Connecting Act Labs gun to a component video TV

[Scoobie]

I'm using a 27" Toshiba TV as my monitor, along with component video through my video card.  I'd like to hook up my Act Labs TV gun, but it is an S-video connection (I used to have my setup through S-video, until I discovered how much better component is).

Is there a way to use my light gun with this setup?

Thanks!

[deoblo85]

Yup you hook up your hammer head that comes with the act lab gun to your s-video
on your card after the gun is all ready installed and hook your s-video adapter to the hammer head that also comes with the gun and hook the other end to the tv(s-video)and enable your video card for your tv out.I have mine that way and it works fine! hope this helps and that its kinda understandable.

[deoblo85]

sorry !!!! thought you wanted to go to s-video

[Silver]

I'm guessing not although I could be wrong

I've got the PC VGA gun, and I'm guessing that you could use that by wiring the RGB+S component signals throught the VGA adapter on the gun. If you are using a VGA->component cable from your PC to TV, then its even easier.

I don't see that you could use the s-video guns and keep component picture quality.

[Scoobie]

I'm not sure what you mean by "wiring the RGB+S component signals throught the VGA adapter on the gun".  I wouldn't mind having s-video quality for the light gun games only, but I'd like to avoid having to take out my tv remote and switching my tv input each time I want to play a gun game.

Is there an adapter that will allow me to connect the s-video on the gun through the VGA to Component adapter I'm using?

[Scoobie]

Would this adapter http://www.buy.com/retail/Product_jump.asp?sku=10352650&SearchEngine=GoogleD&Type=GoogleD&Keyword=10352650&Category=Comp&dcaid=17260 work?  I'm thinking of connecting the s-video act-labs gun through this adapter, then to my component connection on my tv.

Has anyone tried this, and does it work?  

[shmokes]

I don't know, but if you try it and it works PLEASE let us know.  I've got component out on my videocard and component in on my TV, but plan to use S-video specifically for Act-Labs Gun compatibility.  I would love to be able to use Component.

[Silver]

Sorry about the delay in getting back on this....

The Act-labs TV Gun's only have a S-video connection on them (I've been told) and as such there is NO WAY to have component quality video while playing Light gun games. As soon as you convert the signal from component to S-video, you lose quality, so buying an adapter to convert from s-video to component would not improve quality at all. Once the quality is gone, its gone.

The best solution (I think) is as you mentioned, using S-video only for light gun games.  Not switching the TV by remote could be tricky - you could maybe install a button on your CP or something, and then hack that into the remote (which can be stripped and installed hidden, right in front of the TV) - some people have done this to power up the TV from a button - you would have to investigate.

The other option I mentioned was that Act-labs make a PC Gun (now discontinued I believe - ebay?). VGA cables essentially carry component signals - R,G,B and Syncs (Horizontal and Vertical). It *may* be possible to use the PC/VGA gun with a component TV.

How do you connect from your PC to your TV? a VGA cable with BNC connectors?

What resolution are you displaying? If its standard windows res (eg 800x600 or 1024x768 or similar) then I would guess that the TV is internally altering the signal which may stop the VGA guns working.

Some more info on you setup (software/gfx card/connections/TV) would be helpful...