S-Video Wiring, standard colouring?

[HandOfIke]

I need to rewire a s-video connection, are standard wiring colour used (and if so what are they) or is it just random? I want to get a cable keep the moulded 4 pin plug on one end and replace the other end with a couple of BNC connectors.

Cheers

[mvsfan]

just get a multimeter and check the continuity. it will always tell you whats what.

[HandOfIke]

just get a multimeter and check the continuity. it will always tell you whats what.

Thanks,

That's a little bit more technical than I know how to do. I wouldn't know which was Y, C or their grounds... How would I tell I wouldn't know what readings I was looking at?

[AndehX]

I mean no disrespect when I say this, but if you don't know how to do a basic continuity test with a multimeter, then I don't think you should be pulling cables apart and rewiring stuff.

[CkRtech]

You could always buy an S-Video to BNC connector adapter. Make sure you get the genders correct.

[HandOfIke]

I mean no disrespect when I say this, but if you don't know how to do a basic continuity test with a multimeter, then I don't think you should be pulling cables apart and rewiring stuff.

I've never used a multimeter but I can rewire audio cables or a RGBHV cable because they are colour coded and I can find pin outs of these. Having not used something and capability aren't indicative of each other. We are talking about 4 wires here and all I need to know is which is Y which is C and which are the corresponding grounds, that I know this might lead you to think I at least know something about it. And that I'm asking on here for advice I'm not exactly pulling cables apart and rewiring.

Disrespect is kind of implied when someone responds in such a condescending way to a post. And how would someone be in a position to respond thus if they hadn't once pulled cables and rewired?

But thanks for your input.

[AndehX]

If you've taken offense to what I said, despite no disrespect intended, then I appologise. I don't really know how else I could have worded that.

You could always buy an S-Video to BNC connector adapter. Make sure you get the genders correct.

Imo, this is your best option.

[HandOfIke]

If you've taken offense to what I said, despite no disrespect intended, then I appologise. I don't really know how else I could have worded that.

You could always buy an S-Video to BNC connector adapter. Make sure you get the genders correct.

Imo, this is your best option.

Hi it's okay but as a newbie to this stuff I see it a lot on these forums - I am learning and it is a process. I think some of the comments well intended or not can come across dismissive and well, patronising. I think it can put people off asking questions and ultimately moving on with what they are doing. I've had people here put rolling eyes smilies when I've misused a term. I mean seriously is that helpful?

I used to be a gigging musician and I'd see it all the time in that field people belittling others which can make them feel pressured to ask further questions, I used to make it my practice to not do this and if I couldn't offer constructive advice I'd not just wash someone off with a blasé comment I would just let others who could do so. You should see how young musician react when someone older pays an interests on their level and doesn't talk down to them.

Like I said I've had it a few times on here, last night was late and it riled me and sorry if I came across harsh to you but you know it grates a bit.

Thanks suggesting I follow CkRtechs advice, I will look into this.

[mvsfan]

If you set the multimeter to the continuity setting, usually indicated by a small audio symbol, it will BEEEP whenever you have continuity.

basically, stick one probe in one of the pins on the s-video connector, and stick the other one on the other end of the cable on your cut wires.

if it beeps it means that that wire, goes to that pin in the s-video connector. Repeat for the next one and the next.

you can easily figure out what is Y, C, and Ground by looking at a pinout of the s-video connector.

just search for s-video connector pinout online.

[HandOfIke]

If you set the multimeter to the continuity setting, usually indicated by a small audio symbol, it will BEEEP whenever you have continuity.

basically, stick one probe in one of the pins on the s-video connector, and stick the other one on the other end of the cable on your cut wires.

if it beeps it means that that wire, goes to that pin in the s-video connector. Repeat for the next one and the next.

you can easily figure out what is Y, C, and Ground by looking at a pinout of the s-video connector.

just search for s-video connector pinout online.

Perfect! Sounds great!

Thank you so much!

[HandOfIke]

If you set the multimeter to the continuity setting, usually indicated by a small audio symbol, it will BEEEP whenever you have continuity

So I've got an old multimeter and I've run a small current through each of the cables and tested the pins until the needle moved showing a current making a circuit. Matched it to an s-video pinout and connected the wires to a couple of BNC connectors... Easy!

Many thanks for all the advice.

[Blair]

Sounds awesome

If you get a chance I'd love to see some photos of your finished project,

and thumbs up!

[HandOfIke]

Sounds awesome

If you get a chance I'd love to see some photos of your finished project,

and thumbs up!

Here's a shot of the cable. The Yellow and Green is the Y and the Red and White C.... It's working great and have a clear image from the cable, now just need something that can convert NTSC into PAL. I've been looking for an Extron TSC 100 which is a standards convertor, I even posted for it in the wanted section on here. Only one has come up on eBay in the last few months and that was way before I started looking. I can't find an easy way to do this with S-Video, I can find a ton of composite NTSC to PAL convertors but other than the Extron nothing for S-Video.

If anyone can help with some advice on the conversion that would be great.

Thanks for those who helped with this.

