adapting RCA to S-video

amakarevic

my projector has only one RCA video IN and one S-video in. i want to connect a DVD player and a cable box. if i send them both via rg-6 cable/RCA terminals and hook the cable cable directly into the RCA projector input, i was wondering if it will be OK to use an adapter to convert the DVD cable into S-video to plug it in as well ? i.e. will the signal lose any quality because i am converting it to S-video ?

oberkc

In my mind, there is always loss when converting analog signals from one form to another. The question is whether you notice it. Converting composite (RCA) to S-video requires some type of scaler. I have used a couple different versions and was happy with the result.

Another option would be to use the RCA outputs from both devices and run them through a switch box. This would allow you to send one RCA cable to the projector.

While you are running wire to the projector, it may be worth it to add HDMI. Composite and S-video are not supported on many newer devices. Someday you may want to upgrade.

amakarevic

unfortunately, the projector i just got does not have an HDMI port

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=263602_263622

oberkc

Maybe not, but your next one will.

AllanJ

Doesn't your DVD player have an S-video output so you can connect directly to the projector S-video input without the need for a converter or scaler?

Actually S-video directly from the player will be much better in quality compared with from the yellow RCA jack on the player.

Component video (requires three cables and a three-RCA-jack cluster on the projector colored red, green, and blue), is better still.

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amakarevic

it does but i want to run the cable behind the wall because the DVD player and the projector are on opposite ends of the room. i could do that, i suppose but it would involve cutting S-video cable to size and then terminating it myself and i am not sure if that is possible (or at least as possible as with rg-6 cable and RCA adapters).

AllanJ

Two parallel RG-6's (an S-video cable consists of two shielded conductors) with a few inches of real S-video cable and the existing molded plug at each end can give better quality than one long "real" S-video cable although I am not whether visible degradation of quality can be seen if you don't splice it right.

I think that it will work out well if the hot conductor from the S-video plug can be soldered cleanly onto the center conductor of the RG-6 without a twisted splice angled out to the side that wants to have a tiny wire nut on it. Then some tape is wrapped around the exposed center conductor for insulation and the shield wires braided as best as possible around the splice. Four such splices are needed, two near each end.

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The disadvantages of crab apple trees. In summer, the apples are too sour to pick and eat. In winter the birds come and leave dropping all over the place.