S-video cable length

[Idan1822]

I've read you should not exceed 3ft/1m cable for capture.
I can only find 1.5m/4.9ft

Does that really matter? should I look for less?

[johns0]

You can use up to 150 ft of good cable so don't worry.

[themaster1]

the shorter the better

[dellsam34]

You can't go 150ft on a analog interconnect without serious problems, On high frequency and digital cables you can with special cable extenders that re-amplify the signal. If 1.5m is the only available length to you you should be fine, just make sure it is coaxial in terms of design and respects the industry standard of 75Ω of impedance. If it's a Chinese non brand cable it is most likely crap.

[lingyi]

Be sure to buy a thick, heavy, quality cable. I've had S-Video cables add noise. The best cable I have is the one I got from Sony because they took so long to fix one of my machines.

[pandy]

You can't go 150ft on a analog interconnect without serious problems, On high frequency and digital cables you can with special cable extenders that re-amplify the signal. If 1.5m is the only available length to you you should be fine, just make sure it is coaxial in terms of design and respects the industry standard of 75Ω of impedance. If it's a Chinese non brand cable it is most likely crap.

You can go but quality depends from many factors such as capability of your source to deal with higher cable capacity.

[dellsam34]

No, it has nothing to do with the source, All analog outputs have standardized line out level usually little under a volt, 75Ω. The signal of an analog interconnect is too weak to travel over 10 feet without visual degradation. For sending videos to other rooms use other alternatives such as wireless transmission, Amplification, but none of those are recommended for capturing if that's what the goal is.

[pandy]

No, it has nothing to do with the source, All analog outputs have standardized line out level usually little under a volt, 75Ω. The signal of an analog interconnect is too weak to travel over 10 feet without visual degradation. For sending videos to other rooms use other alternatives such as wireless transmission, Amplification, but none of those are recommended for capturing if that's what the goal is.

lol... and you simply killed copper Ethernet just like that... 300ft with more than 400MHz bandwidth... good for you...

FYI you can easily go over 1000ft with S-Video...

[dellsam34]

Read post #4 again, Also S-Video is not 400MHz. And the fact that you are saying you can go a 1000 feet on an analog video cable tells me everything I need to know about your knowledge.

[pandy]

Read post #4 again, Also S-Video is not 400MHz. And the fact that you are saying you can go a 1000 feet on an analog video cable tells me everything I need to know about your knowledge.

Hahaha... you made my day and your remarks about my knowledge are priceless - you will be quoted by internet, be proud. And your brave statement from post #4 tells everything about your technical knowledge but be my guest and explain with your knowledge this: https://www.cctvcamerapros.com/AHD-HDTVI-HDCVI-CCTV-Video-Balun-p/vb-hd2.htm (where is amplification ? - word PASSIVE means no amplification) - If you can pass on 1000ft distance HD signal or signal with 400MHz bandwidth then obviously you can pass 6MHz S-Video.

[Sharc]

https://www.showmecables.com/blog/post/cable-distance-limits-audio-video
150 feet (650 feet with balun extender) they write.

Similar here:
https://www.startech.com/en-us/audio-video-products/svidutpext

[Sharc]

https://www.showmecables.com/blog/post/cable-distance-limits-audio-video
150 feet (650 feet with balun extender) they write.

Similar here:
https://www.startech.com/en-us/audio-video-products/svidutpext

So nothing to worry about the OP's 5 feet concern (unless the cable is plain crap).

[lollo]

So nothing to worry about the OP's 5 feet concern (unless the cable is plain crap).

I use myself a Monster Cable "Monster Video 3" 2 meters/6.6 ft long and never had a problem.

When I compared with the captures made using my previous Monster Cable 1 meter long (now broken) I saw no differences.

[dellsam34]

If you can pass on 1000ft distance HD signal or signal with 400MHz bandwidth then obviously you can pass 6MHz S-Video.

No, it's the other way around, that's where your lack of knowledge resides. Can you get a picture with noise? yes. Is it recommended for capturing? No.

I use myself a Monster Cable "Monster Video 3" 2 meters/6.6 ft long and never had a problem.

Try 1000 ft, according to pandy you should be fine.

