[dr.george]

i have a gigabit G4 model with a ATI 8500 with S-video output and i wanted to know if the card is able to handle a long s-video cable without losing power or signal, its about 45 feet long.

The same question, but now with the audio output of the G4 ?

[davidflas]

the most important concern for long cable runs audio or video is the quality of the cables. thicker cables with more strands of copper and better insulation are prefered as they present less resistence to the signal and are less susceptable to interference. check out http://www.monstercable.com. Its a good place to start. Check out ati's site for more info on the audio/video signal strength specs. That's about all I know. HTH

[Eriamjh]

There's going to be some loss no matter what, but what is acceptable to you?

By the best damn cable you can find for that distance. Expect to pay big bucks for the cable otherwise spend some money on a signal booster.

[ReggieX]

S-Video isn't meant to be run longer than 6 feet for optimum quality. 45 is WAY too long.

Audio-wise, 1/8" cable should really not be run longer than 6 to 10 feet.

[dfiler]

Depending on the quality of display device, a 50ft svideo run may be acceptable. Video amplifiers are generally recommended on svideo runs longer than around 30 to 50 ft. You're on the borderline so hold off purchasing an amplifier until you see the results with your setup. The amplifiers cost around 20 dollars and up at radioshak. The long cord can't damage anything. Worst case scenario is that there is a lot of dot-crawl or snow in the picture.

However...

The 8500 splits your video memory in half if you use the svideo output. Even if you are mirroring the primary monitor's display, you'll still be running on 32megs rather than 64. This is why I run a $70 external scan converter inline with my monitor. I can mirror to a television without loosing half of my video memory. With quartz extreme, this is actually important even outside of games.

[tr]

just to put in my 2 cents...i have an 8500 running in my sawtooth, with a 25 foot S-video cable and a 25 foot 1/8" male to RCA stereo male hooked up to my 27" Sony WEGA. works fine; i use it for watching DVD's or fullscreen stuff in QT or VLC. no obvious or detectable signal loss (and i'm not using monster-type cables). i control the apps with a keyspan digital media remote.

like i said, it works fine, and video quality is up to my standards. okay, i wouldn't be going this route to create the 'ultimate home theater setup', but for my needs (the occasional DVD/avi), it works well. probably spent under $30 for both cables on eBay.

i'd say first go out and find some not-so-expensive cables, test it out, and see if you like the results. oh, and don't forget to play with the TV settings in the ATI control app.

tr

[dr.george]

thanks everybody.