Faulty Component Video Cables?

[fbinky]

I had horizontal colored bands on my Sony Wega but only when playing from DVD. So I assumed it was the DVD player... since they are so inexpensive these days, I got another one, different brand. Sure enough, same defect in the picture. I switched the new player to S-Video connection instead of the component connections and the picture is fine. So I suspect either the cable or the Television itself. Anyway to test this cable? Are these cables fragile?

 

[rgriffin25]

Try set up menu

You need to go into the set-up menu of the dvd player and make sure the video output is set to component not s-video. You may need to do this with the s-video cable then switch the wires back to component.

Refer to your players owners manual on how to get into this set-up mode.

 

[fbinky]

no joy

Thank you for your help. I tried this... in fact on the back of my Sony DVD player there is a little switch (Progressive, Interlaced, Selectable). I've tried it on all three settings. In the progressive setting the picture is scrambled with diagonal lines. I'm guessing that my TV doesn't support Progressive (this wouldn't surprise me...it's an older wega, not the XBR). But for video 4 on the back of the TV there is only the choice to use component cables. Video 1, 2 and 3 offer other options (but NOT component).

I still have the color bands periodically in the picture. They are sometimes subtle and hard to see... but aggravating and my blood pressure is not benefiting from this. I would think it was in my head except the picture is fine on video 2 with the S-Video cable.

Frank

 

[Unregistered]

You might want to check what formats each input can accept. Some tvs only allow certain formats on each input; ie Video 4 can only accept 480i, Video 5 480i or 480p. So if you had the DVD player set to output interlaced, but plugged it into an input that only accepted progressive, that might cause the problem.

 

[rgriffin25]

Well if you do not own a HDTV use the S-Video connection. Especially if the picture is better. With an analog TV I doubt you will notice much improvement in picture quality using component video cables.

To answer one of your first questions, component cables are not fragile or delicate. The only cable you need to be somewhat careful with would be optical cables.

 

[Unregistered]

I also have an early Wega, which worked perfectly well with an older Sony DVD using component video. Recently, my DVD died, and I replaced it with a well regarded Pioneer. Well, I had color bands, so I took the DVD player back, and guess what? The new one also displayed color bands. So it appears that the early Wega component input has incompatibilites with the current crop of DVD players.

Bill C.

 

[Az B]

Are you sure it's not a ground loop? If you have cable that's the most likely culprit. It's easy to test. Simply unplug the cable and try a DVD. If the problem is gone, you'll need a video isolator.