too many consoles, not enough SVideo ports.
 

I currently have a PS2 and just bought an xbox last week. I know is is only a matter of time before i buy a gamecube, so this is where my problem lies. I've got 2 and soon to be 3 consoles but only have one SVideo port on my TV. I have a component port on my TV, but i can't justify buying such an important cable for a non HD TV. I also have two a/v ports but the difference from svideo to a/v is just too big for me to consider using.

So basically my question is, is there some type of adapter you can buy that has multiple svideo ports. I really don't want to have to switch out cables every time i want to play a different system. I know it may sound lazy, but the way my tv is positioned its pretty difficult to get to the back of it, since i live in such a cramped appartment

Well, you could buy a nice receiver with svideo (and componant) jacks on the back of it....that would also give you a reson to start a home theater surround sound system (if ya dont have 1 already)

Otherwise, go to radio shack and buy a switchbox with svideo inputs on it. I think the svideo ones are near $40.

Just do a search for s-video selector on eBay and you'll find what you need, I myself use to have one of these babies>>

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=1355385146

But now I run them through my receiver, oh and one more thing. 5.1 in game for the xbox is a blessing, halo in surround is AWESOME!

I second the "get an A/V receiver" option

You just need something like this...

http://www.gamestop.com/product.asp?product%5Fid=801178

A lot cheeper than getting a receiver.

True, but a new receiver would be more fun. :D

I've been using one of these for a while and it seeems to be working well (I have 4 s-video inputs on my receiver and one component on my TV and it still wasn't enough ;)). If you do end up getting that switchbox I'd recommend buying a new s-video cable, the one that comes in the box is really crappy.

I have the same problem!

I am running a PS2, Gamecube, DVD Player, Dreamcast, & A N64 through mine, and well, I can't stand having to keep switching the dreadful things each time I want to do something!!! I also need a switchbox, they have one at best buy for $20...

I just picked up one of those multi system switch boxes at EB for 19.99. I don't remember who makes it, but it has a lot of little buttons with system names (I have the N64, Gamecube, DVD, and PS2 buttons in mine, but my XBOX one is waiting in the wings) on them so you can label everything and still make it look nice. It also matches the style of the PS2, with the ridges and everything.

I also bought a system selector with the name tags from EB, like the above poster. I think it's made by Pelican. The only thing that I dislike about it is that the picture seems darker now compared to when I had the consoles plugged directly into the TV ports. Will getting S-Video cables for each system help this or is it just a bad selector to be using?

I got a Pelican brand S-Video switch box for ~$20, and I'm very happy with it. :up: It comes with labels for all the current systems, as well as A/V components.

I think you should use that component input on your TV, preferably for the XBox. If you don't want to buy the pack for component input and three A/V cables (no, you don't have to buy a set of three cables labeled specifically for component input :)), just buy the component cable for your GameCube instead of an S-Video cable.

However, if you have an S-Video cable for your N64 (if you had one of those), you can use that for the GC because AFAIK it's the same thing. It might also be more convenient to just have the videogame consoles connected to the video switcher, so that you wouldn't have to switch the inputs on the TV when selecting systems. In that case, connect your standalone DVD player (if you have one of those) to the component inputs.

thats the exact one I use. I'm currently saving for a brand new complete home theater setup so the switcher is having to suffice for a while.

Hey thanks for the input everyone, I think the system selector will be the best fit for me since i don't think i could possibly make room for a home theater system.

thanks for everyone's input here. I had just been using my ps2 without s-video because my DVD player is on that. So I went to funcoland and bought the gamespot.com (pelican) switch today and it works great. Now I need to go get another s-video cable for my digital cable receiver. :)

I have a pair of Interact 5 input switches that I use for my XBOX, GameCube, PlayStation 2, Dreamcast & N64. One is for component video (progressive on XBOX, GameCube, PS2 and Dreamcast depending on game) and the other is for audio S-Video input for the N64 and alternate S-Video inputs on GameCube and Dreamcast. They work really well. It was a very good and cheap solution.

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fab

I have a few of those Pelican boxes daisy chained. No problems. I used to have ones by Mad Catz, but those were just composite. InterAct makes one similar to the Pelican one, but has five ports for the same price, plus it's thinner.

Now if only they made a cheap switch box for high end audio.

I bought an S-Video/ Audio switch box from Radio Shack for my Son's game systems. I think it was $20. They sell the same box at Circuit City for $30.

I use my A/V reciever.

Pasco, the gamespot.com is a pelican and it has 5 ports.

The Pleican one can connect up to four devices, and has five inputs. The InterAct one has six inputs and can connect up to five devices.

Pasco, the gamespot link here says 4. The one I got from funcoland has 5 inputs, 1 output, and 5 buttons on the front. The packaging also states "Allows you to quickly switch between 5 video game systems or other video systems (DVD, VCR, etc.) connected to any TV. It was also only $19.99 + tax.