http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/ Engadget HD Comments for S-Video disappearing from AV receivers, few seem to notice http://hd.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://hd.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2010 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/Feb 25th 2009 7:56AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/Feb 25th 2009 8:11AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/
There's not one person out there who doesn't have *some* kind of device with RCA. Hell, the "all-in-one" joystick games that are still coming out are all RCA-based. Just about every TV out there, except for the most basic, have an RCA interface. Hell, some portable DVD players have RCA inputs in them so that you can use the screen for something other than DVDs.

RCA is the universal standard when it comes to audio and video. I realize that we tend to be a bit elitist on EngHD and that RCA produces the worse video quality when compared to S-Video, but getting rid of RCA would be one of the dumbest moves out there.]]>Feb 25th 2009 8:14AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/
The other problem is that there's serious reason to question whether S-Video gives you much of anything at all. You're still getting the same encoding (and thus resolution and depth) used for color with S-Video as you are with RCA, though the luminosity information is theoretically a little better. The only practical advantage this has for many people is an absence of dot crawl, which while positive, rarely appears outside of computer generated titles (and similar graphics), and is rarely noticeable from a distance on normal displays.

I'm happy to see it replaced with component and HDMI. Actually, I'd like to see HDMI better supported and component dropped too. It's depressing that most receivers under $500 these days have no idea what to do with HDMI, treating it as a video source to be switched rather than the primary connection to the monitor and primary source of audio.



]]>Feb 25th 2009 8:35AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/Feb 25th 2009 8:55AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/Feb 25th 2009 9:30AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/
A huge number of lower cost receivers are marked as supporting HDMI, but on closer inspection do nothing more than HDMI switching. So you need to switch your TV between HDMI and component/RCA/et al depending on the source (you can't just switch the receiver), and the audio feed with each component has to be analog or SPDIF.

The majority of receivers over $500 do it properly in some shape or form, but under $500, it's difficult to find anything that supports the bare minimum. Which is a shame, it's not exactly hard to convert an analog signal into a digital one if you're not trying to upscale it or anything like that, and why ignore HDMI audio as an audio feed? (I'm guessing 90% of the time the designers are recycling some old design and just attaching an off-the-shelf HDMI switch, so the receiver can be buzzword compliant.)
]]>Feb 25th 2009 9:41AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/
You need to look at your choices again.]]>Feb 25th 2009 10:08AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/
605 = discontinued, Amazon doesn't even advertise new models as available. 720 = also discontinued.
606 = technically accurate but 1c less than the figure I quoted is nothing to boast about.

Yes, you find them on special, no that doesn't count (otherwise you can start arguing that Blu-ray player prices have dropped under $50 because a friend of a friend of a friend bought one off of another friend. Of course, Engadget HD would actually report that, but then make no big deal of, say, Vizio releasing one for $150.)

I stand by my point. The majority of low and mid-end receivers do not properly support HDMI. Only a handful will read the audio from an HDMI stream, and almost none will allow the HDMI output to be used for all video sources, analog or digital. The vast majority, the /vast vast/ majority, are a late nineties receiver with an HDMI switch glued on.
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So we're stuck with one Onkyo that's 1c less than $500, which really proves the point, that sub-$500 receivers that do HDMI properly are virtually impossible to find.]]>Feb 25th 2009 11:08AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/
I find it sort of strange that I do see a noticeable difference between 480i component and 480i composite though. You'd think then that s-video would be somewhere in-between, but it just looks like composite to me.]]>Feb 25th 2009 2:37PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/Feb 28th 2009 10:16AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/Feb 25th 2009 8:27AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/Feb 25th 2009 8:31AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/
The idea about just giving s-video and converters is interesting, but I tend to agree with the crowd: s-video is on its way out, and pretending otherwise isn't going to be financially feasible to the receiver manufacturers. The connector sucked anyways, what with the pins and all.

The problem I have these days is too many composite and not enough HDMI and component. ]]>Feb 25th 2009 8:53AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/Feb 25th 2009 3:19PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/
How the hell does a HDMI/Component TV Tuner Card not exist yet? It absolutely blows my mind.]]>Feb 25th 2009 8:56AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/Feb 25th 2009 12:39PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/Feb 25th 2009 12:44PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/Feb 25th 2009 2:39PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/Feb 25th 2009 5:04PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/Apr 30th 2009 3:07AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/
The only time I have ever used it, and I do still need to continue to do so, is in connecting my laptop to a television. The only output I have is S-Video. Thankfully I have front inputs on my TV and Receiver and can easily plug in. (Only need to do this when TVersity won't properly serve my files, and with the PS3 a web browser, this is less and less often).

