svideo quality

[wtfbbq]

i'm using an svideo to RCA cable to display using the tv. when i play movies, the quality is just fine, but when i'm viewing the desktop or other text, the quality is not good enough to read using the TV. is this normal, or am i losing quality by using this type of cable?

 

[SynthDude2001]

What desktop resolution are you using? S-video or other 480i connections just aren't going to be that great for text...it's usually acceptable if you're actually running 640x480, anything higher than that (which gets downconverted to 480i) really isn't going to be usable.

 

[Geomagick]

For TV out the quality of the signal increases as follows.

Composite - single yellow RCA
S-video - multi pin round connector
RGB Scart - Big square connector
Component - one red, one green and one blue RCA connector
DVI and HDMI.

VGA connectoions for monitors are roughly equal to component.

 

[unfalliblekrutch]

I'm guessing the quality issues aren't the cables, it's the TV itself.

 

[wtfbbq]

my desktop resolution is fairly high, 1xxx by 1xxx or 9xx, and the TV is fairly small (24"? not sure). but right now i'm away from home and using my laptop, and i'm more concerned with using the same cables at home with my desktop and tv, i run it at 1280 x 1024 and the Tv is about 34" or so. anyone know if the svideo to single rca is too low quality to be regularly using the tv instead of a monitor? and thanks for the replies so far

 

[Peter]

You do not "run" 1280x1024 on SVideo. The format on legacy TV signals (signals!) is fixed to 480 lines interlaced. Your graphics chip is scaling things back down to 480i before the signal even goes to the TV.

Even if you switch back to 640x480 to eliminate the scaling stage, you'll find that 480 lines interlaced format, with a horizontal bandwidth that allows roughly 360 distinguishable pixels across, does not look good for small print.

Edit: Readers in PAL regions will find that they have 576 lines of display.

 

[wtfbbq]

ahh... so basically that's how it always is? does anyone know if it is any good for playing games, say CS:S?