Is there an S-Video to BNC adapter?
 

I'm looking to purchase a broadcast monitor, but I've noticed some have only BNC video jacks, and I only have S-Video and RCA jacks on my RT.X100 breakout box.

I have looked on the internet for adapters; so far I have seen RCA to BNC but no S-Video to BNC. I would prefer to go from S-Video to BNC due to the superior picture quality. Does anyone know where I can find such an adapter?

*Edit* Actually, I did see some, but not what I needed - a female S-Video to male BNC. Nobody I saw had them.

I know you can buy s vid to RCA but why bother? My field monitor has BNC and S video. Go S Video all the way. You won't get the same rez using BNC

Hi Christopher,

My monitor also has only BNC inputs, and after much searching, I found that there doesn't appear to be any such thing as an S-Video to BNC adapter. However, you can buy a BNC to RCA adapter, which should work fine for your purposes. I ended up buying a BNC to RCA adapter, and an RCA to S-Video adapter, which when put together makes a BNC to S-Video adapter. All of these parts can be bought at Radio Shack.

Good luck,
Ryan

Is BNC really lower resolution than S-Video? I was under the impression that BNC was better; else why would these monitors only have BNC connections?

Ryan,

Thanks, at least I know I'm not crazy now. I wonder why nobody makes one? I sure would have thought somebody did.

Hi Chris,

Your confusing BNC as a video signal, which it is not (its a type of connector).

BNC is a way of transfering a video signal whether it be composite, component or SDI. Its a more robust type of connector thats why broadcasers like to use it.

S-video is a signal as well as a connector. All though it's technical term as a connector is Mini-DIN. but it is also refered to as s-video as it's the only type of signal that will take that type of connector.

You then have phono connectors which carry the same signals as what a BNC connector can carry. These are mainly used on consumer level goods, where the connection does not need to be as robust.

Does that make sense?

Hope it helps,

Ed

Yes, that makes sense. But I still wonder why no one appears to make the type of adapter that I, and I am sure others, need.

Christopher,

Going from s-video to your BNC connection which I presume is composite (on the monitor) will decrease picture quality, you're going from a separate Y/C signal down into a mixed signal. Therefore monitoring this way will not give you the best colour reproduction, and not the ideal situation for a post production setup.

The only point that I would see its use, is if for some reason you can't use the composite connection from the RTX 100. i.e you need to see the footage on 2 source monitors, 1 from the s-video, the 2nd from the composite.

If you wish to use the s-video then you'll need to find a broadcast monitor that has s-video on it, that way you'll get the correct colour reproduction.

Hope this helps,

Ed

Ah, I see. So if I was stubborn enough to get a broadcast monitor with only BNC connections it would be better to go from the composite connections to the BNC rather than from S-Video to BNC?

(I have no idea if the BNC connection on the monitor is composite. The one I was looking at is a Panasonic BT-S1900.)

S-video to BNC
 

Here is a solution. I use these and they work great. It will cost you around 100.00 through B & H but you'll get what you want. This gives you Y/C (S-video) in and 2 Y/C out - 2 BNC out.


http://www.kramerelectronics.com/indexes/pic.asp?p=401C

Thanks for the info, James. It's nice to know something does exist should I need it. Since I will be doing color correction, thought, and it sounds like the S-Video would provide superior image quality I may just get a monitor with S-Video inputs.

Chris,

svideo and composite cannot simply be converted one to the other by patching wires alone. This is because svideo uses at minimum 3 conductors, while composite is carried on 2 conductors (ignoring any details of shielding...). Conversion requires electronics.

If you use the RCA output on the RTX.100 you will have a lower quality output than if you use the svideo output.

If I were you I would check to make sure that the monitor had svideo in. If it doesn't then make sure the BNC you see is composite, and not one of a set of component inputs.

Regards,

Julian

Julian,

What was I thinking? Of course, component would use several connections. (Where was my head when I needed it?)

I am aware that S-Video is superior to RCA, but I was just trying to figure out if I did convert to BNC which (S-Video or RCA) would be better to start out with. I thought at first it would be S-Video (which is why I asked about the S-Video to BNC adapter), but the subsequent discussions here have cast doubt on that assumption.

Thank you all for your help. I have decided I will look for a broadcast monitor with S-Video connections. Better to try to skip the whole conversion/adapter mess if one can.