Newbie question about S-Video on old Sony Trinitron

[stillglued]

I was offered an old TV for free, a Sony Trinitron KV-27V20 which I’ve been told is S-Video. I want to use this TV for old VHS tapes and occasional retro gaming. When it comes to hooking up a VCR to this TV how do I make sure that the VCR is S-Video compatible? For instance, I’ve found someone giving away a Sony SLV-585HF VCR but I have no idea if that will work with this TV. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you and Happy New Year!

[aedipuss]

the tv will have s-vid inputs along with composite. you will be able to hook up most analog equiptment. you'll see inputs like the picture below and need cables that match. you either use the s-vid 5 pin with left/right white/red audio inputs or the yellow composite connector along with the audio.


[Attachment 56506 - Click to enlarge]



[Attachment 56507 - Click to enlarge]

[smrpix]

The TV will accept s-video, composite and rf input, so there is nothing to worry about on that end. However, that is not an s-video deck so you will be limited to composite or rf.

[stillglued]

The TV will accept s-video, composite and rf input, so there is nothing to worry about on that end. However, that is not an s-video deck so you will be limited to composite or rf.

Can you recommend a good S-Video VCR?

[orsetto]

Depends how "good" an SVHS deck you want, and for what purpose. If exclusively for retro playback giggles on the Trinitron, almost any SVHS deck will do, however some were more reliable than others. IMO, the best price/performance/reliability deal is the Mitsubishi HS-U748 or identical 749, mfd circa 1999-2001. If you're patient and look carefully, these turn up in nice condition for around $70. They have excellent tracking lock on both video and HiFi audio, so are compatible with most older tapes made on older long-gone VCRs.

If you want the ultimate in PQ, you need to drop closer to $400 for one of the classic JVC DigiPure models or the Mitsubishi HS-HD2000U, which have special built-in TBC/DNR circuits that clean up color and reduce grainy noise. The drawback with these premium VCRs is dodgy tracking performance with EP/SLP tapes and some older SP tapes, esp the HiFi audio. You trade the improved picture against worse random tape compatibility. The one-off Panasonic AG-1980P famously corrects this paradox, combining good tracking with TBC/DNR, but they are a minefield of repair issues and can easily run well over $800 btwn purchase price and overhaul costs.

Consider carefully how much you think you'll really be playing tapes. If it will just be for an occasional nostalgia kick, you may as well just stick with your Sony SLV-585 (assuming it works properly). SVHS decks shine most with SVHS-mode tapes: if most or all of the tapes you plan on playing are regular standard VHS, you will not see a night and day difference between the 585 and an SVHS vcr on a 27" Trinitron. Such old school CRT Sony TVs were optimized for ordinary VHS signals: it would be hard to find a better display for that material. An SVHS deck can take some advantage of the Trinitron SVHS connection for slightly improved clarity when playing ordinary non-SVHS tapes, but it isn't as huge a difference on an analog Trinitron as when using the same connections in a modern digital flat-screen HDTV (the HDTV struggles with SD material like VHS, so needs all the help it can get: SVHS connection improvement becomes more obvious).

[stillglued]

Depends how "good" an SVHS deck you want, and for what purpose. If exclusively for retro playback giggles on the Trinitron, almost any SVHS deck will do, however some were more reliable than others. IMO, the best price/performance/reliability deal is the Mitsubishi HS-U748 or identical 749, mfd circa 1999-2001. If you're patient and look carefully, these turn up in nice condition for around $70. They have excellent tracking lock on both video and HiFi audio, so are compatible with most older tapes made on older long-gone VCRs.

If you want the ultimate in PQ, you need to drop closer to $400 for one of the classic JVC DigiPure models or the Mitsubishi HS-HD2000U, which have special built-in TBC/DNR circuits that clean up color and reduce grainy noise. The drawback with these premium VCRs is dodgy tracking performance with EP/SLP tapes and some older SP tapes, esp the HiFi audio. You trade the improved picture against worse random tape compatibility. The one-off Panasonic AG-1980P famously corrects this paradox, combining good tracking with TBC/DNR, but they are a minefield of repair issues and can easily run well over $800 btwn purchase price and overhaul costs.

Consider carefully how much you think you'll really be playing tapes. If it will just be for an occasional nostalgia kick, you may as well just stick with your Sony SLV-585 (assuming it works properly). SVHS decks shine most with SVHS-mode tapes: if most or all of the tapes you plan on playing are regular standard VHS, you will not see a night and day difference between the 585 and an SVHS vcr on a 27" Trinitron. Such old school CRT Sony TVs were optimized for ordinary VHS signals: it would be hard to find a better display for that material. An SVHS deck can take some advantage of the Trinitron SVHS connection for slightly improved clarity when playing ordinary non-SVHS tapes, but it isn't as huge a difference on an analog Trinitron as when using the same connections in a modern digital flat-screen HDTV (the HDTV struggles with SD material like VHS, so needs all the help it can get: SVHS connection improvement becomes more obvious).

