How to Use "S" Video Cables

A standard 4-pin "S" video cable connector

If you have an electronic device - a DVD player, a digital TV receiver or a game system - and want to connect it to your TV with an "S" video cable, read on to learn how to use it.

Instructions

1. Ensure that the particular device that you want to hook up does have an
   "S" video output. Most DVD players, digital TV receivers, game systems and other electronic devices carry these outputs. Check that your TV has an "S" video input before you buy your cable. Buy a high quality "S" video cable, unless the electronic device already came with one. An "S" video cable with gold-plated connections is your best option.

2. Connect your "S" video cable to the electronic device, and then to your television. Do not connect any other video cables at the same time, as they will override the "S" video digital signal. Turn on your electronics and enjoy a quality of resolution that is more than 20 per cent what it was before.

3. Purchase an "S" video/audio splitter box for more than one electronic device. The best splitter boxes feature gold-plated connections. Connect the "S" video cable to the splitter box. Although the splitter has video inputs for the yellow RCA video cable, do not connect this cable. If you connect the RCA video cable, it will override the "S" video's digital signal. However, the "S" video cables only carry video, so you must connect audio cables for your electronic devices.

4. Hook up the audio cables from your electronic devices to the audio inputs on the splitter box. Next, connect them to your TV's audio inputs. Use the audio inputs on your TV that specifically serve the "S" video input channel. This usually is the input that is nearest to the "S" video input. You can hook up more than one electronic device at a time, but you must manually switch from one to the other.

Tips & Warnings

• If you don't use a splitter box, connect the "S" video cable to the device that you use most often, usually your cable box, satellite receiver or digital TV receiver. Use the yellow RCA video cable to hook up the device that you use less often to the additional video inputs. The connection you get with this RCA cable is not as good as that of the "S" video, but it is the next best option. Use either the "S" video cable or the yellow RCA cable one at a time.

• Keep any electronic device unplugged until you are done working with the wiring.