In what way can I use this HDTV to S-video cable

Question

When I bought my 8800GTS 320mb video card it came with an HDTV to S-video cable.

Picture:

http://estore.asus.com/images/16-T00452718.JPG

What is this used for and how does it work?

Answer 1

Really all it is, is an adapter.  S-Video already seperates the three primary video colors into their own channel--and that's really all component video is doing.  So the cable is simply to allow you to attach the video card at the S-Video outlet on one end, and the component video in sockets on your HDTV.

Having said that, S-Video is not exactly the same thing as component.  Component video allows for greater bandwidth than does S-Video, so it's possible to get a full 1080i resolution out of it.  The best most video cards can do with an S-Video-to-component adapter is 720p (which is certainly part of the HDTV standard, but not quite the resolution of 1080).  

What this all means to you boils down to this:  If your television set is only capable of displaying 720p, then by all means use the adapter.  If your set is capable of a full 1080i/1080p, then you're far better off using HDMI (if your set has it) to DVI adapters (unless your video card is HDMI compatible, which I don't beleive it is).  This way you'll get an uncompromised video signal from your card to your television and can enjoy every benifit of what your television has to offer.

If your television set is an older one and lacks either DVI or HDMI inputs, then you'll pretty much have to use the component video adapter regardless.  Considering that many sports channels broadcast events in 720p, you'll still be recieving a very good image.

Of course, if your set isn't an HDTV, any resolution above SD (in America, it's 480i/480p) isn't going to matter, and you can simply connect an S-Video cable between the two.

Answer 2

S-video can't carry HD, so it looks like a special adaptor to output component video from your card to your TV.