i have a hdtv 47"THe problem is as follows. The TVs are HDTV, they MUST have Component cables going into the TV to get the 480p resolution. My recording gear will only take composite or S-Video signal. The TV will not send a signal out if the source is component. I need a way to split the signal before it goes into the TV and convert it to either S-Video or composite. So I have component going to the TV and composite to the recorders

Buy a signal processor. I actually work in this field, building cable(s-video, component) for higher end system, hdtv, and all of that. You need a processor to convert the signal from s-video to component or vice-versa. The signals are completely different.

Well, I am looking at a hdtv capture card that works under linux, but I am interested in your solution. Tell me more about this signal processor.

any info like links or anythin pics watever

A preprocessor or audio video processor is usually for high end home theater systems. I dont know how much money you have available or are willing to spend or what type of quality you are looking for, but this will preserve the high quality resolution(check the max/output resolution of the processor) while converting it. They can be very expensive or a few hundred bucks depending on what you are looking for.

Just do a search on google for "s-video component processor" or "s-video component convert".
You'll come up with something like this or this . If you don't want to go that route there are actually many solutions to your problem. Unfortunately all of them involve spending money. (unless there is a way to make your tv output through s-video hooked up by component that your not aware of.)