Can anyone educate me about Component Cables?

[erikiksaz]

Okay, so i just bought a dvd player, same for my friend. I heard that component is the best connection available, right? And does it also include audio? or does that require its own cables as well? And is there even a big difference between component cables and s-video cables, quality-wise?

 

[Deeko]

component does not include audio. For that you want digital coax, or optical. Component is better than svideo. I believe it separates the video stream into its 3 color components(RGB). svideo splits it into 2 (I don't remember what). So yea, its better.

 

[BadNewsBears]

ummmm no. Wrong (not making u mad)
COmponent red/white/yellow cables. Yellow is video. Red Is Right audio. WHite Is Left audio. (maybe backwards on the right/left?)

 

[ScottMac]

S-Vid separates Chroma (color) and luminescence (B&W/Brightness).

Component is "not exactly" RGB, but that's close enough.

Scott

 

[shiner]

ummmm no. Wrong (not making u mad)
COmponent red/white/yellow cables. Yellow is video. Red Is Right audio. WHite Is Left audio. (maybe backwards on the right/left?)

Wrong type of component. What you are talking about is actually the old style RCA audio/video composite connectors.

What he is talking about is these

 

[erikiksaz]

Originally posted by: Munchies
ummmm no. Wrong (not making u mad)
COmponent red/white/yellow cables. Yellow is video. Red Is Right audio. WHite Is Left audio. (maybe backwards on the right/left?)

I could have sworn that's called COMPOSITE. Anyone?

 

[pulse8]

Originally posted by: erikiksaz

Originally posted by: Munchies
ummmm no. Wrong (not making u mad)
COmponent red/white/yellow cables. Yellow is video. Red Is Right audio. WHite Is Left audio. (maybe backwards on the right/left?)

I could have sworn that's called COMPOSITE. Anyone?

Well, the video cable is a composite cable. The other two are just stereo audio cables.

 

[Deeko]

I could have sworn that's called COMPOSITE. Anyone?

You are correct. At least about the video part. His correction is wrong.

 

[erikiksaz]

Alrighty, so component does not include audio. So i need to buy and additional digital coax or optical? Greaaaatt, more $$. Shoot, this better be worth it over just composite (red/white/yellow)!

 

[erikiksaz]

Originally posted by: erikiksaz
Alrighty, so component does not include audio. So i need to buy and additional digital coax or optical? Greaaaatt, more $$. Shoot, this better be worth it over just composite (red/white/yellow)!

0o0, almost forgot, which is better, digital coax or optical? Might as well go all out.. :frown:

 

[ScottMac]

Yeah, the Red/White/Yellow are stereo audio and baseband / composite video.

Component is either RGB or YPrPb. Video is carried on three cables (frequently red, green, blue), audio is either analog (red/white RCAs) or digital (Optical / TOSLink or copper / coax with RCA, frequently Orange colored).

FWIW

Scott

 

[pulse8]

Originally posted by: erikiksaz

Originally posted by: erikiksaz
Alrighty, so component does not include audio. So i need to buy and additional digital coax or optical? Greaaaatt, more $$. Shoot, this better be worth it over just composite (red/white/yellow)!

0o0, almost forgot, which is better, digital coax or optical? Might as well go all out.. :frown:

Doesn't really matter. It's all just a digital signal anyway. It just depends on your inputs on the receiver and how many of each you have.

 

[N8Magic]

Originally posted by: erikiksaz
Okay, so i just bought a dvd player, same for my friend. I heard that component is the best connection available, right? And does it also include audio? or does that require its own cables as well? And is there even a big difference between component cables and s-video cables, quality-wise?

No, component video cables do not contain an audio stream.

Your standard video signal contains 3 types of information: Y (Luminance), U (Chrominance) and V (Synchronization). Normal RCA/Composite cables jam all this information onto one (usually yellow) cable. S-Video splits the Y from the U and V signals (two separate streams), and Component video splits all three on to their own separate cables and gives the best picture quality.

 

[Viper GTS]

Originally posted by: erikiksaz

Originally posted by: erikiksaz
Alrighty, so component does not include audio. So i need to buy and additional digital coax or optical? Greaaaatt, more $$. Shoot, this better be worth it over just composite (red/white/yellow)!

0o0, almost forgot, which is better, digital coax or optical? Might as well go all out.. :frown:

Neither is "better." Digital is digital, as long as the signal gets there intact there shouldn't be a difference.

Optical is not subject to RF interference, but is expensive and relatively inflexible (can't bend it too sharply).
Coaxial is subject to interference, but is cheap and relatively flexible.

It takes a LOT of RF to corrupt a digital signal, as it has to flip a bit from a 1 to a 0 or vice versa, so coax should be fine unless you want the privilege of saying you use optical.

Viper GTS

 

[erikiksaz]

Thanks again guys! Time to shop around. Mann, i wonder what the markup is on those Monster cables.

 

[N8Magic]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS

Neither is "better." Digital is digital, as long as the signal gets there intact there shouldn't be a difference.

Optical is not subject to RF interference, but is expensive and relatively inflexible (can't bend it too sharply).
Coaxial is subject to interference, but is cheap and relatively flexible.

It takes a LOT of RF to corrupt a digital signal, as it has to flip a bit from a 1 to a 0 or vice versa, so coax should be fine unless you want the privilege of saying you use optical.

Viper GTS

But the audiophiles over at AVSForum say that coax is better!

I'm just waiting for that response. (as usual)

 

[erikiksaz]

Originally posted by: erikiksaz
Thanks again guys! Time to shop around. Mann, i wonder what the markup is on those Monster cables.

Wait, so long as the connections are gold, everything should be okay right?

 

[N8Magic]

Originally posted by: erikiksaz

Originally posted by: erikiksaz
Thanks again guys! Time to shop around. Mann, i wonder what the markup is on those Monster cables.

Wait, so long as the connections are gold, everything should be okay right?

Gold plated is a good place to start, but don't cheap out on cables. Crappy cables can make the best system sound like crap.

That being said, you don't have to buy $$$ Monster Cables or Phoenix GOld cables or anything like that, but don't get the cheapest thing they have either. Get a salesperson at a hi-fi shop to recommend some for you.

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: N8Magic

Originally posted by: Viper GTS

Neither is "better." Digital is digital, as long as the signal gets there intact there shouldn't be a difference.

Optical is not subject to RF interference, but is expensive and relatively inflexible (can't bend it too sharply).
Coaxial is subject to interference, but is cheap and relatively flexible.

It takes a LOT of RF to corrupt a digital signal, as it has to flip a bit from a 1 to a 0 or vice versa, so coax should be fine unless you want the privilege of saying you use optical.

Viper GTS

But the audiophiles over at AVSForum say that coax is better!

I'm just waiting for that response. (as usual)

Now, now, be nice. If only there were video on vinyl?

 

[N8Magic]

Now, now, be nice. If only there were video on vinyl?

LOL, they're called Laserdiscs.

It just burns me when people say they can tell the difference between a DIGITAL signal that comes over a coax or optical connection. I can understand the big fuss with heavier gauge speaker cables and gold plated interconnects, as they are analog signals that can be degraded by the quality of the transport medium.

We in the digital era have something called error correction that these people might want to look into.

 

[Pepsi90919]

Originally posted by: N8Magic

Now, now, be nice. If only there were video on vinyl?

LOL, they're called Laserdiscs.

no...

 

[N8Magic]

Originally posted by: Pepsi90919

Originally posted by: N8Magic

Now, now, be nice. If only there were video on vinyl?

LOL, they're called Laserdiscs.

no...

:Q:Q:Q

I WANT ONE! (I love collecting old crazy equipment like this!)

 

[BadNewsBears]

Ok Ok ill admit when im wrong.




Well i dunno whut ur waiting for!