Ok..I have a TV with 1 s-video input. I want to run s-video from my satellite box in addition to my dvd player..can anyone reccomend a good solution? Looks like there are no s-vidoe splitters on the market other than switch box types. Which ones are good?

I have this problem also. I just bought my new tv yesterday at BestBuy, a 27" Panasonic. After I got home I relized only one s-video input. And, next month I am installing my DirecTV. There are no splitters?

Sony (and I'm sure other companies) sells a S-video switching box for I think $50, but don't quote me on that. Check your local electronics store. The best solution is to get a receiver with S video ins so you can output everthing to the tv through one device and get dolby digital and DTS surround. That is an expensive way to go however. Another problem is if you also have a device that only hooks up through the RCA connection. Then you need a TV with two seperate inputs. One you hook up the S-video in and the other the composite in. On most tvs you can't connect the composite to the same input (rear input for example) because if a S-video cable is connected there it defaults to S-video only. Most tvs have a second input in front or back though and you can connect your composite there.

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Aaron
My DVD Collection
My Rather Small Laserdisc Collection

Sony and Terk (Terk is the VS4 --- I do not remembe rhte Sony Model No.) make similar manual 4 in/2 out s video switchers. Both are available for about $40.00 and work fine (I use the Sony on a Sony 20V80 with good results -- but it is only a 20" set --I have seen the Terk switcher used on a Sony 27" XBR and it works fine). There are several other switchers on the market, some auto switch and some with remote from about $100. The best deal may be the Sima SVS4 (the following is from the J&R Music World site):

SIMA SVS4 - Audio/Video Switcher
An Audio/Video switcher with built-in volume stabilizer

*An audio/video switcher with built-in volume stabilizer *Auto Input selection *Composite & S-Video In/Outs *Auto Composite to S-Video conversion *4 Audio/Video In *2 Audio/Video Outs

$149.99
SMA SVS4

JVC makes one that also converts composite to s-video (which would solve the problem of having to have two video ins on your television if you have both composite and s-video devices). J&R Music World has a good selection of switchers available (http://www.jandr.com).

By the way, another way to solve the composite to s-video "problem" is a Tributaries C2S composite to S-video converter cable ($100). Entech makes a similar product, as does Monster, which makes Entech (the CSVA1)cfor around the same price.

well it looks like a switch box is the best way to go for now.. I cant believe there is no s-video y cable out on the market..the box is overkill to just split one signal but if its the only solution I cant bitch..thanks eveyones for the info

Using a Y cable to put two devices into one input would be a bad idea, since signal from device 1 could find its way to device 2 and cause serious damage. Y cables are good for connecting one output to two devices (e.g., connecting two sets of headphones to one headphone jack). I suppose that is why you do not see any Y S-video cables available.