Dumb cable question

[krypton_john]

Hi All,

Is the electrical characteristic of each of the 3 signals in a component video cable the same as a composite video cable? In other words, is a component video cable ok to use for composite video, just using only one of the 3 plugs at either end?

2nd question: Is there such a thing as an s-video to component video converter? In other words if I have an s-video source, and a component video display, can the fomer be converted to the latter?

Ta,
JohnO

[skippy_nz]

2nd question: Is there such a thing as an s-video to component video converter? In other words if I have an s-video source, and a component video display, can the fomer be converted to the latter?

Ta,
JohnO

Hi JohnO

I have an S-Video to Component Video cable - it came with a video card i bought - but you get a better quality picture using the S-Video straight to the tv then you do when converting to Component Video.

[Ted the Penguin]

Hi JohnO

I have an S-Video to Component Video cable - it came with a video card i bought - but you get a better quality picture using the S-Video straight to the tv then you do when converting to Component Video.

my guess is that you dont actually have a converter but that the plug on your card has extra pins that are to be used with that cable to pass component video signals. if you look close up does the plug have 4 or 7 pins? you can find standard pinouts for svideo online, or better compare the end of your cable to a normal svideo cable, do they look the same?

[ArfurAnt]

I have a DVD Recorder, Toshiba RD-XS24, which has Component Video out and S-Video input. By selecting the correct input it will happily output the S-Video input from my Sky+ STB via the Component Output. This option might be worth considering . . .

[krazman]

If I understand the first question right, the signals are unique and different on each of the three connections of a component video cable so that you could not use just one to get a composite picture if the source started out as component. So to answer the first question, no you can't cross that bridge with a signal source that is "incomplete" using just one connection at the end of component video, but if I misunderstood, just slap me.

[Ted the Penguin]

nope you got it, if you only used one you would just see one part of the picture, it would look black and white or something else, havnt played with that for fun (I just might some day too :p)

[stefan]

I interpreted the question as being "can I use one of the 'subcables' from a component cable between my composite out and my composite in". Which should be fine.

[Ted the Penguin]

to be final on that question YES if anything they should be higher quality cables, so they should work better, all they are is a conductor, insulator, and shielding around a COmmon AXis (if anyone was wondering why its called coax) as long as the connector fits it works. the only problem you could run into is overloading and frying the cable, but since component cables are usually beefier than standard AV cables, this wouldnt be a problem

[skippy_nz]

my guess is that you dont actually have a converter but that the plug on your card has extra pins that are to be used with that cable to pass component video signals. if you look close up does the plug have 4 or 7 pins? you can find standard pinouts for svideo online, or better compare the end of your cable to a normal svideo cable, do they look the same?

i think it only has 4 pins but cant check it right now the machines too much of a pig to pull in and out of the cabinet - perhaps i can check when i move the machine to another room in a week or so....

[TomV]

I saw a philips box that converts from svideo to component to composite, all ways. They had it at walmart, dont know if itll support your pc, but might. Also, my video card came with the cable to convert s-video to component, one end s-vid, and the three components on the other end, probably just some capacitors in there between.