Console S-Video help

Okay. I recently had to purchase a new TV due to my old one crapping out. I tend to use stuff as long as it works, and thus my old TV was a complete POS by today's standards. On the plus side I got a nice little flat screen with S-Video input now (which is a big jump from the RF only TV I had). I'm not concerned with getting a monster of a TV or anything. So I'm happy with what I got. Even on AV cables alone the quality jump is astonishing, which was a big shock to me since it doesn't seem that good on my other friends TVs.

When I purchased my PS2 back in the day it didn't have any cables in it, so the store just tossed in a free Mad Catz set. I didn't notice until just today, but there is S-Video on the cable, which I've finally been able to take advantage of for my PS2, Gamecube, and X-box (it's three in one). I'm not a visual buff, so I couldn't notice any deep significant change over my AV cables (of course I haven't had the chance for a side by side comparison). Either way given that S-Video cables seem to be resonably cheap I was wondering if anyone knew of some good cables that would do a noticable improvement over the Mad Catz ones I have (10 buck cables). I'm going to be running the cables through a switch box for system selection and such anyway. In other words, I'm not looking for gold plated Monster cables that glow in the dark or something. Just a decent cable I can get without spending much money that provides noticable quality improvements over what I currently have. Thanks in advance for whatever help you can give me.

here we go

I bought from these guys any possible cable for any systems I got
service is perfect

Canare cables will cost to you a considerable bunch of bucks
but is like having same cables as pro studios have

I guarantee
I also guarantee that monster arent that good
I believe you pay more the name than the cable quality itself

Check out Radioshack. They have PS2 Monster Video S-video outs.

That looks gooooood.

stick with the mad catz cable, seriously.

it isn't worth worrying about your cables until you get an HDTV, and even then only worry about component cables. unless you're using an svideo cable made out of tree bark and tin foil, you WILL NOT be able to notice a quality difference no matter how much you spend on a cable, keep in mind your TV is just analog, which is already a substandard picture compared to HD, it's like buying a 50 dollar bike lock for a 25 dollar bike.

if you can't tell the difference between upgrading to s-video in the first place, it would be laughable to worry about cable quality.

DashK said:

if you can't tell the difference between upgrading to s-video in the first place, it would be laughable to worry about cable quality.

Click to expand...

that's right, anyway
I forgot to tell you that PS2 has got a very, very weak S-video signal
while a very good RGB
since in US you cant use RGB cause your TVs generally havent input plug

than yeah dont bother buy any hyper-expensive cable

kaos said:

that's right, anyway
I forgot to tell you that PS2 has got a very, very weak S-video signal
while a very good RGB
since in US you cant use RGB cause your TVs generally havent input plug

than yeah dont bother buy any hyper-expensive cable

Click to expand...

yeah i forgot to mention that, ps2 has horrible s-video, it seriously looks like those old LD players on tv's with no comb filters.

Agreed with what DashK said. You really will get minimal difference with a better brand of S video cables. Like he said, just stick with the ones you have.

Btw, you said you really didn't notice much difference between your composite and S video signals. I don't know if your cables are like mine but my S video cables come with the S video output as well as the yellow composite output. To do an easy comparison between composite video and S video, plug in your composite video in your first tv input and svideo in the second, or however your tv is set up. Then just quickly change the video signal on your tv and see for yourself. Graphics should look a lot cleaner with less jaggies and more vivid colors. I have GC and Xbox and the change is most notable on the GC. The jump in quality is actually probably as big as the RF to AV jump.

On a sidenote, I really want to pick up some component cables for my GC. Anyone here have them? If so how's the quality? I really wanna try out Twin Snakes at its fullest potential when it comes out. With fucking surround system and progressive scan all while playing the game laying on my bed.

I think the initial difference between RF to AV and then the next day from AV to SV is what kind of dulled down my perception. I played with some wires and checked out the difference and I was suprised, though not blown away. The game that I noticed the most change in was with playing PSO. The text is much more vivid and easier to read. This applies to all the games I've tried it on but since PSO tends to have small text in several menus I tend to make more notice of it. Colors look a bit brighter and more defined as well. I'm really suprised I didn't notice the change so much. Then again, I think I was messing around with the PS2 first. The Gamecube difference is surely noted.

I would love to get an HDTV, but I simply can't afford it along with all the other stuff I want. So I have to make compromises. I rather be playing Twin Snakes with S-Video than being stuck playing Pikman on a component for three years.

I think I'm going to stick with the little 10 buck cables, they do an adequet job and I'm satisfied thus far. I just wasn't sure how much better it could get on a standard flat screen with s-video.

The three in one deal that I currently have is odd however. The PS2 drains from my output considerably. If I have all three plugged in at the same time on the unviversal cable they do well enough as long as the PS2 is shut off from the back or unplugged. For some reason if it is in stand-by it cuts out my audio and dims my picture. I think I'll just pick up a few of the same cables and just put them in a switch box. I'll definately look around to see if I can get some higher quality cables at about the same price however. I don't mind paying a few bucks more for better leads, but I'm not going to go from 10 bucks to 30 bucks for an offical Sony cable or some shit.

I have a HD TV, How do I Hook Up my XBOX to the HD input?

if your tv has a good ass comb filter, at least 3-line digital, AV might not look so bad. i know my genesis looks real sharp.

but AV compared to s-video is just softer, blurrier, like a water painting effect on some sets. some sets s-video can look shit tho, if it doesn't have a good comb filter.

on OLD 90's sets and when s video first came out, you needed an external comb filter to just make the picture look decent, or it was crosshatched to hell.