S-Video Connectors
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What does the connector on the device look like?
An S-Video connection on the back of your device will look like this.
The most common type is this 4-pin mini-DIN connection pictured here - although you may come across some with 7 pins.
Even though the connection is circular, the plug will only fit one way due to the position of the holes for the pins. Don't push too hard until you have it lined up correctly as it is quite easy to damage s-video cables this way.
What does the cable look like?
An s-video cable looks like this - a male 4-pin mini-DIN. You should be careful when inserting the plug as it is quite easy to bend the pins.
What does it do?
S-Video connectors transmit a medium quality analog video signal between devices. It can only transmit standard-definition images and it does not send audio. It is a fairly common interface on many types of consumer audio-visual equipment - especially things like video cameras and games consoles.
If you use this type of connection for the picture, then you will need a separate connection for the audio.
When should I use it?
You would mainly use an s-video connector for things like linking your video camera or an old games console to your TV - or for other older devices with limited alternative connections. An s-video connection wouldn't normally be used to interconnect devices such as DVD players and Blu-ray players as these devices should have better options such an HDMI connector or by using a component video cable (and most of these devices wouldn't have an s-video out anyway).
However, you should get a better image using this type of video than with a composite video connection, and so if you have a choice between these two then try this one first.
What else can you tell me?
S-Video is a type of component video - but don't confuse this with the standard component video connections you find on consumer AV devices.
It can be called component as the video signal is split into two separate signals - luminance (brightness) and chrominance (colour). This process of separating the signal produces a better image than we get with a composite signal.
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