[Sawdust]

Hi,

I currently have a Denon 1920 DVD player connected to a Hitachi PJ-TX200 projector using a 10 metre S-VHS cable.

I am about to rewire everything as I've just bought a new amplifier (also a Denon) and I'm repositioning a few things in my room.

As I have the opportunity to lay new cables I'm interested to know if a HDMI or component video cable would make a significant difference over an S-VHS cable.

Component would be the most convenient (if an improvement over S-VHS) as the amp can do component video switching but not HDMI.

Any thought/advice gratefully received.

Thanks
Mike

[Oakleyspatz]

Originally Posted by Sawdust

Hi,

I currently have a Denon 1920 DVD player connected to a Hitachi PJ-TX200 projector using a 10 metre S-VHS cable.

I am about to rewire everything as I've just bought a new amplifier (also a Denon) and I'm repositioning a few things in my room.

As I have the opportunity to lay new cables I'm interested to know if a HDMI or component video cable would make a significant difference over an S-VHS cable.

Component would be the most convenient (if an improvement over S-VHS) as the amp can do component video switching but not HDMI.

Any thought/advice gratefully received.

Thanks
Mike

Both will give a massive improvment over S-Video. HDMI should slightly have the edge on component but not by much.

[wyrdness]

Originally Posted by Oakleyspatz

Both will give a massive improvment over S-Video.

For small values of 'massive'.

I didn't notice a significant improvement going from s-video to component on my projector. I was expecting a bigger difference, but it was marginal at best.

[Sawdust]

Originally Posted by wyrdness

For small values of 'massive'.

I didn't notice a significant improvement going from s-video to component on my projector. I was expecting a bigger difference, but it was marginal at best.

Yes, that's kind of what I wondered.

Oakley, what would you describe as a 'massive' difference?

Thanks
Mike

[Oakleyspatz]

Originally Posted by Sawdust

Yes, that's kind of what I wondered.

Oakley, what would you describe as a 'massive' difference?

Thanks
Mike

Ok, 'massive' may have been a little over the top, but I find component produces sharper images with zero colour bleed and much reduced picture noise and grain compared with S-Video especially on longer cable runs. HDMI improves slightly on all the component improvements mentioned.

Change 'massive' to 'considerable' then shall we.

[Miniholic]

I'd go for massive difference personally.

I've taken a couple of screenshots to show the difference (zoomed in to show greter detail).

I'm using a Denon 3910 DVD Player and Panasonic AE500 Projector. Both pictures have just been cropped, no other processing has been done.

S-Video

HDMI (upscaled to 720p using the 3910)

[PJTX100]

For me there was a "noticable" difference from s-vid to component and a "slight" difference from component to DVI. Depending on the player, the "slight difference" could be either better or worse.

[wyrdness]

What I forgot to mention yesterday, is that I did get a significant improvement in going from interlaced on s-video to progressive on component.

I suspect that's part of the reason that miniholics s-video vs hdmi pictures show such a difference. Miniholic - is your hdmi pic progressive and has it been upscaled?

[Miniholic]

Originally Posted by wyrdness

Miniholic - is your hdmi pic progressive and has it been upscaled?

The second pic is 720p, upscaled using my Denon 3910.

[gingerone]

Somethings very wrong somewhere if you don't see a big difference from s-video to component or HDMI.
Either your source is not very good in the first place or your display needs a good bit of tweaking.
You've only got to look at miniholics screenshots to see a massive hike in picture quality.

[Sawdust]

Originally Posted by Miniholic

I'd go for massive difference personally.

Thanks for that Miniholic - I'll order a cable today !!

Thanks for everyone's replies, I'll let you know how I get on

Cheers
Mike

[pure_geordie]

I would like to know how you get on too ...as I have the same Quandry!!!

I've heard that HDMI isn't good over long distances and also the cost of them are significantly more expensive...Me not sure what to do because would like to got digital using HDMI cable but analogue may kust do for me because you can use your amp for switching...

Good luck...does anybody know where you can get a cheap but good 10 metre HDMI lead anyways.....

Sorry for hijacking asking that Q but I'm sure you would like to know too

Cheers

[Pecker]

From my personal experience, 25% of the difference between S-Video & Component will be the mothod used, 75% will be because the component feed is progressive rather than interlaced.

Steve W

[Oakleyspatz]

Component doesn't have to be sent progressively it can be sent interlaced yet it will still look better than S-Video IMO and if it is to a digital display such as an LCD, plasma or DLP then all images are shown progressively by the monitor no matter what method it is sent.
I think it is almost entirely due to the method of transfer.

First we have the composite connection which carries all video information along one cable and this leads to a degradation of all aspects of the signal. Then we have S-Video which splits the image into chrominance (colour) and luminance (brightness) which reduces this degradation but not entirely as the colours are still united instead of seperated. Then there is RGB scart which is a type of component video and splits the signal into the three primary colours (red,green & blue) + Luminance. RGB Scart is almost identicle to component video except it doesn't send a progressive signal, only interlaced. Then you have progressive component which sits at the top of the video connection tree. The colours are seperated from each other and sent progressively.
So there you go, on an ascending scale of quality, S-Video is second from bottom. It is good, but nowhere near as good as component.