# Advice About Composite/S-Video-to-Component Converters



## Tabby2 (Jul 28, 2008)

Folks -- This is my first post, so, please be gentle with me! :gulp:

I recently upgraded my 1990s-vintage analogue home theater system to digital, including a 1080p HDTV -- what a difference! I also am one of the last C-Band satellite subscribers (big ugly dish, West Virginia Wildflower, etc). Most of us use Motorola DSR-922 digital receivers. The output of the DSR-922 is either s-video or composite video. Surprisingly, there is a digital audio fiber optic output, but no component video output.

My new receiver is an Onkyo TX-SR607, which is an incredible piece of hardware! It has component and composite inputs, but no S-video input. So, for the moment, I am stuck with the composite video input.

While surfing, I did find a converter: http: (no www)//ep.yimg.com/ca/I/videoware_2096_13970298, which, on paper, appears to be able to do the job.

Since this converter costs $160, I thought I would ask the experts if the increase in picture quality is worth the cost?

Thanks for your help!


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## Darius2010 (Dec 29, 2008)

Tabby2 said:


> Folks -- This is my first post, so, please be gentle with me! :gulp:
> 
> I recently upgraded my 1990s-vintage analogue home theater system to digital, including a 1080p HDTV -- what a difference! I also am one of the last C-Band satellite subscribers (big ugly dish, West Virginia Wildflower, etc). Most of us use Motorola DSR-922 digital receivers. The output of the DSR-922 is either s-video or composite video. Surprisingly, there is a digital audio fiber optic output, but no component video output.
> 
> ...


Welcome to HTS, Hmmm.... there are a couple issues here but to answer your question, no, the cost is way to high and the picture quality will never match that of a pure digital connection from a digital source. If after receiving a few replies here, you decide to go with a converter, here is one for $60: http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/33-10720&CAWELAID=293709404

Have you tried contacting your satellite provider and asking for a newer box or an HD DVR? It may cost an extra $10 a month but that's how you will truly get the most out of your new TV and receiver. 

Darius

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## Tabby2 (Jul 28, 2008)

Darius -- thanks for your advice! The $60 box does look interesting. In answer to your other question, The Motorola DSR-922 C-Band satellite receiver I'm using is the last one Motorola will make, so I'm basically stuck with it until it dies or until the last of the C-Band subscription providers finally throws in the towel. We already have Verizon FiOS for broadband and telephone, so I know there's FiOS TV in our future someday.


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## Toby Jack (Feb 5, 2010)

Yeah, definitely go with the new box. Your signal is only as strong as the weakest link, which would be composite. Welcome to the digital age by the way!


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## dfeller (Sep 30, 2009)

Svideo is basically the same as composite except the luminance and chrominance are seperated in s-video. The receiver will be upconverting/upscaling the signal to match whatever your output is (component or HDMI) and depending on the model might actually do some line doubling and/or interpolation, but composite and s-video have the exact same "resolution". That said, having the Y and C seperate in the S-Video usually results in a slightly better picture since some clarity is lost in the process of creating composite. 
Is it worth going to component first to preserve seperation? maybe - depends on how good each signal (S-Video or composite) are coming out of the C-Band. A good way to play with it is with a TV that has both svideo and composite - plug both in and switch back and forth a few times - see if you can even tell a difference between the two. Some devices put out a good composite signal.

Also something to consider - converting to component requires a fairly complicated color space conversion - the $60 adapter is unlikely to have as good of a converter as your new Onkyo - i.e. you might actually get a better signal going composite into the onkyo than converting s-video with a cheaper processor and going in component - sounds to me like pot luck. I've been burned in similar situations many times.

DF


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## lcaillo (May 2, 2006)

S-video is pretty much irrelevant unless the source has separate chroma and luma to start with, which is mostly found in VCRs. If it is composite and you don't have a very good comb filter to separate them, you may be better off with composite. It really depends on where you have the best filter, sort of like scaling resolutions.


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