[AndehX]

Interesting.. why exactly do you want to convert NTSC to PAL? Is it because your TV doesn't support NTSC? If thats the case, it could be easier (and cheaper) to just buy a TV that supports NTSC?

[Fudoh]

do you need true PAL ? That's almost impossible for video game content as it destroys every hint of smooth scrolling.

[HandOfIke]

Sorry, sorry.... Wrong way around! I need to go from PAL to NTSC. I have a scaler that will only take composite or s-video NTSC.

[mvsfan]

if your trying to convert old consoles from pal to ntsc a lot of the time you can do it with a small toggle switch and some wire.

look up snes 50/60 hz switch or whatever console you want to do this to.

[AndehX]

Yeah I would say if its for old consoles, like SNES or Genesis, You're better off getting a flash cartridge and loading it with NTSC games. Or installing a 50/60hz switch

[HandOfIke]

if your trying to convert old consoles from pal to ntsc a lot of the time you can do it with a small toggle switch and some wire.

look up snes 50/60 hz switch or whatever console you want to do this to.

Thanks, it's a Dreamcast. I've just brought a VGA Box to go with one which I am waiting to have delivered. However the VGA Box doesn't work with all games and the Box can output S-Video for the few games that won't...

I'm going to use the VGA at 480p through a Super Emotia to have the games display 240p on a CRT, and the few games that will be output S-Video I'm going to put through a scaler that will then output the 480p and I can again go through the Emotia for 240p.

I shall look to see if there is a 50/60 switch for this...

Thanks

[HandOfIke]

Yeah I would say if its for old consoles, like SNES or Genesis, You're better off getting a flash cartridge and loading it with NTSC games. Or installing a 50/60hz switch

Great... Is it possible to get a universal 50/60 switch, or are they just console specific. Only need one for the Dreamcast at the moment but might add some older stuff like a Commodore 64 etc....

[Fudoh]

Again - for video games I would really advice against trying any kind of framerate conversion. BUT if you really need it: almost any video scaler will take a 15khz 50Hz input and output it in 480p60 instead. What processor do you have on hand ?

[HandOfIke]

Again - for video games I would really advice against trying any kind of framerate conversion. BUT if you really need it: almost any video scaler will take a 15khz 50Hz input and output it in 480p60 instead. What processor do you have on hand ?

Okay, I'd just like to give it a go, I doubt I'd use it much - just interested. I have an Extron DVS 304... I can't seem to find a way to get it to take a 50Hz signal at all....

Thanks...

[Fudoh]

The 304 should definitely accept PAL signals. Can you try with Luma on its own ? You can try this on the composite and YUV inputs as well - the luma portion of the s-video signal should work on all three inputs.

[HandOfIke]

The 304 should definitely accept PAL signals. Can you try with Luma on its own ? You can try this on the composite and YUV inputs as well - the luma portion of the s-video signal should work on all three inputs.

Just tried my Xbox 360 through the composite input and I can get a PAL-50 (though it wouldn't display PAL-60 properly).... I have chopped up my only s-video cable but have ordered another a couple of days ago so I can try that then. But the s-video through the VGA input just won't display - not sure if a composite will - I will have to try that too...

Strangely, I can't get an image with the Y input, but I can get one with the C.... Could the moulded end of the s-video cable be faulty?

[Fudoh]

But the s-video through the VGA input just won't display - not sure if a composite will - I will have to try that too...

why exactly do you want to input Y/C through the HD15 input ? If I see this right, the 304 has a dedicated s-video input and it supports Y/C on the YUV BNCs as well, so why bother with the least convenient input ?

I can't get an image with the Y input, but I can get one with the C.... Could the moulded end of the s-video cable be faulty?

chroma on its own should never produce any picture. Maybe you got the wires mixed up when you created your breakout cable ?

[HandOfIke]

why exactly do you want to input Y/C through the HD15 input ? If I see this right, the 304 has a dedicated s-video input and it supports Y/C on the YUV BNCs as well, so why bother with the least convenient input ?

I was thinking of running it through an Extron Crosspoint to the VGA which I can feed multiple formats to, component, RGBHV, YUV etc....

chroma on its own should never produce any picture. Maybe you got the wires mixed up when you created your breakout cable ?

This is entirely possible.... Maybe the pin out I followed was as looking from behind rather than the face on I'd assumed....

Will check this out

[HandOfIke]

Hi,

Not sure if anyone is still interested but I got around to sorting this out after being ill and unable to. It turns out that the things that I did were fine, but the actual S-Video plug that I left on the end other to the BNC connectors had a short in it and was screwing up the picture. All is working fine now....

Thanks for all the help!

[mvsfan]

If you wire the dreamcast for RGB or VGA you dont need to worry about ntsc or Pal.

also, I read that with an action replay disc you can force pal games to play in NTSC SPEED.

[HandOfIke]

If you wire the dreamcast for RGB or VGA you dont need to worry about ntsc or Pal.

also, I read that with an action replay disc you can force pal games to play in NTSC SPEED.

Yeah it's just the few games that won't go through the VGA Box, not sure if the action replay will force games VGA though...

[mvsfan]

Personally, I have my Dreamcast hooked up to RGB so it will play everything.

It still has an excellent picture on RGB.