

That being said, I recently did a demo of a Laserdisc -> MPEG-2 -> video_ts
last month. If you are curious, for comparison sake, you can D/L TWO demos
I have available, and review them at your leasure.

It is possible to do a good job, but lots of variables are involved and it
is easy to fall off course when things don't work in concert with each other.
Hope that made sense to you. Anyway.

Ok, so the TWO files are pretty big, aprox 65MB and 90MB, if I recall. So you
would best be using DSL or better, otherwise, don't waist you time
See my signiture, below.

fwiw, I was thinking about attempting at a Laserdisc "Digital Remastering"
processs using one of my movie disc's -- Maybe "Blade Runner". I realize
that its on dvd and all, but who cares. This is a hobby of mine. And, all
the knowledge I have been gaining over the years, have been screaming at me
for just such an exploration. I don't know.. I'm thinking out loud, now.

Anyway, good luck with with your laserdisc project!

-vhelp 4189