Truth for Nintentdo S-Video

[HyruleHero]

Hey guys I am looking for some advice. I know this a topic well talked about but I am trying to find some definitive answers. I am gettting a pretty solid 36 inch TV with S-Video pretty soon and I am interested in purchasing an S-Video cable for my Nintendo consoles. Correct me if I am wrong but the S-Video cable will work and improve my video for SNES,64, and Gamecube?? If so, by how much. alot?? Also, I am reading that the first party Nintendo S-Video cable or Monster S-Video cables are the ones to purchase. They are however expensive and harder to find. I see Pelican makes some but I have always hated Pelican products. Looking for some feedback and opinons.

Thanks in advance!
Joe

[bigbacon]

doubt you'll notice a difference.

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

Correct me if I am wrong but the S-Video cable will work and improve my video for SNES,64, and Gamecube?? If so, by how much. alot??


SNES: some improvement
N64: some improvement
Gamecube: a substantial downgrade from Component, but a substantial upgrade from Composite



Also, I am reading that the first party Nintendo S-Video cable or Monster S-Video cables are the ones to purchase.

As long as the cord is undamaged, and the needles on the male plug are intact, I doubt you'll notice any picture difference between brands. In fact, I'd recommend not getting the Monster cables because they tend to be more bulky than they need to be. The Monster cables on my N64 resemble a big purple garden hose. I've used some very thin and weak-looking s-video cables for other systems, and the quality of the picture is still good.

[Polygon]

doubt you'll notice a difference.

Wrong. I doubt you wouldn't notice a different.


SNES: some improvement
N64: some improvement
Gamecube: a substantial downgrade from Component, but a substantial upgrade from Composite

As long as the cord is undamaged, and the needles on the male plug are intact, I doubt you'll notice any picture difference between brands. In fact, I'd recommend not getting the Monster cables because they tend to be more bulky than they need to be. The Monster cables on my N64 resemble a big purple garden hose. I've used some very thin and weak-looking s-video cables for other systems, and the quality of the picture is still good.

This would be my thoughts exactly. You'll pay about $40 for 1st party cables. I would avoid the 3rd party S-video cables since they seem to be crap, except for one, the ones you can get at Racket Boy.

[Aussie2B]

I think it makes a huge difference for N64 and GameCube. Slightly less for SNES, but still enough for it to be definitely worthwhile.

[Greg2600]

I have been using old Mad Catz 3 in 1 S-Video/AV cables for years. Accepts Nintendo SNES/64/GBC, Xbox original, PS1/2, and I have no complaints.

[BetaWolf47]

I have been using old Mad Catz 3 in 1 S-Video/AV cables for years. Accepts Nintendo SNES/64/GBC, Xbox original, PS1/2, and I have no complaints.
How do you get S-Video out of a Game Boy?

Also, there is a difference between video quality on manufacturers, but I don't want to get into that now. If you use any S-Video cable, and it looks better than composite to you, then by all means, stick with it.

[theclaw]

Nintendo s-video cables were largely mail order. Only SNES has a scarce USA box.
Japan however got N64 and Gamecube branded boxes.

The most notable rare cable, is first party USA SNES RGB SCART. Kiosks used them.

[wiggyx]

Hey guys I am looking for some advice. I know this a topic well talked about but I am trying to find some definitive answers. I am gettting a pretty solid 36 inch TV with S-Video pretty soon and I am interested in purchasing an S-Video cable for my Nintendo consoles. Correct me if I am wrong but the S-Video cable will work and improve my video for SNES,64, and Gamecube?? If so, by how much. alot?? Also, I am reading that the first party Nintendo S-Video cable or Monster S-Video cables are the ones to purchase. They are however expensive and harder to find. I see Pelican makes some but I have always hated Pelican products. Looking for some feedback and opinons.

Thanks in advance!
Joe

Soooooooooooo depends on the TV. There is no definitive answer. I see huge improvement with the SNES on my rar projection TV, but not much at all on any of the tube TVs I own (all Sony). I don't notice much difference at all with the N64 or 'Cube with any of the TVs. But that's just my experience and won't necessarily be yours.

[BlastProcessing402]

I have been using old Mad Catz 3 in 1 S-Video/AV cables for years. Accepts Nintendo SNES/64/GBC, Xbox original, PS1/2, and I have no complaints.

I have one of those (I assume you meant GC instead of GBC, for the wiseasses out there :ass:), as well as a few other third party ones, and an original retail boxed SNES S-video cable, and they've all looked equally great, and so far and away better than composite it's like comparing composite to RF.

Never had a Monster Cable though, maybe that makes it look HD or something, but I doubt it. Don't waste your money on anything Monster makes, IMO.

Only caveat on the multi system cords, you have to make sure they're only connected to one system at a time. If they're connected to multiple systems, even if the system is off, or even unplugged, it will cause major issues.

[Ace]

I have two different 3-in-1 dual Composite/S-Video cables and although they do work for the video, I noticed they induced excess video noise in the audio signal, and this is very apparent on the Super NES where any noise, particularly on those with SHVC-CPU-01 motherboards, is practically non-existent. With those dual cables, I get audible noise. It's generally masked by the game's audio, but it's still there.

Regarding noticing a difference, you will definitely notice sharper video with S-Video as unlike Composite, it's not just one wire carrying the entire video signal. S-Video has Chroma and Luminance, essentially color and a black & white signal with sync. This separation alone is enough to sharpen up the video quite a bit and also eliminate rainbow-colored fringing, something very apparent in Composite.

Be advised, though, there may be S-Video cables that are fake. By this, I mean instead of actually carrying Chroma and Luminance, the S-Video cable will have Composite passed through the Luminance pin, which actually will not work on some TVs, and when it does work, you get a grid pattern on your TV. It really looks ugly.

[Zing]

If you don't notice an immediate and significant difference when using s-video on a SNES instead of composite, then something is wrong, either with your eyes, your cable, or your TV.

[Dashopepper]

I recently tested my monster s-video against composite on two snes running the exact same games. I could see a difference especially on words in the title screens. But as far as actual gameplay goes when the games were in motion the difference was really hard to tell and once I actually got confused which was which because the composite looked better (super off road, the Baha).

So I ended up using my monster cable on my gamecube but haven't really tested it out to see the difference.

[WCP]

Is there a way to tell if you have the official Nintendo version of the SNES S-Video cable ?

I'm saying if it's out of the box, and you just have the cable. Like are there any specific markings on a legit Nintendo version ?

[RP2A03]

Is there a way to tell if you have the official Nintendo version of the SNES S-Video cable ?

I'm saying if it's out of the box, and you just have the cable. Like are there any specific markings on a legit Nintendo version ?

I would imagine that it would have the Nintendo logo on the connector just like the composite cables.

[Aussie2B]

I would imagine that it would have the Nintendo logo on the connector just like the composite cables.

I can confirm that it does indeed.

[Eternal Champion]

I haven't compared to composite, but when I recently got a 2004 20" Toshiba, I hooked up my cheap-ass $5 SNES s-video cable, and I think it looks badass.