S-Video vs Component

Jeff Strouse · Post by **Jeff Strouse** » 28 Aug 2005 7:55 pm

When transferring 20 year old video tapes to DVD, dubbing DVD to DVD, or transferring current video to DVD, will the human eye really notice a difference in S-Video vs. Component hookups?

I used some standard dubbing cables and the picture seems fine (although a little unstable or shaky at a couple of points). So, I bought some S-Video cables, and I'm happy with them as well. Now, I hear that component is even better. Should I go shell out more cash on component cables, or will I really notice a difference from S-Video?

Thanks for any advice!

Mark Herrick · Post by **Mark Herrick** » 28 Aug 2005 9:23 pm

Unless you are running your signal through a Time Base Corrector you are not likely to see much of a difference if any. Especially if the video was originally recorded as composite NTSC.

The instability you see would probably be eliminated by using a TBC and you would also have control over video levels and other sync issues.

Here is a link to more information:
http://www.amianet.org/publication/resources/guidelines/videofacts/intro.html

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Jeff Strouse · Post by **Jeff Strouse** » 29 Aug 2005 2:42 am

Thanks Mark...that's a very informative site!

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 29 Aug 2005 5:53 am

Component may be better, but there your're beginning to climp the "marginal improvement" part of the curve where you spend considerably more money for just a little bit of improvement over the current state.

What's bugging me is comversion issues. I'm trying to turn .avi files (that came from an inputed composite NTSC feed) into .mp2 data sets, and some weird timing error is making the audio and video go out of sync in the .mp2 set. I wonder if passing the NTSC feed original thru the TBC would fix that?

Mark Herrick · Post by **Mark Herrick** » 30 Aug 2005 10:30 am

If you are trying to convert the files directly from .avi to MPEG2 and getting the errors, and the .avi files play out normally through your .avi codec, you'll probably have to decode the .avi files first and run the output of your .avi codec into your MPEG codec to create the MPEG files.

Or find some kind of transcoder software that can convert the files without the errors. But I guess you probably already figured that out...

Here's a link I found:
http://www.boilsoft.com/ <font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Mark Herrick on 30 August 2005 at 11:37 AM.]</p></FONT>

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 30 Aug 2005 11:04 am

Thanks for the link Mark, lots 'O goodies there. Gonna do me some downloadin'. Thanks again.