After taking measurements, the Trinitron is too big for my space. My second option is a General Electric GE 19TVR62. I have no familiarity with this make or model. Is it worth taking home for free? Thanks so much for your input.

[orsetto]

General Electric (and sister RCA) made a kajillion 19" TV models, all fairly similar. They were good for off-air viewing in their day, but not great, and mediocre for gaming or VCR use. If you're serious about nostalgia fun, hold out for a 19" or 20" Sony Trinitron: from 1971 thru 2001, there was Trinitron at the top and then everything else three steps below it.

That said, for free, just to see if you'll actually enjoy nostalgia gear? Take the GE (just make sure it works OK first, because it can be difficult or expensive to discard an old dead TV in many towns/cities due to environmental regs). Any VCR can work with any CRT television: all VCRs include a transmitter connection for channel 3 and 4, and composite video/audio connection. All TVs can accept a VCR via their antenna connection on channel 3 or 4, those that have AV connections like a videogame can use that hookup for slightly clearer picture. Some newer TVs also had the S-Video connector for SVHS, but thats only useful if you have an SVHS VCR (regular ordinary VCRs don't have S-Video sockets). I wouldn't bother seeking out an SVHS VCR for anything but a 27" Trinitron, on aging smaller Sonys (or other brands of any size) you'll be hard pressed to notice a significant difference from ordinary VHS. If you primarily want to play old Blockbuster rental tapes or pre-recorded Hollywood movies, none of those were made in SVHS format anyhow.

BTW if you miss out on the free Sony VCR, look for a Panasonic instead, preferably a Panasonic (or Quasar) made around 1996-1998 (check the date on the back panel label). These are very common, durable, and if found in good working condition usually stay that way. Sony and JVC can have hidden problems: OK if free but don't pay good money for one. RCA and GE were variable, and prone to little kids shoving trash into them. The best plain ordinary VHS budget model was Mitsubishi HS-U448 or 449: if you can find one for $40 or less with remote, grab it.

[lingyi]

+1 to waiting for a Sony, ideally a Wega. Note that because of the design of the Trinitron tube, they're deeper and heavier than other sets.

While nostalgia watching videotapes on a CRT is fun, keep in mind that every play of a tape could be it's last and brings your VCR closer to eventual demise.

[stillglued]

+1 to waiting for a Sony, ideally a Wega. Note that because of the design of the Trinitron tube, they're deeper and heavier than other sets.

While nostalgia watching videotapes on a CRT is fun, keep in mind that every play of a tape could be it's last and brings your VCR closer to eventual demise.

I can fit something between 13” and 20” in my space. You mentioned a WEGA model, any specific models I should be on the lookout for?

[lingyi]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FD_Trinitron/WEGA

Not a lot of choice in the 20" size. The FV series was a step above the FS entry level. You may even be able to upgrade to a 24".

Check your local Craigslist or other listings as a lot of people will be exchanging their CRTs for HDTVs this time of year.

Good luck!

[aedipuss]

wega was the top of the line for crt. mine was 40" beast that weighed about 300lbs. am still sad about it dying. what a tv picture. i think the smallest wega was around 30".

[lingyi]

Reference my link above, all flat tube Trinitrons were Wega, down to 13". As far as I know, all Sony CRTs are Trinitron because of the mask and inline gun design, but only flat screen Trinitron's were Wega. Mitsubishi had flat tube TVs that used Trinitron technology. [Edit: After the Trinitron patent expired. Mitsubishi called their TVs Diamondtron].

Edit: When Wega was introduced, some of the curved consumer Trinitron sizes were discontinued. 4, 8, 17, 19, 26". Trivia: The 4" KV-4100 was fully flat because of it's small size.

The Wega line is FD Trinitron. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinitron

[imfuraisoth]

Hi I have a Trinitron with an s-video / composite input in the back like the one described in this thread but recently, only 1 input would ever register. Initially I thought the composite input had issues because it stopped working all of the sudden but the s-video still worked. Then just yesterday, I was testing the s-video input and I got no video and I tried the composite and that was working fine. Is there an issue with the TV auto detecting the input signal? Is there a way for me to manually tell it which input to use? It's all just VIDEO 1.