Panasonic Q DVD playback (new question, see latest reply)

[Saurian]

The plug above S-Video is "subwoofer"

Optical out is digital audio - you need an amp that supports it.

[Weinberg]

I see, thanks.

I'll just go for the original S-Video cable on Amazon, and that box allowing me to convert it to scart, and will plug the sound leads/s video lead into that.

[Treble]

Saur has covered the rest, but:

Just one thing though-how would I use the optical out port for sound? Looking at the diagram and my Q, that port is just a very thin...slit.

It hides the socket for what is called a TOSLINK connector. Basically, the 'slit' is actually a cool little hinge that opens when you push the cable into it. Press it in gently with your finger to have a look, when you get home

[Pootle UK]

TOSLINK connector is used for what purpose Treble?

I know the port you're talking about but come to think of it, never did know what that does.

[Treble]

It's for the Optical out. You can get standard optical cables, which are almost as thin as they sound (things like Minidisc players use regular optical connectors, and they are approximately the size of 3.5mm headphone jacks). TOSLINK connectors have a thicker plug on the end - dunno why, probably just to make them less fragile.

A quick search brought up this page, which shows you both types of connector.

[gIzzE]

Toslink is an optical link in vented by Toshiba, hence the name, it is just an optical version of an electrical output.

It can cary stereo, dolby digital or DTS in a range of different frequencies.

If you want to get dolby digital 5.1, DD, DTS 2.0., DTS 5.0 or DTS 5.1 from your dvd yo have to use electrical or optical out into a decoder (amp, tv whatever) that can decode the 1's and 0's.

Best bet for teh Q is to have a s-video + audio -> Scart which will carry the picture and audio to a suitable scart socket, and then have optical going into a suitable processer.

[Treble]

Yeah, I explained all that last bit to him, dude

Didn't know about the TOSLINK thing though, so thanks for that.

[gIzzE]

I was trying to say it is worth getting a scart to s-video cable rather than an S cable and a scart-S converter, I have about 5 different sorts and they all give a slightly darker picture than the scart cables I have, don't know why, maybe it changes the ohm's slighlty when going through the adapters?

[Weinberg]

Ok cable arrived today, all plugged in and tested. I can't really notice a difference myself....do I need to change a setting on the Q? It still outputs video through the RGB cable, in composite though obviously. I was expecting a really noticeable difference!

[Treble]

Sorry gLzzE, I see what you mean now ^_^

Weinberg: try switching between the composite and S-Video signals when you have a bright red or blue image on the screen. See all the fuzzy, crawling dots around the edges on the composite pic? That's called cross-hatching, and you won't get that with S-Video =]

[bowser123]

Sorry to take the thread slightly off topic but have a quick question.
I currently use Saurian's RGB lead for my Q with the standard AV connectors for DVD use.

My TV doesn't have S-Video on it, however I already have an unused little adaptor that lets you plug either S-Video or the 3 AV Cables into a scart socket.

My question is can I use both Saurians lead for Gamecube functions and the S-Video adaptor, with both plugged in? What I mean is will the Q automatically use RGB scart for Gamecube and S-Video for DVD's?
Or will I have to unplug one so I can make use of the other connection?

Also what kind of picture will this adaptor give?
It's similar to this one, same as Treble posted earlier.
On the side of my adaptor it also has a little switch, you can choose between "CVBS" and "Y/C". What are these and which should I use.

[gIzzE]

you should be fine, it will output both.

cvbs is composite and Y/C is s-video so you just need to switch it to y/c.

It should be fine, I find the image is a little darker with an adapter rather than an s->scart cable, but I am being really picky and you wouldnt be able to tell unless you switch between the 2 quickly.

[Weinberg]

Another question-I now have a dolby pro logic TV-so should I switch VSS1/2 off now, or not?

[gIzzE]

If VSS is "virtual surround sound"? then turn it off anyway, whether you have prologic or not.