[dellsam34]

https://www.showmecables.com/blog/post/cable-distance-limits-audio-video
150 feet (650 feet with balun extender) they write.

Yes, you get a picture at 150ft, assuming you are using a true 75Ω cable, you'll get about half to a third of a volt enough to produce an okay picture, The industry standard for analog interconnects is 3-6ft, Videophiles try to keep it under 3ft. The reason for that is every foot you add, you add a potential of interference pickup from the electromagnetic waves surrounding us. Think of it as antenna, the longer the antenna the more signal it picks up, the shorter the less signal it picks up. But we are talking about capturing here not watching TV like we did in the 90's where noise was okay. I personally do not recommend any cable over 3ft for capturing, there is just no reason to. All my S-Video cables I use for capturing are exactly 12 inches, coaxial, double shielded, and no they are not expensive at all.

[lollo]

I use myself a Monster Cable "Monster Video 3" 2 meters/6.6 ft long and never had a problem.

Try 1000 ft, according to pandy you should be fine.

Just to clarify, I am an Electronic Engineer (Analog Designer), so I do not pay attentions to pandy's "1000 ft" provocation nor to your "Videophiles try to keep it under 3ft" non sense

[dellsam34]

It is not non sense at all, My under 150ft concern is pure interference, Over 150 is voltage drop concern, I'm an engineer as well and I'm pretty sure we had the same courses in electricity fundamentals.

[lollo]

150ft I agree.

3.3ft versus 4.9ft (original post and question) or 6.6ft in proper conditions with good quality cable (the most important aspect) makes no difference in capture quality.

edit: otoh, the short cables provided by JVC with their VCRs at that time were also good

[dellsam34]

Yes in most cases it wouldn't make a difference depends on where you live, But there are instances where interference is horrific and every foot less counts to prevent interference, I certainly had noticed a difference in my case in a form of visual clicks and pops.

[lollo]

I believe in your experiments. In any case, shorter the better of course, but without exaggerating

[dellsam34]

I don't believe in snake oil and $300 USB cables that improve the sound, you know that.

[Bwaak]

I use myself a Monster Cable "Monster Video 3" 2 meters/6.6 ft long and never had a problem.
...
Just to clarify, I am an Electronic Engineer (Analog Designer), so I do not pay attentions to pandy's "1000 ft" provocation nor to your "Videophiles try to keep it under 3ft" non sense

To me, an electronics engineer using branded cables is akin a spaceship designer, who is praying for his spacecraft to land on the Moon. Then again, if these cables were a freebie, then why not.

[lollo]

I don't believe in snake oil and $300 USB cables that improve the sound, you know that.

I had no doubt about that

But sometimes people, even the best users, have strange aptitude. Old Sanlyn and HDMI cables discussion docet...

[lollo]

To me, an electronics engineer using branded cables is akin a spaceship designer, who is praying for his spacecraft to land on the Moon. Then again, if these cables were a freebie, then why not.

Your useless and idiot comment, as usual.

I said: the short cables provided by JVC with their VCRs at that time were also good

[Bwaak]

Your useless and idiot comment, as usual.

So you've bought the Monster cables with your own money?

[lollo]

Your useless and idiot comment, as usual.

So you've bought the Monster cables with your own money?

My business

[dellsam34]

S-Video Monster cables are not expensive now on second hand market, They use to. They are built to standard though.

[lollo]

They are built to standard though.

Especially for the spacecraft stringent requirements

[pandy]

lol - normal RG59 or RG179 is more than enough - most important is your source capability to deal with cable capacity - voltage drop is something important but not on 10MHz and within 10ft - RG59 introduce attenuation around 10dB on distance 100ft but for 1000MHz signal https://media.digikey.com/PDF/Data%20Sheets/General%20Cable%20PDFs/RG%2059,U%20Coaxial%20Cable.pdf - poor sources (like VCR video driver) may have issues to deal with cable capacity - RG-59 nominal capacity is over 50pF per 1 meter i.e. video amplifier must be capable to deal with few hundreds pF load at least...

[dellsam34]

Pandy stop doubling down, You're not making any sense dude.