How do I switch between TV and Computer S-Video out?

[unclet]

I am going to use my 27" JVC TV for my Mame cabinet.  I was going to connect my "S-Video out" cable from my computer into the "S-Video In" port on the TV and use my computer speakers for the sound.    However, I want to be able to use that same 27" TV for picture and sound when watching normal TV shows and playing my XBox games.  

1) Is there a way to have all sound come out of my TV instead of using computer speakers when I am playing Mame games, or since Mame is a computer based emulator then am I stuck using computer speakers only.

2) If I decided to use computer speakers after all (for playing Mame), then will I be able to switch to watching normal TV (or playing Xbox games) using the TV speakers and back to Mame playing (using my computer speakers) easily?

Might be dumb #$% questions, but how about explaining my options and what you think is the easiest way to connect this stuff.  

PS:  The only way my wife OK'd me stealing another TV for Mame (ie: my second Mame cabinet) is if I could still use it for normal TV watching and XBox playing.

Is there some type of plug adapter switch thing which will solve my problem?  Basically, take input from my coaxial cable TV, my XBox and my S-Video Mame computer output and go into my TV nicely?

UncleT

[radiator]

1) Is there a way to have all sound come out of my TV instead of using computer speakers when I am playing Mame games, or since Mame is a computer based emulator then am I stuck using computer speakers only.

well, if you're tv has s-video input, it should also have L/R phono input (you know, the red and white ones )
just buy a cable that has a 3.5mm jack on one end (to plug into your soundcard) and 2 phono on the other end...
my JVC has 2 s-video, and 2 sets of phono inputs - so i can connect 2 different machines straight into the tv (ie, dreamcast and PC) and get both sound and video...

if it were me, i'd connect everything to seperate speakers (ie, the audio from the TV, PC and XBOX)
this is easily done with the above mentioned cable, and 2 standard phono->phono cables (1 for the tv, the other for the xbox)
you then connect everything to an audio switchbox (with 3 or more inputs), which will output through a single line (phono/stereo cable)
then just connect this to your speakers somehow...

as for multiple video input, look on Maplin (uk) or Farnell (worldwide) for a video switchbox with 3 inputs (a standard box should support s-video/SCART/coax input and output - obviously, no SCART if you're in the US)

...i hope you understand all that - i tend to go off on one and not re-read what i type...
...if you need anymore help, reply here, or PM me

 

[CM]

I have a 27in Toshiba with the PC using S-Video and the TVcable plugged straight into the TV.  I then soldered a connection from a button on my control panel to the TV's Input button.  That way I can toggle from TV (line-in) to PC (s-video) from the panel.   The PC uses the computer speakers, and the TV (line-in) uses the TV's speakers.

[bigmoe]

I don't think what you're wanting to do will be very difficult.

I have a JVC television with multiple inputs, but I have a wife who is not good with remote controls.  To make everything work, I found an s-video (with audio) switch-box I got at somewhere like Fred Meyer, I think (could've been a video store or a Software Etc), for like $20.  It was made to switch between multiple consoles.

It had one set of outputs - Svideo, and L&R audio (RCA type), as well as 4 matching sets of inputs.  It had four buttons on the front which you could label.  I used 3: DVD, VCR, PS2.

If I understand your question, it would work well for what you need.  Just plug your XBox S-video & audio to one input, and plug your computer S-video and audio to another ouput, and perhaps any other devices.  Then hook your TV to the switchbox output, and you're set: one-button switching between your console, computer, etc.  Also, all sound will go to the TV this way.

What you'll need to hook up your computer audio to the TV is a cable (I think they go for the $5-10 range) that has a 1/8" jack on one side and dual RCA plugs on the other.  This would connect the PC sound out to the switchbox.  Be careful with this, though; if you turn up the sound on your computer and the sound on your TV is up too far, you can blow out your TV speakers.

Of course, you could also plug the switchbox audio out to something besides the TV, if you so desired.  Also, this assumes that you'll have access to the switchbox; mine's about the size of a dictionary lying down.

Purists would probably point to some signal degradation, going through all these wires and a switch, but I never noticed anything.

bm