not one of those switch boxes, just a cable that goes from s-video to component (the yellow rca cable thingie). looking for it on the cheap. I have the converter for my laptop, but it has 3 extra pins in the middle which means that adapter won't work with the normal svideo port on my desktop.

that would be s-video to "composite." component is red, green and blue. you can buy one at radio shack for about $10

whoops... i knew that. just wasnt thinking...

its actually about 20 $ at radioshack, fromer employee, but if you know how to solder you can make one with a few capacitors for about 3 bucks. blueprints are somewhere online

Since composite and S-video are two different transmission protocols, you will not find just a wire that has the two different plugs on the ends (like banana plug to rca). There will have to be some sort of convertor in the line for it to properly recode, whether you make it yourself or just buy one. Odds are it will be a little box unless someone makes one small enough to fit into a wire.

actually, you just need a capacitor.

uncertain:
The only difference in the standards is that SVideo/SVHS has separate pairs for chrominance and luminance. On composite, these are blended before they enter the wire. All you need is a little capacitor to do the same mixing composite output devices do.

Actually you don't even need a capacitor, when i made mine i couldn't tell a difference in picture quality between having one in line or not so i just left it out.

I noticed some color issues when not using a capacitor, but then again, I was looking for them.