Cables (The Basics)

Originally Posted by nuttyinnyc

I was not comparing the 3 digital sound transfers, because you are right, there is no difference in the 3 digital sounds but there is no digital imputs into a TV for coaxial or optical, only outputs. So my advice is just for sound into a TV. Not everyone has sorround sound. His question was which is better component or HDMI' I think I gave the correct information to his question. If you think I am wrong let me know. Even I have an optical coax coming from my cable box into the surround sound but the HDMI is used to the TV and gives a superior sound to any other option to hook up my TV, which is RCA (analog cables).

Originally Posted by HDTVNewb

Hi, i'm new to the site and kind of a newb considering I just got my HDTV on black friday. but i have a question about the RCA cables. currently i have my stereo connected to my TV, not the HDTV but the replacement. can I upgrade these cables to get better sounding audio? will there be a noticeable difference?

Originally Posted by maicaw

deleted post -

Originally Posted by mrm64

A basic guide to cables and their application.
Deciphering Cables and Connections


RCA, or composite, cables
These are the most common cables, used to hook up your standard VCR and stereo equipment. Typically, they are color-coded: red, white, and yellow. Red is for right channel audio. White is for left channel audio. Yellow is for video. The entire video signal is transmitted by one cable. This is the lowest quality cable for a video source, but again, it is also the most common. Most new televisions, all video camcorders, all VCRs, and all videodisc players will have RCA jacks for these cables.



BNC cables
A BNC cable is actually just another form of an RCA/composite cable. The end of the cable looks different from an RCA cable, but can be changed to an RCA end with a simple adapter. Most professional video equipment will have a BNC jack instead of a RCA jack. The physical connection is more secure because BNC cables twist and lock in place.


S-video, or Y/C, cables
This cable might also be referred to as a SVHS cable and can be found on most high-end televisions, all videodisc players, camcorders, digital cable and satellite set top boxes, and SVHS VCRs. S-video cables differ from composite cables in that they split video signal into two different components: luminance and chrominance. The S-video cable will offer marked improvement over a composite cable.


Component cables
Component cables look just like composite cables. The difference is that, where a composite cable carries the entire video signal on a single cable, component cables split the signal in three. This connection gives a superior image over composite or S-video connections. The signal itself is referred to as either Y,Cr,Cb, or Y,Pb,Pr. Most manufacturers make connecting these cables easy by color coordinating them. The tips of the cables and jacks will be red, green and blue. Unfortunately, this can be a bit confusing because computer RGB connections are colored the same way. A good rule of thumb is that, if the connections are RCA type, it is usually a component cable. Computer RGB cables will usually be BNC type. Most high-end DVD players and HDTV tuners will have component connections.




Compact input areas and component cables
In order to achieve a sleek, thin design, some LCD TVs and Plasma TVs have very little space for connections. Due to the space restriction, many have the 15-pin VGA connection double as the component connection as well. The LCD TV or plasma TV will use the same three pins out of the fifteen-pin connector for component video that it uses for its RGB computer connections. The LCD TV or plasma TV is designed to detect the type of signal it receives and process it accordingly. If you need a component cable for one of these televisions, you should order a cable that has a 15-pin connector on one side, and three RCA/BNC connectors on the other. Some plasma TVs and LCD TVs have separate component connections. Consult the spec sheets.




RGBHV cables
Again, these cables look identical to simple composite cables. But this time, the RGBHV cable splits the video signal into five. There are three different types of RGB cables. RGBHV is a five-cable system that splits the video signal for color into red, green, and blue, and then has two more cables to carry the sync for the signal (horizontal and vertical sync). RGB H/V is a four-cable system that splits the color the same way, but has the horizontal and vertical sync on a single fourth cable. Straight RGB video cables again split the color signal in three, but carry the additional sync signal on one of the color cables, usually the green (called RGB sync on green).

An RGBHV signal is the way a computer connects to a display device. Five pins on a 15-pin VGA cable are RGBHV. The display device recognizes the type of signal and projects accordingly.

RGBHV connectors are found on most high-end professional monitors and on the most popular HDTV decoder (by RCA). Note that RCA has chosen to send the HDTV signal via a 15-pin VGA cable instead of a component connection. This may become the standard connection for HDTV tuners in the future. We will have to wait and see.


VGA cables
This is your standard monitor cable. It is typically male-to-male with three rows, 15 pins. A VGA cable is used for computer to monitor connections. Its only home theater application may be as a connection to an HDTV decoder, such as the current RCA model.





DVI cables
Digital Video Interface (DVI) cables look a little like a standard VGA cable, but they are slightly larger. Under ideal circumstances, the DVI cable creates a ‘digital to digital’ connection between video or data source and display device. There are, however, only limited situations when this ideal circumstance occurs.

DVI is still developing, so there is no universal standard for the DVI cable as of yet. Currently manufacturers may use different standards. Look for DVI to grow in popularity and become standardized over the next couple of years.