High quality S-Video Switchers

[austin532]

What are some high quality S-Video Switchers?

Shinybow? Kramer?

[SamIAm]

Extron made matrix switches with Y/C inputs and outputs, but the connectors are BNC rather than 4-pin mini-DIN.

If you're willing to build your own DIN-BNC adapter cables, or search out and pay for professionally manufactured ones (in Japan, I found these), the truth is that you can put Y/C through most any old RGB matrix switcher.

[austin532]

I don't need one with BNC connectors. Just a 2 input/1 output is probably all I need.

[Xer Xian]

There certainly are YC matrices by Extron with mini-din connectors. Look for the Extron MAV series and SW AV series. There are composite and s-video models - code word for the latter is SV or SVA, the A indicating they take audio too (usually through so called phoenix connectors, but there are RCA variants as well).

There are also Kramer matrices, and Kramer switchers. Kramer also made mechanical (ie non-powered) s-video + audio RCA switchers, like the VS-4YC and VS-84YC and mechanical s-video only switchers, like the VS-81YC.

There are of course lots of other s-video switchers from different manufacturers. Though I'd try to avoid no-name crap when Extron or Kramer stuff can be had with next to nothing with a bit of patience.

If you really need only two inputs and one of the s-video sources happens to be a PS1 or PS2, you could do without a switcher and see if you can find the "Hori separate terminal cable with selector" (SLPH-00097). I have one - not the most professional solution, but it works fine and saves room.

[FinalBaton]

Sony made a plethora of video switchers under the name "SB-V" (the ones ending with an "S" have S-video), but I have no idea if they're great or not. seems consumer grade

This one is compact and cute : https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Sony-SB-V40S-AV ... SwSdleLHio


Otherwise yeah, Extron gear is reference level and can be had cheap, that'd probably be what I go for. No lottery here, you know what you'll get.

[Jorel81]

I recently got a Shinybow. Works great and switches automatically. The cheaper ones tend to produce video noise in my experience.

[Taiyaki]

I find cheap works just fine so long as it's passive.

[azmun]

Good luck finding one and let us know if you succeed in identifying any. Sadly devices with these legacy inputs/outputs are becoming more and more difficult to come by. I no longer use my (passive) s-video switcher. It was great until I realised it consistently produced quite bad noise. Specifically, I noticed this on my Mega Drive 2 connected to our Sony XBR via Micomsoft's XMD-3 (RGB to s-video adapter/converter). I thought it was normal at first until one time I plugged the XMD-3 directly to the television sans the switcher/selector and was so surprised to see how clean the graphics had become. Oddly, the selector works fine with a Mega Drive / Genesis model 1 with XMD-2. I also don't notice much noise when using a PS (one), PS2 and SNES/SFC so perhaps your mileage may vary.

[austin532]

Surely this one has to be good quality?

https://cdn.kramerav.com/web/images/pro ... s-55yc.jpg


If there are any automatic ones you can think of that would be great. Set it and forget it is the way for me.

[DirkSwizzler]

I've been using a gcompsw with S-Video to RCA breakouts. Luma to the green jack, and chroma to either red or blue. Just make sure chroma is using the same plug for all inputs & outputs.

[orange808]

I'm sure the gcompsw or an Extron Crosspoint would be very convenient in daily use, but that's all crazy expensive. They are both great switches, but they aren't easy or cheap to set up for svideo.

If you want a reliable cheap (and easy to set up) switch (and don't need auto switching), get a Kramer VP-23. Those switches handle unbalanced audio over RCA. They do composite, svideo, and RGB HD-15/DE-15 and AFAIK they don't mess with sync voltages. They accept proper svideo cables in and out. (No custom cables for svideo.) Those were really popular with churches and classroom. I see that switch all the time and it's actually a good one.

There are dozens of them out there and professionals don't want them, anymore. I doubt any have sold on ebay in months. Make low offers. Someone will bite.

[austin532]

So basically I need something like this going into the GCompSW?

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/zMMAAOxy ... -l1600.jpg

And then a male to male version going out?

https://k.kramerav.com/images/products/ ... m-2rvm.jpg


The Kramer-VP-23 is overkill for what I need. I really don't need audio ports as I have everything going through a stereo receiver.

[DirkSwizzler]

I used female s-video to male rca on both ends. Like your first link. And used S-Video patch cables on the output.

But yeah, you've got the idea. No reason the male to male won't work as long as it fits your length/shielding requirements.

[Spacemonkey]

I had the U.S. version of the Sony SB-V500 (Can't find the U.S. model number) that thing was really nice, it's powered, the picture looked the same as when connecting S-video directly to my monitor.

You can find them cheap on Ebay once in a while.

[austin532]

So I'm looking for something a little more compact as space is limited.

[FinalBaton]

I don't know how it can possibly be more compact than this?

[austin532]

Are those true svideo switchers if they have composite?

[FinalBaton]

yes