it would be nice but i can live without it. i dont want to pay the prices to get most of my systems moded for s-video, nor would i want them to be moded.
the vast majority of systems have s-video without modding required
While true, are there a lot of systems that have S-Video without a better, more reasonable alternative?
Thinking Nintendo-wise, neither the NES or Top Loader support S-Video. The SNES does, but the SNES-mini does not. The N64 does. The Game Cube does, but the Gen1 versions also support component. Wii has component... is there an s-video cable for the Wii? Basically 2/5 generations of Nintendo systems support S-Video and nothing better... what do the other systems look like?
Well, there's always RGB which is much better than S-Video. NES sadly you have to do a lot of modification to get it to do RGB. SNES is RGB native, SNES Mini is a simple RGB mod, N64 early versions are simple RGB, and most Gamecubes except the last revision are either component NTSC (very expensive cable) or I believe PAL has RGB out.
Genesis can't do component natively, but since it's RGB native, you can use a SCART RGB to YUV for component.
Master System, Jaguar, Saturn, PS1 all RGB native.
PS2 is either component or RGB, you have the option in the menu on which you want to output.
Dreamcast is VGA and stunning on both a VGA CRT and modern LCDs
Xbox is Component native.
PS3,360 are component native with HDMI and can run S-Video as well.
Wii is component native and can run S-Video.
Granted RGB costs abit more with cables and transcoders but if you have a CRT with an RGB, VGA or low res YUV input it's worth it.
Ask for S-Video, it's more suited for non RGB consoles like an Atari 7800 which I would rather modify than an original 2600. Granted if you have S-Video it's much better than composite but if you're gonna go through the trouble of getting cables for all the consoles might as well go with the best picture for each system RGB.
Of course, there's always good oh composite that's still better than RF, as long as you have a good POWERED switch box so you don't lose any signal. The one I used for years before I upgraded everything to RGB was this one:
http://www.amazon.com/RCA-CRF940-Modulator-Gold-Plated-Connectors/dp/B00008X5DD/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1332304753&sr=8-10It keeps the composite signal nice and bright and even outputs a nice RF signal. S-Video however it kind of sucks on that particular one.
If you want everything to be simple, run either composite or S-video on most everything. If you want to spend the time and money for the best picture with only a few mods here and there, then RGB and component are your best choices.
For a CRT, Composite, S-Video and RGB will be your choices since CRT's can display all of them rather well.
For modern LCD's LED's Plasma, especially for older game systems, RGB is a must, S-video is a good second, but RGB will yield the best picture. Of course for modern game systems HDMI or component. Composite looks horrible on modern TV's.
Otherwise, daisychain some RF switchboxes, which will look horrible but it's the simplest and cheapest way to hook up multiple consoles.
