TBone@steak.com wrote in message <66t6uh$sbg@bgtnsc02.worldnet.att.net>...

>Please help me with the following concepts:
>My understanding is that VHS produces about 240 lines of resolution
>Hi-8 produces about 340 lines
>Digital is about 500 lines...

Maybe 240-270, 340-400+, and 500 if you have top 3-chip DV gear...;-)

>I own a Canon L1 camcorder. If I hook up the output using RCA jacks
>and record on a SVHS deck will I get as good a picture as if I use a S
>Video cable? Will the lines of resolution be equal on both cable
>setups?

No, but the visible difference may be rather subtle. I see more
difference between good DV and good Hi-8 detail under some conditions
than I do between good 8mm or VHS and Hi-8, or between RCA and S
cables. From what I gather, the format (and cable) resolution
differences apply in one picture direction only, so the differences
considering both the vertical and horizontal resolutions together
are reduced from what the numbers above would indicate. Also, a very
well-made VHS (or broadcast) image can look very good, and a mediocre
DV image may look little better, theoretical resolution differences
notwithstanding...

>I just bought a new 36" TV with S video because my 27" had only RCA
>jacks. The picture is about the same with either cable setup. I
>must admit that I haven't tried any recordings from the Canon L1 to
>the SVHS deck yet, so I can't comment there.

You may find little difference much of the time... Try a 3-chip
DV camcorder, and you may notice a bit more difference in the
cables (the S cable removes the dot crawl, and the sharpness is a
bit better...).

>Please clarify the difference in resolution between the different
>formats, and how cables affect the total picture.

I hope I've done that above...;-)

--
David Ruether
http://www.fcinet.com/ruether
ruether@fcinet.com