Is there an S-Video to BNC adapter? at DVinfo.net

Christopher Lefchik · April 18th, 2004, 08:09 PM

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.

Bryan Beasleigh · April 18th, 2004, 09:39 PM

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

Ryan Graham · April 19th, 2004, 10:22 AM

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

Christopher Lefchik · April 19th, 2004, 10:25 AM

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?

Christopher Lefchik · April 19th, 2004, 10:34 AM

Ryan,

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

Ed Smith · April 19th, 2004, 10:37 AM

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

Christopher Lefchik · April 19th, 2004, 10:57 AM

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.

Ed Smith · April 19th, 2004, 11:40 AM

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

Christopher Lefchik · April 19th, 2004, 03:56 PM

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.)

James Emory · April 19th, 2004, 07:24 PM

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

Christopher Lefchik · April 20th, 2004, 09:38 AM

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.

Julian Luttrell · April 20th, 2004, 10:15 AM

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

Christopher Lefchik · April 20th, 2004, 10:54 AM

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.

April 18th, 2004, 08:09 PM	#1
Christopher Lefchik Trustee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: US Posts: 1,152	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.

April 19th, 2004, 10:37 AM	#6
Ed Smith Wrangler Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Hampshire, England Posts: 1,545	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 __________________ Ed Smith Hampshire, UK Good things come to those who wait My Skiing web www.Frostytour.co.uk For quick answers Search dvinfo.net \| The best in the business: dvinfo.net Sponsors

April 19th, 2004, 11:40 AM	#8
Ed Smith Wrangler Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Hampshire, England Posts: 1,545	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 __________________ Ed Smith Hampshire, UK Good things come to those who wait My Skiing web www.Frostytour.co.uk For quick answers Search dvinfo.net \| The best in the business: dvinfo.net Sponsors

April 19th, 2004, 07:24 PM	#10
James Emory Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 1,892	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

April 18th, 2004, 09:39 PM	#2
Bryan Beasleigh Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,922	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

April 19th, 2004, 10:22 AM	#3
Ryan Graham Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 81	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

April 19th, 2004, 10:25 AM	#4
Christopher Lefchik Trustee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: US Posts: 1,152	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?

April 19th, 2004, 10:34 AM	#5
Christopher Lefchik Trustee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: US Posts: 1,152	Ryan, Thanks, at least I know I'm not crazy now. I wonder why nobody makes one? I sure would have thought somebody did.

April 19th, 2004, 10:57 AM	#7
Christopher Lefchik Trustee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: US Posts: 1,152	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.

April 19th, 2004, 03:56 PM	#9
Christopher Lefchik Trustee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: US Posts: 1,152	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.)

April 20th, 2004, 09:38 AM	#11
Christopher Lefchik Trustee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: US Posts: 1,152	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.

April 20th, 2004, 10:15 AM	#12
Julian Luttrell Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Cambridge, UK Posts: 164	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

April 20th, 2004, 10:54 AM	#13
Christopher Lefchik Trustee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: US Posts: 1,152	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.