S-video Cable Question
 

When I hook up my GL1 to a calibrated TV set. Do I use the Stereo Video Cable (red, white and yellwo cord) or is it better to use the S-Video connection. What's the difference?

S-video is always prefered to the composite video input. S-video is a cable that seperates the colors of video (red, green, and blue) from the brightness signal for proper video reproduction. Composite video (the little yellow cable) is a combination video signal that has to reconverted to the three different color signals for display on the TV. It's kind of like using a digital to analog back to digital converter. Of course the best option would be a firewire hookup, then you would get a pure digital signal, but TV's don't have that option. Always use your S-video for the best image quality from your videocamera.

Yes, ALWAYS use S-Video over Composite when you have the choice.

Agree that s-video is the better way to do. The composite video signal contains the same two signals as the s-video cable but they are mixed (added) together to make one electrical signal. The process of separating these back into the original two signals needed by the TV set often results in some losses, expecially of fine detail.

The TV set uses the two signals (brightness, which is essentially a B&W image) and color difference (a modulated signal comprised of two color information signal streams) to form the image. The process is clever, designed to work with the technology available in the 1940s.

Another question about s-video
 

David, Webb and Don. Thanks for the help. So I hook up one end of the s-video cable to my Gl1 and the other to the S-video component of the TV? Both ends of the s-video cable will look the same--correct? What type/model of s-video cable is needed? Maybe a link would help so that I don't buy the wrong one. Thanks

As far as I know, S vid cables are all the same.

Chris,

Both ends of the cable are the same, it makes no difference which end you hook to what. However, since you are asking about S-Video, I wanted to point out something that a lot of folks don't initially realize. That is, S-Video DOES NOT contain any audio information. You'l need to hook up separate audio cables to get sound.

regards,

-gb-