S-Video Convertor/Connections?

[Konacha]

So I am currently doing a change around of my newer retro systems that have S-Video only and my new S-VCR as I got a new TV Stand recently along with a new flat screen TV. However, my new Flat Screen doesn't have an S-Video connection. I know there is a ton of videos and information about RGB, but I can't find anything really good about S-Video and I want to know if I should get a convertor or one of those S-Video to component cables. Or should I just stick my S-video stuff to my CRT TV that has S-Video connections in the other room?

[Sarge]

This is good timing. We were just talking about this a bit over in the OSSC thread. Per bmoc, I'm not sure there's much out there beyond the XRGB-3, and those can be expensive. I picked up a cheap Blackweb S-Video-to-HDMI converter ($12 in a closeout store), and it's... eh. Not bad, better than I thought on lag (I really can't detect it), but it saturates a bit on colors. And the composite side of the device is worthless. Artifacting galore with 240p signals.

I've started hooking all my S-Video stuff up to my CRT instead. It just looks so much cleaner there. But it would be nice if I could get a reasonable picture on my 4K set. It sucks that they've started removing S-Video; that's what I've got on most of my systems.

[CRTGAMER]

I've started hooking all my S-Video stuff up to my CRT instead. It just looks so much cleaner there. But it would be nice if I could get a reasonable picture on my 4K set. It sucks that they've started removing S-Video; that's what I've got on most of my systems.

So true SVideo has been dead on HDTVs for years now, even composite is going away on newer flat screens. Agree, if room have a CRT second screen for the older systems. I use just one big screen; an HD CRT WEGA, solid picture of SD as well as BluRay and newer consoles.

[Ziggy]

Or should I just stick my S-video stuff to my CRT TV that has S-Video connections in the other room?

If that's an option for you, then most definitely do that. You're likely only using S-Video with non-HD consoles, and those are almost always gonna look better on a CRT. Not to mention be a shit ton easier to deal with.

[nightrnr]

I still love CRT's for my classic gaming.
Just picked up a 19" that has component that I am now using for my Genesis via Retrovision component cable. Oddly, the TV lacks S-video (moot point for stock Genesis options).

I mean I CAN hook Genesis up to LCD via OSSC and SCART, and I need that option, but nothing beats a good connection on a CRT.

I also have an XRGB-3, but seems to be finicky with some TV's. It's awesome for S-video when it works though, and I'll keep it around for my N64 needs in the future (unless I can trouble myself to rgb mod the thing one day, then it goes to OSSC).

Umm, I ramble too much.
While they are still working and available, every vintage gamer needs either a CRT and/or a proper emulation setup.

I am sad that S-video is so obsolete though. It is still a great option for a number of systems. Of course, finding quality cables is a whole other ordeal.

[Sarge]

Does anyone have any feedback about the DVDO Edge?

[bmoc]

Does anyone have any feedback about the DVDO Edge?

They are expensive and hard to find.

I have never used one myself but here is a pretty good write-up on what to expect. https://www.videogameperfection.com/201 ... -edge-faq/

[Ziggy]

Umm, I ramble too much.
While they are still working and available, every vintage gamer needs either a CRT and/or a proper emulation setup.

Most of the time they're super cheap (if not free) too. I can understand if space is an issue, but otherwise, yeah. I agree. If you're playing old consoles that were MEANT to be played on a CRT, you should have a CRT to play them on!

Unfortunately, although I own several CRTs, I haven't been able to game on a CRT for a few years now. For retro stuff, I've been using a Framemeister on an HDTV. On the few rare occasions that I use a CRT, it's immediately apparent how much better it is! On that rare occasion that I am using a CRT, it's usually just for a few minutes to test something, and not a full length gaming session. But those few minutes are all it takes. There's something almost imperceivable about it, but I think it's the input lag. I've never felt super sensitive to input lag. But after playing on an HDTV through a Framemeister for so long now, it's night and day going back to a CRT. It just feels so much smoother, and games feel easier!

Another thing, a CRT setup is so much easier to deal with. Turn the TV on, turn the game on. Maybe switch an input. With HDTV setups, it quickly gets out of hand with transcoders or scalers, AVR or TV inputs, various adapters and cabling... It just feel like too much. On a CRT, if you fire up a game and get just a black screen you're 99.9% sure it's just the common issue of a dirty game cart. When it happens on a complicated HDTV setup, it could be any number of things. Wrong input on any combination of transcoder, scaler, AVR, TV, wrong settings on a scaler, TV doesn't like the input resolution, etc. You could still have a dirty game cart, but now it's harder to figure out what the problem is. ESPECIALLY since it's takes extra time to wait for handshaking and syncing (which is another annoyance in and of itself).

Compatibility, input lag, convoluted setups and the problems they cause aside, the games will look how they were intended to look when playing on a CRT. While on an HDTV, we're just trying to replicate how they would have looked on a CRT.

I am sad that S-video is so obsolete though. It is still a great option for a number of systems. Of course, finding quality cables is a whole other ordeal.

PSA: I found a modern AVR that has an S-Video input! viewtopic.php?f=28&t=51540

As marurun and Jag pointed out, this is really only an option for someone that is in the market for a new AVR and doesn't want to loose S-Video inputs.

Does anyone have any feedback about the DVDO Edge?

They are expensive and hard to find.

I have never used one myself but here is a pretty good write-up on what to expect. <span class="skimlinks-unlinked">https://www.videogameperfection.com/2011/10/26/dvdo-edge-faq</span>/

It's long, but in depth: http://retrogaming.hazard-city.de/

[nightrnr]

There you go, so a CRT is useful even just to troubleshoot.
My LCD has gotten a lot of use lately, but only because I've been using devices with HDMI connections (PS3, Vita TV, R-Pi, SNES Classic).
But I'll admit that gaming on an LCD is still out of my comfort zone.

Forgot to mention that I ran into a powered video switcher (at a thrift store) that seems to convert signals across AV, S-Video, and Component:
https://www.amazon.com/Philips-Switcher ... t+switcher
I have not tried it much yet, but I wonder if it has much lag? I'm sure it doesn't line-double or anything, so it's use on an LCD would be limited. Mostly just a neat option for my component CRT's.

[Ziggy]

I have that switcher. It's not part of my current set up, but I had used it for years. I got it originally because it has a front facing component input, which is great for PSP. It works great for SD content, but I ran into problems with 480p. I never tried anything above 480p, but reviews suggest that it has problems with HD signals.