PittCaleb]]>Feb 25th 2009 9:05AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/Feb 25th 2009 9:28AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/Feb 25th 2009 9:41AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/halfaloafoftofu/3296221038/]]>Feb 25th 2009 11:00AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/Feb 25th 2009 11:05AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/Feb 25th 2009 11:17AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/Feb 25th 2009 2:44PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/Mar 4th 2009 8:58AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/
I wish the Wii had HDMI output- even if it only put out 480p over HDMI.

I don't own a Wii- and my current setup is entirely HDMI. I would have jumped at saving $100+ to get a HDMI only receiver. I'm sure whatever A/V company that puts one out will get a lot of press for it.]]>Feb 25th 2009 12:43PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/
Check it out: www.thielzoet.com.]]>Feb 25th 2009 1:27PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/Feb 25th 2009 12:56PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/Feb 25th 2009 1:23PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/
I was disappointed for a couple of reasons: 1) Like others, I have legacy devices which work best via S-Video. 2) These newer receivers have advanced upscaling circuitry usually, and it's disappointing that I'd need to feed them an inferior signal (garbage in, garbage out) because of missing S-Video connections. 3) It seems an odd place to start cutting costs/corners. It's not like S-Video is some advanced technology that requires royalties/licensing by the manufacturers that use it.

As someone in the market for a new receiver this is keeping me from pulling the trigger, and it seems like an odd choice when it maybe saves them $10 per unit (I'd guess significantly less, but for the sake of discussion there's my high end guesstimate).]]>Feb 25th 2009 1:33PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/Feb 25th 2009 2:28PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/
Analog tapes are, of course, technically lossless / raw. ANY form of lossy compression reduces the quality. And this means that if one wishes to create a hypothetically ideal digital rendition of an analog tape, the minimum file size will be about 30GB per hour, at over 60 megabits per second. It would be a stretch to say that the average consumer has ample options for the playback of that kind of media.
]]>Feb 25th 2009 4:33PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/
And analog signals di use a form of compression, it's called interlacing. It's one of the reasons it's hard to get a good capture off VHS. Use a computer to capture the footage at high enough resolution and deinterlace afterward.

60 megabits per second is an insane amount of data, how could you possibly need that much? Bluray tops out at 54.

Not to mention that those analog tapes are going to deteriorate. ]]>Feb 25th 2009 10:58PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/Feb 25th 2009 5:23PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/
Yes, I do. - Today for my DVD player ;)]]>Feb 25th 2009 5:32PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/Feb 25th 2009 8:07PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/Feb 26th 2009 9:33AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/
Anyway, over the years it's been harder to get a camcorder with S-Video output, which requires all manner of custom adapters and converters, and ultimately we end up just using the yellow cord.]]>Feb 26th 2009 3:00AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/One or may be two is enough. Stuff some more HDMI in.]]>Feb 26th 2009 10:18AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/Feb 28th 2009 3:15AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/Mar 1st 2009 10:05PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/Composite adapter that came with her laptop and connected the computer and watched the movie off that. The lesson here is that S-Video really was a professional port (hence why the port was found natively on the PowerBooks, Apple's then professional laptop line) and not on the consumer laptops. Unfortunately S-Video has seen it's day and as mentioned above, Component will be next, but my guess is not for 5 years will it start to disappear en masse.

-Brian]]>Mar 2nd 2009 12:34AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/02/25/s-video-disappearing-from-av-receivers-few-seem-to-notice/
And since the majority of receivers these days only offer 2, sometimes 3 component video inputs max, and no S-Video, it means that if you have a non-HD TV, you need to downgrade some connections to RCA cables (lame), and the only remaining video out option you have for the TV is an RCA connector (now usually labeled "Monitor"), a major step back as well from S-Video.

Fortunately, Onkyo, among others, is still integrating S-Video in most of its SR series. I think I'll be acquiring the TX-SR706 soon, until I can afford shelling another few hundreds for an HDTV.]]>Apr 2nd 2009 12:54PM