Video Card Output

• Graphics cards range widely in price and use. Costs range from around $20 U.S. for a simple version to more than $2,400 for a professional model as of 2011. Cards for use in home computers may only have internal connections and no external output. If one does have an external output, it could support composite video or a combination of other formats, but rarely S-video alone.
  
  

Video Formats

• Video formats describe how a signal gets mixed before it is sent to other devices. Composite video mixes synchronization, brightness and color information onto a single cable. S-video separates the information into two signals and uses a special four-pin connector. Component video uses three signals on three separate cables, RGB uses four and RGBHV uses five.
  
  

True S-Video Output

• A true S-video output from a graphics card would have a round, four-pin connector to accommodate the two-signal output. The card could also have other connectors to support other formats, depending on the design of the card. It could have a single yellow RCA "push-in" connector to support composite video or three, four or five RCA connectors to support component, RGB or RGBHV.
  
  

Other "S-Video" Outputs

• Some video card outputs support multiple formats and have a round, seven-pin connector that looks very much like the four-pin S-video connector. Unfortunately many manufacturers, vendors and users refer to this jack as an "S-video output," although it may actually support one or more of the other formats as well, depending on how the graphics card is designed and programmed. The manufacturer provides specific information on how to program the card and connect to this output.