# Splitting component video --\> composite and s-video **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 4, 2005, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/splitting-component-video-composite-and-s-video/283044 "2005-01-04T16:25:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2005, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/splitting-component-video-composite-and-s-video/283044/1 "2005-01-04T16:25:29Z")
I have had an HD cable box with built-in Digital Video Recorder (Scientific Atlanta 8000HD) for about a month, and was dismayed to find out when it was installed (replacing a non-DVR SA HD box) that it lacked composite and s-video outputs. In my home theater setup, I used the s-video output of the old box to provide a signal to my VCR and DVD recorder, and I sent the composite output to a TV in the kitchen, where I can’t see my regular big screen TV. Does anyone know of a splitter/converter (ideally not too expensive) that will take the component output of the box, and provide _all three_ of the following signals: Component (pass-through), s-video, and composite. I spent a couple hours Googling last night and couldn’t find anything. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2005, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/splitting-component-video-composite-and-s-video/283044/2 "2005-01-04T17:20:12Z")
First off, you got your terms reversed. _Composite_ video is the low-quality combined baseband video signal which requires only one conductor to deliver. _Component_ video is the separate RGB which needs three conductors. There are filters that can split the composite video signal into S-video, and there may be devices to split a composite signal into component RGB, but frankly, I wouldn’t bother, because since the original signal was composite, you’ve already lost any benefit of using the S-vid or component. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2005, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/splitting-component-video-composite-and-s-video/283044/3 "2005-01-04T17:27:55Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > First off, you got your terms reversed. _Composite_ video is the low-quality combined baseband video signal which requires only one conductor to deliver. _Component_ video is the separate RGB which needs three conductors. There are filters that can split the composite video signal into S-video, and there may be devices to split a composite signal into component RGB, but frankly, I wouldn’t bother, because since the original signal was composite, you’ve already lost any benefit of using the S-vid or component. That was my first impression too but upon further reading I do not think he has anything reversed. My take on it is he wants to play things recorded on the DVR on other TV sets in his house. The new HD-DVR he has only provides component outputs which will do fine for his main TV but no help for the others. Hence his need for a “compoennt passthrough” (to maintian quality on the good TV) while also providing an s-video or composite signal to other sets. For my part I have never seen what he is asking for (kinda backwards from what you usually see) but my missing something like this is hardly definitive on whether it exists. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2005, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/splitting-component-video-composite-and-s-video/283044/4 "2005-01-04T17:36:52Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > That was my first impression too but upon further reading I do not think he has anything reversed. My take on it is he wants to play things recorded on the DVR on other TV sets in his house. The new HD-DVR he has only provides component outputs which will do fine for his main TV but no help for the others. Ah. I think you’re right, so never mind what I wrote. I’ve never seen one of those either, but I’ll do some looking around. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2005, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/splitting-component-video-composite-and-s-video/283044/5 "2005-01-04T17:56:06Z")
What cable company are you with? I’ve got Cox and just got an 8300HD cable box/DVR and it has component video output. In fact I don’t think I can even get HD resolution from the S-video output which intended for archiving to an NTSC device. ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2005, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/splitting-component-video-composite-and-s-video/283044/6 "2005-01-04T18:14:48Z")
> [@Padeye](#): > > What cable company are you with? I’ve got Cox and just got an 8300HD cable box/DVR and it has component video output. In fact I don’t think I can even get HD resolution from the S-video output which intended for archiving to an NTSC device. Read the OP again. He is not complaining about the component output. He wants to also have S-Video and composite output which the new receiver does not provide. **Commasense** , have you checked with your cable company to see if they have a different HD/DVR box which **does** have s-video and component outputs? ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2005, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/splitting-component-video-composite-and-s-video/283044/7 "2005-01-04T18:37:53Z")
Sorry for the confusion. The OP is an edited version of a post I wrote for a Yahoo forum dedicated to this particular cable box (there are forums for _everything!_), and details I didn’t need to specify there should have been made explicit here. **Whack-a-Mole** is right. The _only_ output of the box is component. Its predecessor in my system had all three: component, s-video, and composite, _and I used all three._ It’s not just for playing back DVR recordings to other TVs. Since the box is both cable converter and DVR, I want to be able to record programs from the digital channels on my VRC and/or DVD recorder, both in real time and with their timers. (I’ve split the incoming cable so I can record the analog channels at the low end of the “dial.”) The component output of the cable box goes into my A-V receiver, and thence to the TV. Each input on the receiver can take component **and** composite **and** s-video signals, and there are corresponding outputs of each signal type. But the receiver doesn’t convert between the signal tyoes, i.e. change component to s-video. If there’s no s-video in, there’s no s-video out. Previously, I used the s-video output of the (old) cable box to feed the s-video inputs of the VCR and DVD recorder. If I had a separate converter that took in the component signal and output (at least) one of each of the three types, I could re-create my old set up, and life would be _perfect._ (Unnecessary detail department: the box does offer a work-around of sorts to part of the problem. It has a set of “Record to VCR” outputs–composite and audio–that allow you to playback a DVR recording and copy it to VCR. But in normal use, these jacks are dead. This is obviously a cumbersome solution: record a program and when it’s all done, find the time to play it back and record it. And it’s no help for the remote TV situation.) **Fat Bald Guy** : I’ve asked the other forum if there is such a box. If there is, I may try to pester the cable company for it. But I didn’t think it practical to try and explain to Comcast customer service what I want. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2005, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/splitting-component-video-composite-and-s-video/283044/8 "2005-01-04T18:41:26Z")
Are you sure you have an 8000HD? According to its [url=“[http://www.scientificatlanta.com/explorerclub/getting\_started/4001025B.pdf](http://www.scientificatlanta.com/explorerclub/getting_started/4001025B.pdf)”]manual[/url, it has S-video and composite outputs. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2005, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/splitting-component-video-composite-and-s-video/283044/9 "2005-01-04T20:30:00Z")
> [@Tapioca Dextrin](#): > > Are you sure you have an 8000HD? According to its [manual](http://www.scientificatlanta.com/explorerclub/getting_started/4001025B.pdf), it has S-video and composite outputs. That’s what I hoped, too, when I hooked it up, but the s-video jack is only active in the VCR Archive mode, like the composite video jack on the right side. But thanks for reminding me that there’s also a DVI output from the box. Does anyone know if there are any adapters/converters that convert DVI to component **and** s-video **and** composite? ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2005, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/splitting-component-video-composite-and-s-video/283044/10 "2005-01-04T21:24:05Z")
There is a soltion to your problem, but it looks like it’s going to be expensive. Take a look at [this](http://www.keydigital.com/Itemdesc.asp?CartId=EVEREST%7BD6610EE6-5AC7-4A9B-A89C-678D1CCD6F18%7D&ic=KDFIRE1080P&Tp=) and see if it’s versatile enough. The “call for price” is call for a :eek: