A/V Gurus: can I use a RCA cable instead of a component vid cable?

[spidey07]

Component video needs three 75 ohm coaxial cables. As long as you have three 75 ohm coaxial cables you'll be all set.

RED, WHITE, BLUE AV cable IS NOT 75 ohm, frequently not even coax and can seriously degrade your picture. The red and white cables are for audio and their impedance is measured all over the place from 40 to 200 ohms. The yellow probably is 75 ohms and if your lucky it is coax.

So do yourself a favor and spend 30 bucks on a component video cable which will indeed be three, 75 ohm coaxial cables. Can you use a red, white, yellow AV cable? Sure, but you really won't be getting the most from your TV and DVD player in terms of color and resolution.

hope this helps. Also if you're good with tools you can make your own cables with great quaility.

 

[mpitts]

I didn't say it WOULD. I said it could.

I am not trying to be a butt about this. Try it and let us know how it works. I am curious as well.

BTW, congrats on your new purchase. I love my 16:9.

 

[Crusty]

Originally posted by: spidey07
Component video needs three 75 ohm coaxial cables. As long as you have three 75 ohm coaxial cables you'll be all set.

RED, WHITE, BLUE AV cable IS NOT 75 ohm, frequently not even coax and can seriously degrade your picture. The red and white cables are for audio and their impedance is measured all over the place from 40 to 200 ohms. The yellow probably is 75 ohms and if your lucky it is coax.

So do yourself a favor and spend 30 bucks on a component video cable which will indeed be three, 75 ohm coaxial cables. Can you use a red, white, yellow AV cable? Sure, but you really won't be getting the most from your TV and DVD player in terms of color and resolution.

hope this helps. Also if you're good with tools you can make your own cables with great quaility.

Well, someone finally explained a little bit! How hard is it to make the cables, what would I need?

 

[spidey07]

You can check here.

Start costs can seem high, but with the tools and connectors you can make high quailty video cables for your new toy.

http://www.bus.ucf.edu/cwhite/theater/DIYCable.htm

 

[astroview]

Actually, I set up my parent's TV using 2 sets of RCA cables instead of component cable. Never even thought if it would be bad, just plugged it in. It works fine, but now I'm starting to wonder about that Ohms comment someone said.

On my own TV i'd probably go with good component cables, my parents who watch a DVD once every 2 months I suppose this is ok.

BTW they have a regular 27 inch Sony Wega, nothing spectacular.

 

[chizow]

Originally posted by: spidey07
You can check here.

Start costs can seem high, but with the tools and connectors you can make high quailty video cables for your new toy.

http://www.bus.ucf.edu/cwhite/theater/DIYCable.htm

Yep, just to further what spidey07 was saying, I tried something similar with my Audigy 2 digital sp/dif out to my coax in on my DTS receiver. I had a cheapo mini plug to 2 RCA adapter sitting around and thought it would work fine. Turns out it wasn't rated at the correct frequencies to carry the digital signal from my sp/dif out. Went to a $10 digital coax cable and a simple miniplug to RCA straight adapter and I've been enjoying 5.1 DTS quality ever since

Chiz

 

[crystal]

Originally posted by: MCrusty

Originally posted by: spidey07
Component video needs three 75 ohm coaxial cables. As long as you have three 75 ohm coaxial cables you'll be all set.

RED, WHITE, BLUE AV cable IS NOT 75 ohm, frequently not even coax and can seriously degrade your picture. The red and white cables are for audio and their impedance is measured all over the place from 40 to 200 ohms. The yellow probably is 75 ohms and if your lucky it is coax.

So do yourself a favor and spend 30 bucks on a component video cable which will indeed be three, 75 ohm coaxial cables. Can you use a red, white, yellow AV cable? Sure, but you really won't be getting the most from your TV and DVD player in terms of color and resolution.

hope this helps. Also if you're good with tools you can make your own cables with great quaility.

Well, someone finally explained a little bit! How hard is it to make the cables, what would I need?

I would bet you have a few of those a/v video cables lying around, i.e., the cheap stuff that comes with your tv, dvd, vcr, etc. Used 3 of the video one (yellow) for your component. BTW, I used one of those as my digital coax cable to hook up the dvd player to the receiver because I am cheap. <-- Another idea where you can save your money.

 

[Mrburns2007]

Originally posted by: MCrusty

Originally posted by: spidey07
Component video needs three 75 ohm coaxial cables. As long as you have three 75 ohm coaxial cables you'll be all set.

RED, WHITE, BLUE AV cable IS NOT 75 ohm, frequently not even coax and can seriously degrade your picture. The red and white cables are for audio and their impedance is measured all over the place from 40 to 200 ohms. The yellow probably is 75 ohms and if your lucky it is coax.

