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parrothead

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 24, 2003
644
0
Edmonds, WA
I was having a discussion at work today and the question came up whether or not S-Video is digital or not. My guess is that it is digital, otherwise what would be the benefit of using it over the typical yellow RCA type plug.
 

ChrisFromCanada

macrumors 65816
May 3, 2004
1,097
0
Hamilton, Ontario (CANADA)
parrothead said:
I was having a discussion at work today and the question came up whether or not S-Video is digital or not. My guess is that it is digital, otherwise what would be the benefit of using it over the typical yellow RCA type plug.


Not digital, the only advantage is that it seperates the luma (?) and the chroma (?) unlike composite (yellow cable). Not higher resolution either.
 

Grimace

macrumors 68040
Feb 17, 2003
3,568
226
with Hamburglar.
It separates brightness from color. It's a tad better than composite.

My preferences for video

1. DVI
2. Component
3. S-Video
4. Coax
5. Composite
 

bousozoku

Moderator emeritus
Jun 25, 2002
15,698
1,872
Lard
Pretty much too old to be digital. It was a Sony-developed enhancement for their Super Beta VCRs in the mid-1980s. However, the Atari 800 computer used a similar monitor connection and that debuted in 1979, so Sony's work wasn't really unique, only their connector and that's not so different from DIN (Deutsch Industrie Norm) connectors of the time.
 

Grimace

macrumors 68040
Feb 17, 2003
3,568
226
with Hamburglar.
bousozoku said:
Pretty much too old to be digital. It was a Sony-developed enhancement for their Super Beta VCRs in the mid-1980s. However, the Atari 800 computer used a similar monitor connection and that debuted in 1979, so Sony's work wasn't really unique, only their connector and that's not so different from DIN (Deutsch Industrie Norm) connectors of the time.

I think the original Sega Genesis also used the same ideas behind s-video in its connector.
 

LethalWolfe

macrumors G3
Jan 11, 2002
9,370
124
Los Angeles
As others have said, S-Video is not digital, but it does offer a significant amount of image improvement compared to composite.


Lethal
 

Wyrm

macrumors 6502
Jan 7, 2003
250
0
Toekeeyoe, Japan
carletonmusic said:
It separates brightness from color. It's a tad better than composite.

My preferences for video

1. DVI
2. Component
3. S-Video
4. Coax
5. Composite

New tvs here in Japan have the hdm interface... run across this? I think it's DVI + extra junk. What were all those D1 to D4 interfaces? They are digital I believe... <sigh> :confused:
 

MisterMe

macrumors G4
Jul 17, 2002
10,709
69
USA
parrothead said:
I was having a discussion at work today and the question came up whether or not S-Video is digital or not. My guess is that it is digital, otherwise what would be the benefit of using it over the typical yellow RCA type plug.
FYI, an S-video cable is interchangeable with an Apple Desktop Bus (ADB) cable. As to whether or not it is digital, it is most definitely not digital. For the better part of two decades, S-video (aka Y/C) cables have been used to connect DVD players and S-VHS VCRs to TV sets.
 
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