# How do I setup S-video connection? (cable box to computer)



## newbie2005

I have the "S-video/audio(white & red)" all-in-one cable (photo below):






How do I capture video from the cable box to my computer using the *S-video connection method*?  Currently I use the *Composite connection method*.  I'm not satisfied with the video quality.  So i've decided to go for the S-video method, something which I have no knowledge with.  Here's what I'm attempted to do (photo below):






The above diagram: one end of the cable(the S-video connector) is connected to the cable box's "*S-video out*". What about the other end of the S-video connector? There's no S-video socket found on my capture card. And I can't plug it into the "*AV In*" socket on my capture card, because the S-video connector won't fit.  Can you folks help?


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## atomic

you plug it into the s-vhs socket.


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## The_Other_One

Hehe, and FYI, Left audio is white, right is red ;P


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## Adam Warren

The_Other_One said:
			
		

> Hehe, and FYI, Left audio is white, right is red ;P



I was thinking that to but i never wanted to say it in case i was wrong! lol


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## newbie2005

Hi,

I guess this is a 2-part question:






(1)  You folks said all I need to do is to connect the other end of the S-video cable into my capture card's *S-VHS* port.  In your opinion, do you think it will work?  I thought the S-VHS port on the capture card was for connecting to a VCR.

(2) I found an interesting looking cable on the internet.  One end of the cable has the *S-video connector*; the other end of the cable has the *RCA connector (yellow)*.  The photo below is what it look like:






Will this strange looking cable be the solution?  Will it work, if I plug the S-video connector into my *cable box*'s S-video Out, and then plug the RCA connector (yellow) into my capture card's AV-In port?  Basically this is a S-video male to RCA male connection, am i correct?

How will such connection affect the video quality? We're coverting the S-video signal to Composite.  Would it be as good as if I were to use the S-video male to S-video male connection?


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## Lorand

With that cable (which is in fact an S-Video to Composite converter) the quality will be the same as you connect the composite-out to composite-in.
But why don't you connect the S-Video cable in the S-VHS plug? S-Video and S-VHS is the same thing and the video quality of it is way better than that of the Composite video signal.


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## The_Other_One

(1)  S-VHS and S-Video are the same thing just with different names.  Just like RCA, Composit, Phono all mean the same thing

(2)  As mentioned, you'll only get the quality of RCA.  You'd be better off with S-Vid if you could use it.


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## newbie2005

Thanks for clearing up the misconception.  I used to think S-video & S-vhs were different things.  

I guess one last question.  There is the stand-alone S-video cable (i.e., one connector on each end of the cable).  Also there is the all-in-one S-video/AV cable (i.e., S-video & 2 other audio connectors(red,white)

Which method is better in capturing?
(1) One stand-alone cable to capture video, while another stand-alone cable to capture the audio.  *-OR-*
(2) Just use an all-in-one S-video/AV cable to do the job.


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## Lorand

There's no difference between those cables. The all-in-one S-Video and audio cable is just standalone cables sticked together.


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