S-Video on the SNES

I compare plain jane Composite video to S-Video on the SNES and show you why you should be using it!

Category:

Gaming

Tags:

• S-Video
• SNES
• Super
• Nintendo

[DarkLuigi4321]

if the snes uses the same av cable as the n64 and game cube can I use the game cube/n64 component cable

[MN12BIRD]

@DarkLuigi4321 The Game Cube Component cable only works on earlier Game Cubes with the Digital AV output jack (even though component isn't digital that's what they called that port) this jack is separate from the multi AV out jack the normal composite and s-video cables used and the later Cubes took that port off. That cable won't work on the SNES.

[advancedpillow]

it seems like the s-video cable would add more jaggies on snes graphics then the composite. do you suppose, even though s-video is technically superior, that composite would make for smoother color blends thus creating the illusion of increased an graphical quality in snes games?

[MN12BIRD]

@advancedpillow Yeah, well some people do argue that with the old games sometimes having things a little blended together isn't a bad thing! Games that use dithering as a simple transparency effect for example do expect that your image is getting blended together and if you make it sharper the dithering effect looks worse. But still overall I think S-Video on the SNES looks best.

[TheMarioo0]

i used the AV OUT cables

[MN12BIRD]

@TheMarioo0 AV just stands for Audio Video. AV could be Composite, Component, RGB, S-Video etc etc etc. But I know what you meant and what you meant was the standard Composite AV cable ;) they aren't bad, better than RF and so its fine. S-Video looks a little sharper but no big deal.

[MN12BIRD]

@916zombie1 Yep, this is what happens when you find someone who does videos but you find a video they did 3 years ago. In other words I didn't know exactly what I was doing back then and my videos have got better and better since. If you truly like retro gaming check out my channel and if not don't bother.

[thrash77581]

@MN12BIRD On a CRT it looks great using S-video. On an HDTV, it will look really pixelated, but it probably will anyway.

I have a CRT just for old games and it looks noticeably better using s-video than composite and especially better than RF.

[DarkLuigi4321]

sadly my tv is too new to have s-video

[SuperFrank97]

@bilditup1 I'm gunna use a CRT, but I will try it with an LCD, especially once I get my PAL VCR in the mail.

[bilditup1]

@SuperFrank97 Yeah I ended up doing that as well, hooking it up to a pretty good upscaler. The picture quality is much better but the colors are not as vibrant. You're gonna need the upscaler, btw, unless you're using a CRT

[SuperFrank97]

@bilditup1 Just a few days ago I bought a SCART to Component converter on ebay for $55. I'll be running SCART leads out most of my consoles into it. :p

[10forRP]

Your comment about composite cables is spot on. I can understand them being used on the older systems back when not many people had s-video capable TVs, but why were they still being used as a pack-in with systems like the PS2 and Dreamcast? Even my damn PS3 came with composite cables but no HDMI

[MN12BIRD]

@truthseeker0183 Sweet! S-Video should look much better. Those filters can help but they can only do so much so I think you'll still notice a difference.

[bilditup1]

@MN12BIRD @SuperFrank97

Actually, the original hardware revision of the US SNES can output RGB Scart, which you can easily convert to component with a converter. But since the output is 240p, it won't display on most new flat screens; it'll work if you've got a WEGA CRT or something lying around. There are cheap SCART to HDMI upscalers (~$70) but onscreen text looks pretty terrible with it. Solid upscalers are out there, like the XRGB, but they cost over $500!

[Tochir0]

Screw all this. Get a Sony PVM broadcast monitor and get some RGB cables!

[loomp]

@MN12BIRD What is nice is that the Gamecube used the same TV cable as the SNES did so a Gamecube S-Video will work on SNES too and my SNES games look nice on my HDTV. However the SNES game look real nice on Wii VC using a Wii Component Cable and I know what your thinking "I want to play SNES games with a SNES controller" well I do use a SNES controller on my Wii using a SNES Retroport I purchased from RetroUSB(dot)com (Google it) that lets me use all of my SNES pads like my Arcade stick.

[SuperFrank97]

Whoops, I think I posted a comment twice. srry

[SuperFrank97]

@MN12BIRD Yeah, component has better color than composite/s video, but the brightness is either too high, or too dark. :p Here in the US, I've seen some CRT TVs with VGA, I might pick one up some day, but I was wondering, you know about the CRTs with built in DVD players and VCRs, is the signal from the built in stuff carried to the tube in RGB?

[KolerikRocks]

i have that excat same cable. i'l be using it for my SNES when i get my snes a/c adaptor

[MN12BIRD]

@SuperFrank97 LOL yup I wish we had SCART over here. RGB was the best and in my head seems the simplest since the TV at the core works in RGB anyway. It seems like they went out of their way to invent something like YbPbr component and make things more complicated for no reason. I just don't understand why we couldn't just have RGB!

[SuperFrank97]

Screw both composite and s video. If scart made it outside Europe, there would be no war.

[SNESFanboy64]

It's Com-po-site, not com-posite. ^^

[hostelowner]

i used the same cable to use my xbox with my gamecube and ps2 attached.

ive got to say i approve this video. never used the cable to play my n64 or my snes but i will soon lol

[MN12BIRD]

@MegaCandy39 Only on the SNES 1, S-Video does not work on the SNES 2 or Jr if you want to call it that.