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I've had 3 different DVD players since 2000 (all Samsung, a brand I will
not buy from again), and have always used the standard video/audio cable for
my TV/DVD connection. I have a Sony Trinitron 27 inch conventional TV.

Today, I bought a new DVD player (Sony NS50P), and also purchased an S
video cable, which supposedly gives you a better picture quality.

The S video cable is set up, but I really can't see any difference in
picture quality as opposed to when I used the standard cable. There MAY be
a tiny improvement with some of my newer movies (2000 and up), but certainly
not with the older ones. Is this to be expected?

On 2005-08-21 13:21:25 -0400, "History Fan" <> said:

> I've had 3 different DVD players since 2000 (all Samsung, a brand I
> will not buy from again), and have always used the standard video/audio
> cable for my TV/DVD connection. I have a Sony Trinitron 27 inch
> conventional TV.
>
> Today, I bought a new DVD player (Sony NS50P), and also purchased
> an S video cable, which supposedly gives you a better picture quality.
>
> The S video cable is set up, but I really can't see any difference
> in picture quality as opposed to when I used the standard cable. There
> MAY be a tiny improvement with some of my newer movies (2000 and up),
> but certainly not with the older ones. Is this to be expected?

If you were using composite cables before (red/white/yellow), you
should stick with them. The order of quality goes:

coaxial < s video < composite < component
--
nomis

http://www.oozingbrain.com

nomis <> wrote:

>If you were using composite cables before (red/white/yellow), you
>should stick with them. The order of quality goes:
>
>coaxial < s video < composite < component

You're the first person I ever heard suggest that composite video (the
yellow connector in your red/white/yellow description) is superior to
S-video.

However, it is true that you may see a very minimal difference in picture
quality between S-video and composite. S-video has the advantage of
keeping chrominance and luminance information separate, but if your TV has
a good comb filter (or if you just don't notice things like dot crawl) it
really won't make much difference.

All this DVD terminology is a bit confusing. With my previous DVD
players, I used the supplied cord, which has 3 ends, one red, one yellow and
one white. They plugged into the R-Audio-L ports, and the Video port, which
is yellow. The Circuit City salesman told me an S video cable (which I had
to purchase separately) would result in a sharper image.

"nomis" <> wrote in message
news:2005082114402316807%ghostbrain@oozingbraincom ...
> On 2005-08-21 13:21:25 -0400, "History Fan" <>
> said:
>
>> I've had 3 different DVD players since 2000 (all Samsung, a brand I
>> will not buy from again), and have always used the standard video/audio
>> cable for my TV/DVD connection. I have a Sony Trinitron 27 inch
>> conventional TV.
>>
>> Today, I bought a new DVD player (Sony NS50P), and also purchased an
>> S video cable, which supposedly gives you a better picture quality.
>>
>> The S video cable is set up, but I really can't see any difference in
>> picture quality as opposed to when I used the standard cable. There MAY
>> be a tiny improvement with some of my newer movies (2000 and up), but
>> certainly not with the older ones. Is this to be expected?
>
> If you were using composite cables before (red/white/yellow), you should
> stick with them. The order of quality goes:
>
> coaxial < s video < composite < component
> --
> nomis
>
> http://www.oozingbrain.com
>

On 2005-08-21 14:54:13 -0400, Kimba W. Lion <> said:

> nomis <> wrote:
>
>> If you were using composite cables before (red/white/yellow), you
>> should stick with them. The order of quality goes:
>>
>> coaxial < s video < composite < component
>
> You're the first person I ever heard suggest that composite video (the
> yellow connector in your red/white/yellow description) is superior to
> S-video.
> However, it is true that you may see a very minimal difference in picture
> quality between S-video and composite. S-video has the advantage of
> keeping chrominance and luminance information separate, but if your TV has
> a good comb filter (or if you just don't notice things like dot crawl) it
> really won't make much difference.

Huh! I've just looked it up and it seems I'm wrong: S-Video is better.
Who knew? I've been using Component for so long it looks like I got
confused.

Regardless, as you say, the difference is minimal. I certainly never
saw one back in the day.
--
nomis

http://www.oozingbrain.com

"History Fan" <> wrote in message
news:139c0$4308cfa2$483112d3$...
> All this DVD terminology is a bit confusing. With my previous DVD
> players, I used the supplied cord, which has 3 ends, one red, one yellow
> and one white. They plugged into the R-Audio-L ports, and the Video port,
> which is yellow. The Circuit City salesman told me an S video cable
> (which I had to purchase separately) would result in a sharper image.

Of course you use the s-video and connect left and right audio (red and
white) as well.

I notice the difference between s-video and composite readily. As you
indicated, particularly with DVDs that are well-mastered. However, it may
be because I have connected via s-video for over a decade (tape and laser
disc) that *any* change from this is very much noticeable to me. As they
say, in all things like this, YMMV.

"History Fan" <> wrote in message
news:139c0$4308cfa2$483112d3$...
> All this DVD terminology is a bit confusing. With my previous DVD
> players, I used the supplied cord, which has 3 ends, one red, one
> yellow and one white. They plugged into the R-Audio-L ports, and the
> Video port, which is yellow. The Circuit City salesman told me an S
> video cable (which I had to purchase separately) would result in a
> sharper image.

The difference between Composite video (the old yellow video cable) and
S-video is in color clarity, not sharpness. The salesman didn't know
what he was talking about.

S-video should look better. However every Sony player I've encountered has
has a worse picture quality than other brands so that might be why you don't
see a difference. A better player would probably have a better
picture..might should have bought another Samsung!


"History Fan" <> wrote in message
news:d7233$4308b819$483112d3$...
> I've had 3 different DVD players since 2000 (all Samsung, a brand I
> will not buy from again), and have always used the standard video/audio
> cable for my TV/DVD connection. I have a Sony Trinitron 27 inch
> conventional TV.
>
> Today, I bought a new DVD player (Sony NS50P), and also purchased an S
> video cable, which supposedly gives you a better picture quality.
>
> The S video cable is set up, but I really can't see any difference in
> picture quality as opposed to when I used the standard cable. There MAY
> be a tiny improvement with some of my newer movies (2000 and up), but
> certainly not with the older ones. Is this to be expected?
>

>>A better player would probably have a better
> picture..might should have bought another Samsung!>>

No, thanks. I've gone thru 3 Samsung DVD players in 5 years. The
first two had trouble playing DVD's, splotchy playback, freeze ups, playback
crashes, and the third DVD player won't open up to insert a disc.

"History Fan" <> wrote in message
news:3e31d$4309168f$483112d3$...
>>>A better player would probably have a better
>> picture..might should have bought another Samsung!>>
>
> No, thanks. I've gone thru 3 Samsung DVD players in 5 years. The
> first two had trouble playing DVD's, splotchy playback, freeze ups,
> playback crashes, and the third DVD player won't open up to insert a disc.

Hate to 'break' it to you, but you can expect worse from Sony.