Need S-Video to Chroma/Luminance RCA outputs -- where to buy?

Albert · October 7, 2015

I'm looking for an adapter that takes a female s-video input and outputs Chroma and Luminance as two male RCA connectors. I have one of these, but no idea where I purchased it:

If anyone knows where I can find these, that would be awesome. These are very useful to connect s-video output to a Commodore 1702 monitor, which has separate chroma/luminance RCA jacks on the back, but not a regular s-video input. For instance, I can hook up a Jaguar with an s-video cable for better output instead of using the composite cable.

Thanks!!

..Al

7800fan · October 7, 2015

I don't think they were officially made since Commodore's S-Video design predated the official S-Video standard by some years, and only Commodore monitor used separate RCA ports for S-Video. You might find them on eBay or you could make it yourself.

Albert · October 7, 2015

I don't think they were officially made since Commodore's S-Video design predated the official S-Video standard by some years, and only Commodore monitor used separate RCA ports for S-Video. You might find them on eBay or you could make it yourself.

I wish I remembered where I bought the one I have (and it's possible I have more than one, but I've only been able to track down the one thus far). Someone made these, although certainly not Commodore, and it was in the last five years. I could make some myself, but I don't have time for that right now. I haven't tried eBay yet. There are many specialty s-video or s-video-like cables, many with audio RCA connectors. Many of these, I suspect, are from camcorders and other such devices that used an s-video like connector to also feed audio through a small camcorder, saving the space of having to put multiple RCA jacks on the device.

..Al

MaximRecoil · October 7, 2015

http://www.svideo.com/csv2rca-10.html

And:

http://www.microcenter.com/product/203614/10_ft_Premium_S-Video_to_Two_RCA_Cable

Those are both 10' cables instead of short adapter cables like you have, so it eliminates needing a standard S-video cable plugged into an adapter, and also eliminates needing a female S-video connector, because the male S-video connector on the 10' cable will plug directly into the female S-video connector on your console.

Albert · October 7, 2015

http://www.svideo.com/csv2rca-10.html

And:

http://www.microcenter.com/product/203614/10_ft_Premium_S-Video_to_Two_RCA_Cable

Those are both 10' cables instead of short adapter cables like you have, so it eliminates needing a standard S-video cable plugged into an adapter, and also eliminates needing a female S-video connector, because the male S-video connector on the 10' cable will plug directly into the female S-video connector on your console.

That first one looks perfect! The description for the one at Microcenter states it outputs a composite signal, but that could very well be wrong (and the cable does look very similar to the one at the svideo.com site, with a different s-video connector). Unfortunately, it's only available for "In-Store Pickup Only", and I don't have a Microcenter nearby (been a long time since I've stepped foot in one!)

I will say, though, that the adapter I have is better suited for some cases. For instance, the Jaguar does not have an on-board s-video connector. Instead, you have to use a special cable that plugs into an edge connector on the Jaguar, and you then get a male s-video connector and two RCA connectors for audio. To use the above cable, I'd need to connect the two cables with an a-video coupler, but that would be fine.

Thanks for hunting these down!!

..Al

+Mitch · October 7, 2015

Those look very similar to ones I made several years back. I can't remember if I ever sold any though.

Mitch

12,615 posts · October 7, 2015

I have 2 rca to svideo at home but only output black and white now. Not sure why.

Albert · October 7, 2015

Those look very similar to ones I made several years back. I can't remember if I ever sold any though.

Mitch

Maybe you sold me some! I looked through my PMs and didn't see anything, though.

..Al

MaximRecoil · October 7, 2015

That first one looks perfect! The description for the one at Microcenter states it outputs a composite signal, but that could very well be wrong (and the cable does look very similar to the one at the svideo.com site, with a different s-video connector). Unfortunately, it's only available for "In-Store Pickup Only", and I don't have a Microcenter nearby (been a long time since I've stepped foot in one!)

The Microcenter one was linked to in a thread titled S-Video to Y/C cables - they do exist, so the OP of that thread believes that it's what you're looking for, for whatever that's worth. But like you said, that first cable is definitely correct, as they specifically say it is S-video to Y/C.

I will say, though, that the adapter I have is better suited for some cases. For instance, the Jaguar does not have an on-board s-video connector. Instead, you have to use a special cable that plugs into an edge connector on the Jaguar, and you then get a male s-video connector and two RCA connectors for audio. To use the above cable, I'd need to connect the two cables with an a-video coupler, but that would be fine.

Interesting. I'm not familiar with the Jaguar, so I assumed it just had a panel-mounted female S-video connector like most devices with S-video output have. An S-video coupler would work fine like you say, and also, that cable would be a direct fit for devices with a more typical S-video connector, like an Atari 2600 or 7800 with a Longhorn Engineer S-video modification.

Edited October 7, 2015 by MaximRecoil

7800fan · October 7, 2015

No, Jaguar has edge connector for multiple video/audio out.

Since the connector isn't as common as RCA or S-Video port, it would be more of a kludge to make Jaguar cable to Y/C RCA plugs for Commodore. An S-Video to Y/C would be more useful because many consoles could connect using their S-Video cable to Commodore monitor and any other that used separate Y/C plugs.