Quick Home Theater Question

[olds]

I have a choice of using RCA, Component, or Digital Optical to hook up my DVD player to the receiver. Which gives the best picture quailty and do component and digital carry the audio signal as well?

 

[tweakmm]

the RCA cable would cary the audio as well as video
the component just carries vidoe
digital optical just carries audio
you best bet would be the component for the video and the digital cable for sound

 

[BCYL]

I think those connection are for AUDIO ONLY... And they are all pretty much the same when it comes to quality... some audiophiles argue that Optical is better, but I thin realistically you cant hear the difference...

EDIT: tweakmm, can't he use component cable for S/PDIF output of digital audio?

 

RCA cables: video AND sound
Component: JUST video
Digital Optical (toslink): JUST SOUND

You'll get the best quality if you hook it up using toslink and Component. The cables may be sorta expensive, though.

Edit: check out the home theater forums for some GREAT help.

 

[olds]

So, a Toslink Digital for audio and a Composite (or is it component?) for video?

 

[Aves]

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat
So, a Toslink Digital for audio and a Composite (or is it component?) for video?

toslink & component

 

[Ameesh]

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat
So, a Toslink Digital for audio and a Composite (or is it component?) for video?

use a compnent for the video signal and a optical or a digital coax for audio signal.

 

[olds]

The site I am on doesn't list component. Is Monster Cable M350i Interconnect Cable, the same thing? It looks like a RCA cable

Link

 

[N8Magic]

Use TOSLINK and component video.

Reason for using component video:

Component video comes in several different flavors, depending on how the signal is broken out. Component breaks the video signal into separate pieces. Currently, the most common form of component video is S-Video, or Y/C. Introduced as a step up from composite, S-Video separates the signal into black and white information (Y) and color information (C).

True component video breaks the signal down even further -- into separate red, green and blue (RGB) signals. Most computer monitors today use component video, though it's not employed in the video world. For component video to stay compatible with older black and white television sets, a luminance signal is required. Because of transmission requirements, however, the bandwidth has not been available to broadcast separate RGB and luminance data. Luminance is the brightness of an image -- how black or how white the image is. Because the human eye sees better detail in green colors than in reds or blues, green is used as the luminance signal, thereby giving a clean signal that will work for both black and white and color televisions. This type of signal is referred to as YUV or YIV: The luminance is contained in the Y, and two signals describe the color of the signal (UV).

 

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat
So, a Toslink Digital for audio and a Composite (or is it component?) for video?

Correct. And it's component for video. Composite is a synonym for RCA cables.

 

[olds]

Thanks all. Time to upgrade from Pro Logic to DD. Finally. 🙂

 

[kami]

Just one more thing to add...if you have a small TV (less than 32") you can save a bit of money by using an s-video cable instead of component cables because you won't notice a difference on a smaller TV 🙂
32"+ I would use component, no question.

 

[olds]

I have a 32" Hitachi Ultravision. I'll be going to a widescreen HDTV in the next couple of years. That is if they ever come up with a standard and some programming.

 

I've got a Sony KV36XBR400 36" 4:3 HDTV in my family room hooked to a progressive scan DVD player. Watching movies is practically a religious experience for me. The connections, NOT NECESSARILY the brand of cables, makes the difference.

Even the nightly news looks good on good old regular coax cable.

 

[d1abolic]

RCA: Low quality audio/video
Composite: Low quality video
S-Video: Medium quality video
Component: High quality video
Optical (toslink): Medium quality audio
Coaxial: High quality audio

For some strange reason, people at AT tend to mix up optical with coaxial. In fact, coaxial sounds better than optical, and not the other way around. If you can use coax, go ahead. If you can afford high-quality interconnects, go with BetterCables. If not, Radio Shack will do just fine.

Also, you mentioned something about upgrading from Pro Logic to DD. Well, it seems that you're a little out of date. DD isn't top-of-the-line anymore. You want a receiver that can handle DTS-ES, DD EX and Pro Logic II. Here is why:

DD EX: Upgraded DD, now supports a 6th, rear center channel.
DTS-ES: Upgraded DTS, now supports a 6th, rear center channel. Sounds BETTER than DD EX.
Pro Logic II: In a nutshell, this makes regular 2-channel audio (most TV/satellite broadcasts and music CDs) sound like DD. Same thing as Pro Logic, but sounds a whole lot better.

Good receiver manufacturers are Marantz, Denon, Outlaw, Onkyo, Integra, in no particular order, as well as others. My recommendation would be Denon 2802. If you can afford it, get the Denon 3802 (what i use) for TWO rear center speakers.

 

[N8Magic]

For some strange reason, people at AT tend to mix up optical with coaxial. In fact, coaxial sounds better than optical, and not the other way around. If you can use coax, go ahead.

I'm going to have to disagree with you there.

Both use digital transmission, so they should sound the same. If anything, optical would be cleaner as it is not affected by EMF, etc.

 

[d1abolic]

N8, head put on your flamesuit, head on to AVS or HTF, and tell THEM that 😀 I've heard many people say that coaxial sounds better to them, and no one who said that optical sounds better. I think i saw a scientific explanation on AVS once, if you want, go ask them to look it up for you.

 

[N8Magic]

Originally posted by: d1abolic
N8, head put on your flamesuit, head on to AVS or HTF, and tell THEM that 😀 I've heard many people say that coaxial sounds better to them, and no one who said that optical sounds better. I think i saw a scientific explanation on AVS once, if you want, go ask them to look it up for you.

Don't forget, these are the same people that spend $30.00/ft on super heavy guage, silver speaker wire, and claim that it sounds better. 😉

 

[kami]

Optical (toslink): Medium quality audio

Now that's ridiculous!! Admit it!! 😛 MEDIUM quality?

It's just in people's heads. I bet if you snuck into one of those supposed audiophiles houses and switched the cables they would NEVER notice the difference until they saw the cable. IT'S ALL IN THEIR HEADS. Digital is Digital...it transmits 0's and 1's, nothing more nothing less.

Coaxial can take more of a beating and that's the only difference.

 

[Gunbuster]

Yup, the people with speakers that cost more than your car and home combined will tell you all about the evil "jitter" of optical toslink cables

 

[yellowperil]

I did some searches at a few sites (AVS Forum, Home Theater Forum, DVD Talk) several months ago when I was wondering the same question about coaxial vs. optical. It seemed split, some people said coaxial was noticeably better (presumably on higher-end systems) and others said there was no difference. I personally believe the latter, I can't see why there would be a difference since both types of cable carry the same signal.

 

[olds]

Also, you mentioned something about upgrading from Pro Logic to DD. Well, it seems that you're a little out of date. DD isn't top-of-the-line anymore. You want a receiver that can handle DTS-ES, DD EX and Pro Logic II. Here is why:

I wasn't specific enough, it does all that.

 

[Mister T]

the debate over digital coax and optical is an ongoing one... they are both digital.
I have used both and to be honest cannot tell the difference. I used optical in the living room
and digital coax in the bedroom.

 

[d1abolic]

The thing is, the whole coaxial vs optical debate is completely irrelevant. Better or equal? Who cares. As long as coaxial isn't worse, just go with it. Every new (and most old) receiver supports it anyway.

BTW, which receiver are you getting?

 

[olds]

I was looking at the Sony STR-DE885 to replace my Sony 900ES. But I am having second thoughts. The DE line is 2 steps down but the Sony ES STR-DA5ES is $1200. I started out just wanting to go from DPL to DD, cheaply. But I am a big proponent in "you get what you pay for". I am just getting cheap in my old age.
🙂