S-video to component

noiseboy72

Yes, the easiest way is using the AV cable. S-Video would like a little better if the TV can accept it, but don't worry if not. This is the cable type that you need: https://cpc.farnell.com/pro-signal/psg00666/4-pole-jack-plug-to-3x-phono-1m/dp/AV14194?mckv=si8ZIm3ym_dc|pcrid|224645200689|kword||match||plid||slid||product|AV14194|pgrid|53876376704|ptaid|pla-524499718771|&CMP=KNC-GUK-CPC-SHOPPING&gclid=Cj0KCQiA_4jgBRDhARIsADezXcgaWOuryqgmrz9a4Akbxt-Kq0DGLPmRPWgJMmaSwjB0rUJxriuGfTcaAsE5EALw_wcB Your TV may have the 3 phonos for composite input or may have a mini jack connection and an adapter lead.

Firewire will look a lot better than composite via a capture card. It's the full bandwidth component signal and will look as good as possible. With composite, you are losing about 70% of the quality, with slightly washed out colours and fuzzy borders between colours.

Macs pre about 2011 had firewire connections, so are not hard to find for sensible money.

steph746

I understand. It looks like I'll go with the composite video to the TV and then do the audio with another cable. I think the TV has left/right (red/white) audio inputs. I've attached a pic of a few cables I have. Do you know what the gold cable is? Is that an audio RCA cable? Would it be better to do the rca to audio left/right or just rca to rca for viewing on the TV?

noiseboy72

Can't see any pics. You need the cable I linked to which should connect directly from the camcorder to the TV. - https://cpc.farnell.com/pro-signal/...Kq0DGLPmRPWgJMmaSwjB0rUJxriuGfTcaAsE5EALw_wcB

steph746

Thanks. Sorry, forgot to upload. So, that one plug that goes from the camcorder actually carries all three signals.

Regarding the video capture, I realized that there is a thunderbolt to firewire adapter that I could use on my MacBook Air. Do you think that would be a good option? Do you think any video quality would be lost using an adapter vs. purchasing an older Mac computer and going straight firewire to firewire?

noiseboy72

Thanks. None of those cables will work. It's a 4 way jack with 3 phonos that you require.

Thurderbolt to Firewire should work. It won't reduce quality - it will either work or it won't! You will need some capture software, but I am not up with what's available on the Mac. Maybe iMovie, but not sure if it supports DV capture.

steph746

Just wondering  about the three way cable...that carries all signals (audio left, right and video?)

If I used the s video port, I would use the other one for audio only?

noiseboy72

Yes, that's correct. You could then use the 3 way jack to 2 phonos for audio.

Does your TV have the S-Video connection?

steph746

I see. That 3 way jack sends out stereo or mono? I’m still wondering how video goes out of the same jack...?

My TV doesn’t have an svideo port. I was just wondering. Because about 10 years ago I used the camcorder and s video to an older tv, but don’t remember how I did audio. I think audio just came out of the camcorder.

noiseboy72

So on the 4 pole jack, there is left and right audio, video and a common ground return wire. The jack is designed so that you can insert a stereo (3 pole left and right audio and common ground) into the same socket and all that happens is the video connection is not made.

Composite video only needs 1 connection and a ground return wire. This is because all the colour information is combined with the black and white and sync signals. In S-Video, the colour and black and white information is separated, giving better quality and in a component system, there's further separation of the colour giving better quality again.

steph746

If I have a three cable to three cable cord (component view, audio right, audio left), could I use just the video from that cable and also plug in an rca to rca in the "remote/mic" port? Or is the only port on the camcorder that can carry audio and video the top port ("AV")?