Plugging S-Video into my HDTV with no S-Video Port?

supernintendo128 · Nov 16, 2019

I want to buy an S-Video cable for my Nintendo 64. The problem is that my TV has no S-Video ports. Is there an easy and inexpensive way to plug S-Video into my TV? I don't want to mod my system, I can't afford a Framemeister, and I have no space for a CRT.

EDIT: My TV is an RCA 32LB45RQ LCD 1080p HDTV with Composite, Component, VGA, and HDMI inputs.

Minox · Nov 16, 2019

First things first - What TV do you have?

supernintendo128 · Nov 16, 2019

Minox said:
First things first - What TV do you have?

Oh yeah I forgot to mention that. It's an RCA 32LB45RQ LCD 1080p HDTV with Composite, Component, VGA, and HDMI inputs.

IncredulousP · Nov 16, 2019

supernintendo128 said:
I want to buy an S-Video cable for my Nintendo 64. The problem is that my TV has no S-Video ports. Is there an easy and inexpensive way to plug S-Video into my TV? I don't want to mod my system, I can't afford a Framemeister, and I have no space for a CRT.

EDIT: My TV is an RCA 32LB45RQ LCD 1080p HDTV with Composite, Component, VGA, and HDMI inputs.

I'm curious, why do you want to buy an S-Video cord if your TV doesn't natively support its input?

supernintendo128 · Nov 16, 2019

IncredulousP said:
I'm curious, why do you want to buy an S-Video cord if your TV doesn't natively support its input?

Composite looks like ass on my TV and I don't want to mod my N64.

IncredulousP · Nov 16, 2019

supernintendo128 said:
Composite looks like ass on my TV and I don't want to mod my N64.

I only had s-video once as a kid so I don't have much experience with it, but just looking at the wiki for how s-video works compared to composite, it looks like s-video requires different processing than composite. So, since your TV doesn't have an s-video input, it's likely that it doesn't have the special processing necessary for native s-video support. Have you looked into component? It's much better quality than composite.

Edit: this 90's lookin' site says component is better anyway. http://www.bluejeanscable.com/articles/s-video-vs-component.htm

supernintendo128 · Nov 16, 2019

IncredulousP said:
I only had s-video once as a kid so I don't have much experience with it, but just looking at the wiki for how s-video works compared to composite, it looks like s-video requires different processing than composite. So, since your TV doesn't have an s-video input, it's likely that it doesn't have the special processing necessary for native s-video support. Have you looked into component? It's much better quality than composite.

The N64 doesn't support Component without modding. Any good S-Video to Component boxes?

IncredulousP · Nov 16, 2019

supernintendo128 said:
The N64 doesn't support Component without modding. Any good S-Video to Component boxes?

Hm, not that I know of but if the source is S-Video you're only going to get, at best, S-Video quality (weakest part of the chain is the bottleneck) and, at worst, a crappy picture because of the necessary analog processing it would take to convert it to a different set of signals which would degrade the quality. I would say your best options are: stick with composite, or mod to allow component. I'm afraid I can't offer any more advice, but anyone else may feel free to chime in.

supernintendo128 · Nov 16, 2019

IncredulousP said:
Hm, not that I know of but if the source is S-Video you're only going to get, at best, S-Video quality (weakest part of the chain is the bottleneck) and, at worst, a crappy picture because of the necessary analog processing it would take to convert it to a different set of signals which would degrade the quality. I would say your best options are: stick with composite, or mod to allow component. I'm afraid I can't offer any more advice, but anyone else may feel free to chime in.

What about S-Video to HDMI?

AmandaRose · Nov 16, 2019

This is cheep and will let you connect the s video to a hdmi port.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/LiNKFOR-Co...ocphy=1007311&hvtargid=pla-730013829337&psc=1

supernintendo128 · Nov 16, 2019

AmandaRose said:
This is cheep and will let you connect the s video to a hdmi port.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/LiNKFOR-Co...ocphy=1007311&hvtargid=pla-730013829337&psc=1

Does it stretch the video though? I hear that's a problem with some of these.

IncredulousP · Nov 16, 2019

AmandaRose said:
This is cheep and will let you connect the s video to a hdmi port.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/LiNKFOR-Co...ocphy=1007311&hvtargid=pla-730013829337&psc=1

The only problem with this is the TV isn't guaranteed to work with it. My roommate got VGA to HDMI adapter and his TV wouldn't display anything, but mine would. I assume since VGA is analog and HDMI is digital, there's some wonky stuff going on somewhere.