So do yourself a favor and spend 30 bucks on a component video cable which will indeed be three, 75 ohm coaxial cables. Can you use a red, white, yellow AV cable? Sure, but you really won't be getting the most from your TV and DVD player in terms of color and resolution.

hope this helps. Also if you're good with tools you can make your own cables with great quaility.

Well, someone finally explained a little bit! How hard is it to make the cables, what would I need?

All interconnects are 75 ohm whether used for audio or video, sometimes the video 75 ohm cable is better engineered for carrying video info and the audio cable is better engineered for audio info but most of the time a good quality cable will get the job done if your NOT super picky.

Some High End stores will try and convince you that you need to spend $100 or more per cable to see the best picture but most people won't see the difference between them and $10 cables.

 

[spidey07]

All interconnects are not 75 ohm, especially ones for audio which are mostly twisted pair, not coaxial. All interconnects do not carry a HDTV or progressive signal without attentuation at the higher frequencies. A decent video cable normally does, but the twisted pair in audio most certainly do not and can attentuate 6-10 db.

Check out your cable TV cable on the outside of your house, probably rg56. A nice RG6 coaxial cable is required for HDTV and most satellite installations.

But then again dull colors, poor blacks, noise, grain, loss of contrast, compressed gamma - all of these result from a poor video cable. I'm not saying anybody has to blow big money on a cable, but do see what your missing by at least using one that meets the specification.

 

[BooGiMaN]

Are you planning to use them indefinitely or just until u can spare the 30 bucks?
Spending that much for a tv and then not getting the best picture u can out of it just doesn't seem right.
wouldnt that be like buying the best sourround sound reciever and only attaching one speaker? whats the use of buyign the best if you dont utlize it to its best potential?

im not trying to be mean but, i mean remember what they say the 'right tool for the right job'.

 

[DaveJ]

Check these out:

Component video cable

$10 sounds like a damn good deal to me... surely that's cheap enough for you...

Dave

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Originally posted by: spidey07
All interconnects are not 75 ohm, especially ones for audio which are mostly twisted pair, not coaxial. All interconnects do not carry a HDTV or progressive signal without attentuation at the higher frequencies. A decent video cable normally does, but the twisted pair in audio most certainly do not and can attentuate 6-10 db. Check out your cable TV cable on the outside of your house, probably rg56. A nice RG6 coaxial cable is required for HDTV and most satellite installations. But then again dull colors, poor blacks, noise, grain, loss of contrast, compressed gamma - all of these result from a poor video cable. I'm not saying anybody has to blow big money on a cable, but do see what your missing by at least using one that meets the specification.

Just tried a little experiment. Swapped cables around, and I still see a good picture on my HDTV. Hmmm. Maybe I have good RCA cables?

 

[vtqanh]

Technically, if you have excellent cables, they will work, and there will be no different. You can also use the component cables for the composite In/Out, if you want to do so. However, not all cables are made in such quality. You get the idea... And like Spidey07 said, audio cables are mostly twisted, and it shouldnt be used to carry video signal (if you have the RCA composite cables for 6.99, all three cables are the same, there wouldn't be any twisting there!!!)

Check this Link out :Q:Q:Q

 

[Johnlee]

Just don't get Monster cables get the Acoustic Research brand

Can you or someone else explain this to me? Are Monster Cables just BS or what?

 

[vtqanh]

Originally posted by: Johnlee

Just don't get Monster cables get the Acoustic Research brand

Can you or someone else explain this to me? Are Monster Cables just BS or what?

They are good. But they are also well-overpriced. They focus a lot on shieding to prevent signal loss. If you use it in an enviroment with a lot of interferences from all kind of signal frequencies, then you definitely needs Monster cable. plus, their connectors are gold shielded, excellent connection. It's just not worth spending that kind of money for a home connection.

 

[Johnlee]

Okay thanks. I'm buyin' em. Plus, they look cool and they are called "Monster". heh.

 

[NuclearFusi0n]

Originally posted by: Hayabusarider

Originally posted by: Vic

Originally posted by: mpitts What is the worst that could happen? It could screw it up. It could render the HD-capable component input useless.

How is this? Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought component cables were RCA cables, just "glorified" and in different colors than just red and white??

Ta da

Yep, the wire in the cable does not care about the information being sent along it. If the ends fit (and they will) there is no difference. There is no magic signal.

do you know what an impedance mismatch is?

 

[NuclearFusi0n]

Originally posted by: Johnlee
Okay thanks. I'm buyin' em. Plus, they look cool and they are called "Monster". heh.

you can find better for less, but whatever tickles your pickle i guess....