Composite vs. Component? Is there a Huge Difference?

[docferdie]

"I have never said that composite is always better than component or any other connection type"

You did however say this

"On SD signals, composite often bests Component or DVI"

Or was this statement made by someone else altogether

"You said component or DVI IS ALWAYS SUPERIOR"

Again show me an article or paper with valid methods that shows otherwise and I will be more than happy to reconsider my position.

"I've simply pointed out that is not always the case"

Let me reiterate that this site doesn't take too kindly to snake-oil and audio and video myths. If you have the measurements and scientific proof to back up your claim then everybody here will be more than happy to evaluate them.
I'm still waiting on the actual specifications (i.e. cable company, cable box model, cables and their lengths, TV make and model) that led you to believe "On SD signals, composite often bests Component or DVI"

 

[dsa220]

Geez, and I thought the discussions concerning tube and solid state amplifiers got contentious!

 

[free2day33611]

I recently got my plasma and upgraded the cable. I had everything hooked up as component and the HD channels looked great. I was disappointed with the stanard stations. Someone suggested I split the cable (before the box)and run one through my old VCR and then to the tv and watch this for standard broadcast. Since my plasma has multiple feeds, I was able to do this and still have component from the box to the tv.

I don't know near as much as anyone on this thread, but the standard stations looked better through the composite from my VCR than from the cable box thru component.? Since I was able to run both, I could easily play the same standard station and flip between composite and component and the composite looked better (again for standard stations)?

Could it be the HD box (Pace box from Bright house)?

 

[Unregistered]

It's all great to talk about composite vs component vs S-video. Component and S video keep the Chrominance and Luminance seperate so when the TV/Monitor gets the signal it won't have to seperate the two and loose some quality as it does in composite.
All normal broadcast TV is interlaced which as severe quality issue over progressive. However 1080i is typically consider better than 480p because of the resolution.
I would look at your TV/Monitors capability to support progressive and interlaced signals (1080i, 720p, 720i, 480i, 480p). This is where you will notice the biggest difference in quality dependant on the sources capability. Today HDTV can support 1080i and 720p but what can you TV/Monitor do for you??? If your talking about HDTV looks like HDMI is the way to go. HDMI assures that the best video signal is always sent from source (e.*., HDTV signal) to the display (e.*., plasma television). It does this by allowing uncompressed video and multi-channel audio data to be input to the display device through one single cable. The need for multiple analog connections for high-resolution audio and video are eliminated. Without a HDMI connection one would need 3 video connections for high definition video and 6 audio connections for high-resolution audio.

 

[XYZ]

Can't do better than the source...

The debate is whether component or dvi or hdmi is *always* better than composite and the answer is obviously NO. You can't do better than the source. If you are watching a 480i cable source, using component cables will be no better than composite. Likewise, if you use DVI, the set-top box will have to convert from analog to digital - does that magically improve the quality?

 

[Unregistered]

Try HDTVoice.com

You audioholics fellows may know your sound, but your understanding of video display formats is positively Neanderthal. And bragging about $175/m for "reference cables"!!!! Try an hour or so reading the forums on HDTVoice.com and become educated.

 

[msugarpants]

THIS is FREAKIN hilarious!!! I love it! Where do you guys come up with your material? it is classic!

love you both
mike

 

[BMXTRIX]

Honestly - Unregistered.... register.

I agree with what you are saying 100%. The #1 factor in the quality of an image occurs with the component that does the best job converting the signal. Some DVD players do it better than others, some cable boxes do it better than others.

SOME BLOW!

I recently hooked a DVD player up via S-video and then component video to a Panasonic plasma. Spent 30 minutes switching back and forth before deciding component was ever so slightly better with some of the fine details... and you really had to be looking for them.

Digital? Well, perhaps 480i over component where the conversion from digital into something will look better more often.

Always? Meh.

HDTV obviously must have a component or DVI/HDMI connection, but it seems about 50/50 between component and DVI/HDMI as to which looks better and the variables of displays with sources with cables... there is no way to predict which will be best, so you either try everything, or just take a best guess.

TO THE ORIGINAL POSTER:
If your cable company doesn't have HDTV, then you can get an over-the-air tuner for HDTV to hook up which may be enough. Or, Dish Networks and DirecTV both have a lineup of HD channels and offer HD tuners, some with built in digital recorders, that will really make you happy. For a price... a fairly steep price (IMO). To bad your cable company hasn't jumped into the new millenium yet.

 

[Mess]

I know the thread is pretty old... but I google'd to here so here Is where I'll post... I know it's possible because I've just tried, can't you use 5 composite cables in place of component cables? I did it on my DVD player to my HDTV, and yay it works... unforunatly I have nothing in HD or Prog Scan format so the best quality i'm gonna get is in the NTSC format so I am not able to tell if it will be in a higher definition or not... Basically are composite cables and component cables pretty much the same thing? From the looks of it they are. Thanks in advance.

 

[MDS]

Yes, composite and component cables are the same - 75 Ohm characteristic impedance. There can be subtle differences from one brand to another regarding the number and types of shielding (foil, braid, both) they use and general construction quality, but for all intents and purposes 3 composite cables will work fine for component connections.

 

[Mess]

So basically there's no real reason to spend 75 dollars plus on component cables unless I'm a stickler for every nick detail... Thank You.

 

[jaxvon]

Well, you should use the connection for component video, it's definitely worth it. As for the cables, their construction is identical, it's just that you're using 3 of them instead of one. So no, if you have 3 decent quality composite video cables lying around, go ahead and use them.

 

[Mess]

Well, you should use the connection for component video, it's definitely worth it. As for the cables, their construction is identical, it's just that you're using 3 of them instead of one. So no, if you have 3 decent quality composite video cables lying around, go ahead and use them.

Atm I'm using 2 sets of 3 composite cables for my Component outputs. all 3 on one for the video and 2 on the other for audio. Works like a charm

 

[Eonshii]

So I'm guessing buying a Hdmi to av or rca converter was a mistake then?

 

[Drunkpenguin]

So I'm guessing buying a Hdmi to av or rca converter was a mistake then?

Do me a favor, look at the post above you, see where it says his name? Mess. Above that is a picture of something, fire maybe? Not sure what it is, but anyways if you look at the top of that picture and then go slightly to the right youll see a date listed. Can you tell me what that date says?

 

[Eonshii]

Do me a favor, look at the post above you, see where it says his name? Mess. Above that is a picture of something, fire maybe? Not sure what it is, but anyways if you look at the top of that picture and then go slightly to the right youll see a date listed. Can you tell me what that date says?

I know it's ten plus years but I was just hoping component was not better anymore. Plus I've never seen anyone go into as much detail as to why on any other article/page, so I hoped these users might still be active and or have notifications set for this page.

 

[Drunkpenguin]

Fair enough. Ill leave ya to it.

 

[panteragstk]

Use HDMI. Many devices don't even have component output/input any longer. Companies don't want them due to the fact that they can be used to record content.

HDMI sucks, but we're stuck with it for now.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Use HDMI. Many devices don't even have component output/input any longer. Companies don't want them due to the fact that they can be used to record content.

....

Plus, today most everything is in digital domain.