Edit: Upon further research, it seems VGA(analog)-HDMI(digital) interconnectivity is impossible without special circuitry, namely DAC and/or ADC depending on the direction. However, there are some cases where the signal actually comes out digital and just uses the VGA pins to transmit to the HDMI end, where they are shuffled into the right positions to be decoded by the TV. With something like this, I would first make sure either: the n64 is outputing digital signal through the VGA, or the VGA to HDMI is more than just a cable and processes analog to digital signals.

Double Edit: If the VGA-to-HDMI adapter does process analog to digital, then the output quality will likely be as good as the money you throw at it. More money = better circuitry.

PityOnU · Nov 16, 2019

Surprised no one mentioned this yet:

https://castlemaniagames.com/products/eon-super-64

Prepare thy wallet

On Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Super-64-Nin...scsubtag=c85c2a69-73da-4cac-b435-fd3d1d11e74b

IncredulousP · Nov 16, 2019

PityOnU said:
Surprised no one mentioned this yet:

https://castlemaniagames.com/products/eon-super-64

Prepare thy wallet

Ah, yes, the truly economical choice.

PityOnU · Nov 16, 2019

IncredulousP said:
Ah, yes, the truly economical choice.

Eh. With any of this stuff, if you're a mega-purist, you need custom equipment, and that's what it costs.

If OP just wants "cheap and looks okay on a modern TV," I would just say run an emulator on your phone/PC. You can even get decent controller to USB adapters for a reasonable amount if you're super hardcore about that dodgy analog stick for whatever reason:

https://www.raphnet-tech.com/products/n64_usb_adapter_gen3/index.php

Tom Bombadildo · Nov 16, 2019

To save you the trouble of bothering with any of the above:

There's no cheap or easy way to make your N64 display and look good on any modern TV, period. S-video converted to whatever else will always look like shit regardless what you do because modern TVs use really shit upscalers that will butcher any sub 480p signal. No amount of cheap cables or adapters will display properly on your TV. You can buy cheapo s-video or even composite to HDMI boxes if you like, but they'll stretch and ruin the quality substantially.

Your best bet for your requirements to use that TV specifically is to spend money on a quality upscaler. The RetroTink x2 is the cheapest quality upscaler you can find these days, and it's $100.

Your absolute best bet would simply be to buy a CRT and play the games on the display bthey were designed for. Best case you can find them for free on Craigslist, worse case you might have to spend $10 to buy one.

supernintendo128 · Nov 16, 2019

Tom Bombadildo said:
To save you the trouble of bothering with any of the above:

There's no cheap or easy way to make your N64 display and look good on any modern TV, period. S-video converted to whatever else will always look like shit regardless what you do because modern TVs use really shit upscalers that will butcher any sub 480p signal. No amount of cheap cables or adapters will display properly on your TV. You can buy cheapo s-video or even composite to HDMI boxes if you like, but they'll stretch and ruin the quality substantially.

Your best bet for your requirements to use that TV specifically is to spend money on a quality upscaler. The RetroTink x2 is the cheapest quality upscaler you can find these days, and it's $100.

Your absolute best bet would simply be to buy a CRT and play the games on the display bthey were designed for. Best case you can find them for free on Craigslist, worse case you might have to spend $10 to buy one.

Again, I have no space in my room for a CRT. I still have my old one but I have nowhere to put it. I'll just get a RetroTink. Thanks.

WD_GASTER2 · Nov 18, 2019

Get the hyperkin hdmi adapter. Its not great but you will live. It taps into the s video of the n64 and turn it to hdmi

Retrotink is a great solution to. A more professional onr but a tad bit more expensive

Zense · Nov 18, 2019

supernintendo128 said:
Again, I have no space in my room for a CRT. I still have my old one but I have nowhere to put it. I'll just get a RetroTink. Thanks.

I'd say the retrotink the second best choice after rgb modding your n64, which is of course more invasive. ~~The retrotink will even be useful for most retroconsoles and even if you eventually rgb mod your n64 it'll come in handy.~~ Actually I was wrong. The retrotink2x does not support rgb signal but it's the best you can do with svideo.

I would have recommended the newly announced Rad2x multi-nintendo (nes,snes, n64) to hdmi cables since they sit nicely in the middleground between the expensive and the cheap at 50-60$, but sadly for the n64 they seem to use the composite signal only if you don't have an rgb mod.

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