Y's vs Splitters

[mjz55]

I need to branch off in two different places. One is at the end of my video line to two TV's. At this junction should I use a splitter IE: one input into two outputs or a Y? Secondly, I want to have a split in my outputs from my dvd players, one to a monitor switch and another to an output. Can I just use a Y here or will that ruin my output quality? I am not sure what the difference in loss is between the Y and the splitter.

[vjking]

Be careful. You can split a composite video signal, but you can't just "Y" an s-video connection. Whenever you use a "dumb" splitter to twin a signal, you end up with voltage loss across the split. Hence, it is better to use a good splitter - one that preserves signal integrity.

My suggestion would be to look at the Sima SVS-4. It accepts up to 4 inputs, and provides two outputs. The outputs are a split of the input. It will either intelligently select the input to route, based on signal presence, or based on your setting. It is also remote controllable. Price $99 USD. Well worth it. Oh - and it can also handle either composite video or S-Video.

If I understand what you are trying to do, you would configure each of your DVD players as inputs, and route output 1 to your monitor switch, and output 2 to your other device (a projector perhaps?).

[scopi]

the device you need is called a VDA (video distriution amplifier)

electronics shops (like radioshack) sometimes have them as simple kits...

they amplify the signal as the split them... preserving your signal strength...

using passive splitters ALWAYS reduces your contrast and brightness... they aslo add noise to your signal...

Nick

[vjking]

The Sima SVS-4 could be considered a simple VDA.

Yes - Radio Shack has a number of useful components, but I have not had very good luck with their video distribution equipment. Noise has been the most significant problem.

In a home environment, with short cable lengths, you can get away with a lot. But once you start working in commercial applications, where distances are often measured in 100's of feet, and electrical noise is everywhere, you need to consider more robust solutions.

[VirtualVisuals]

Yeah, you really want to use a VDA, they range from small and cheap (yet effective) to very high quality expensive pro units (which you can bearly lift) I am lucky enough to have an ex-BBC AVITEL 13x8x1 3u VDA... it weighs a ton and heats up any club a treat...

Make sure that if you buy a 1in-2out style box that it is actually a VDA, rather than a splitter...

splitters (AKA Ys) shouldn't really be used, I occasionally use one - with a properly balanced line and you can get away with it, but it's not really advisable.

As for S video, try to avoid it, it's a bit of a dodgy consumer technology, if you have descent quality cabling you should be able to run composite, which is actually used as a broadcast technology, whereas S signals crominance and luminance drop out of sync at the drop of a hat and you get bad frame tearing... Lots of people think that because they don't get a fantastic quality signal with S that composite couldn't do any better, but this is not the case.

[wellREDman]

i find that svideo gives better contrast, but is not as good over distance as composite, i generally go svideo from source to mixer, then comp from mixer to beamer .