Consoles on modern TVs

[kelp7]

Just thinking of getting a modern day widescreen flatscreen TV to replace our 6 or 7 year old one, currently hooking up the N64 to it via a lovely S-Video adapter. Does anyone know if any current day TVs still have S-Video inputs on them? Has S-Video been deemed obsolete now and not supported anymore for new TVs?

Any help very much appreciated!

[ZXSabreman]

Neither my Panasonic Viera plasma or Sony Viera LED has a s-video input, however both have componet inputs so what I used to do was pass an s-video signal via my old Yamaha Home Cinema receiver connected via component.
I think S-Video is more or less obsolete now

[The Hardest of All Freds]

I have a cheapo supermarket Akura 32" full HD telly and that does have a S-Video socket

[Lord Innit]

One of my LCD TVs (JVC) has no S-Video socket but accepts the signal through scart. You may find quite a few TVs will do this.

[Liamh1982]

^ My Sanyo does the same - it'll usually be the highest-numbered socket that accepts the signal. You can usually tell by cycling through the inputs - you'll see an "S" after the number shown on the OSD e.g. EXT2-S or AV3-S.

An alternative would be getting hold of a cheap DVD recorder as the majority will have an S-Video input socket.

[speedlolita]

Or get your N64 RGB modded.

[learnedrobb]

I think it is fair to say that the majority of modern flat screen TVs accept s-video, but you will need an s-video to scart connector.

[batman877]

The N64 is almost unplayable on most modern HDTVs. Even with a RGB mod, it looks quite poor. Check some of my older posts where I compared N64 scart, s-video and composite on a HDTV.

Other retro hardware holds up better on modern TVs - the Sega Megadrive and SNES in particular look lovely.

However, for an N64, keep you old CRT TV and don't make the same mistake I did.

[kelp7]

The N64 is almost unplayable on most modern HDTVs. Even with a RGB mod, it looks quite poor. Check some of my older posts where I compared N64 scart, s-video and composite on a HDTV.

Other retro hardware holds up better on modern TVs - the Sega Megadrive and SNES in particular look lovely.

However, for an N64, keep you old CRT TV and don't make the same mistake I did.

Thanks everyone for all the help. Hey batman877, the N64 looks fine on our current HD TV (not full HD, mind, 720p max i think is what it does). It's a Panasonic Viera. We bought a cable from here:

http://www.consolegoods.co.uk/

The "N64 S-Video cable - PAL version" which is remarkably excellent! I don't think SCART would be as good would it?

[Antiriad2097]

The "N64 S-Video cable - PAL version" which is remarkably excellent! I don't think SCART would be as good would it?

It depends on the console output capability and the SCART cable in question.

SCART isn't one standard, its at least 3 possible types (possibly all 3, though usually only one or two are supported by a given cable, since it depends on the wiring being actually connected in there).

SCART can be ropey old composite video.

SCART can be S-Video.

SCART can be RGB.

Of those, RGB is best, so if a console can output RGB via SCART that's the one to go for.

While there are loads of pins in a SCART connector, usually only a few are wired up, so you could have just the composite and ground wired (2 wires), or just the RGB and ground (4 wires).

Its one of the reasons you can use a SCART block adapter for the yellow/red/white composite leads that come with modernish consoles, since its just a pass through to the composite and audio pins on the SCART plug. It'll work, but it'll still be ropey old composite video.

Its worth reading up on these connections to get the best from your systems so you know the limitations and what to check for in a cable.

[batman877]

Hey batman877, the N64 looks fine on our current HD TV (not full HD, mind, 720p max i think is what it does). It's a Panasonic Viera. We bought a cable from here:

http://www.consolegoods.co.uk/

The "N64 S-Video cable - PAL version" which is remarkably excellent! I don't think SCART would be as good would it?

I have the same cable, but try it on a CRT TV and see how the picture improves! Smooth edges and no more frame rate issues!

Some HDTVs do perform better than others, it really is a trial and error. You'll struggle to buy a new HDTV these days with an S-Video connection. If your Panasonic Viera looks good then stick with that. Remember the N64 always did look a bit blurred anyway - nature of the hardware!

[RetroBob]

There was a post on the web a few months back about hooking up old consoles to modern TVs, will see if I can find it.

Tadaaaa...

http://lifehacker.com/how-to-connect-yo ... 1443675453

[Mayhem]

Some HDTVs do perform better than others, it really is a trial and error. You'll struggle to buy a new HDTV these days with an S-Video connection. If your Panasonic Viera looks good then stick with that. Remember the N64 always did look a bit blurred anyway - nature of the hardware!

Support for S-video will be there, it'll just be rolled into one of the Scart sockets instead of a separate AV input. Part of the reason for getting the Bravia I did was it had a good review for upscaling and processing analogue signals.

[kelp7]

If your Panasonic Viera looks good then stick with that. Remember the N64 always did look a bit blurred anyway - nature of the hardware!

Yep. But.... the issue is we've just bought a house and the lounge is a little bigger than our current one and the Panasonic is only a 26" TV, was hoping to get something new and BIGGER...

[Liamh1982]

There was a post on the web a few months back about hooking up old consoles to modern TVs, will see if I can find it.

Tadaaaa...

http://lifehacker.com/how-to-connect-yo ... 1443675453

Bear in mind that's an American article so no real mention of RGB SCART at all.