Video cables and Audio/Video cables

Video Cables

The most common type of video cable is called composite video.
A composite video cable consists of one yellow RCA connector
that's usually bundled with red and white RCA analog audio
cables. It's called composite video because all of the video
information -- color, brightness and sync -- is composited, or
squeezed, onto one cable. Composite video cables were designed
for older TVs and have a maximum resolution of 330 lines.
They're fine for watching VHS tapes on the old TV in the
basement, but if you have a newer television, or an HDTV,
composite video cables simply won't cut it.

S-video cables are a step up from composite video with
a maximum resolution of 400 lines. You will recognize an
S-video cable by its circular, nine-pin connector. S-video
separates color information from picture information,
resulting in a crisper image. Although S-video jacks are
found on a lot of TVs, DVD players and home theater receivers,
the cable's initial popularity was quickly eclipsed by
component video.

Component video cables consist of three RCA connectors
colored red, green and blue. With component video, not only
is color separated from picture, but the color portion is
split into two separate signals. The result is a super-sharp
image with deep color saturation. Component video cables are
ideal for connecting high-definition video components like
Blu-ray players and HDTVs. Most home theater receivers come
with several sets of component video jacks.

DVI (digital video interface) cables were designed
specifically for use with HDTVs and other high-definition
video components. They have large, 18-pin connectors that
look like computer cables. DVI cables offer the exact same
image quality as component video cables, except that DVI
comes with a built-in copy protection protocol called HDCP
(High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection). Critics of DVI
claim the built-in copy protection mechanism causes
compatibility problems with certain devices.

Lastly, we'll look at three kinds of cable that carry both
audio and video signals.

Audio/Video Cables

There are a handful of cables that transmit both audio and
video signals. For years, coaxial video cables were one of
the only choices for connecting video components. Coaxial
video cables have that famous one-pin connector, sometimes
called a stinger, that can either be pushed or screwed into
place. Coaxial video cables are now mostly confined to outside
connections, such as satellite TV or cable TV lines that come
through the wall. A single coaxial cable carries both video
and audio signals.

HDMI cables are an updated version of DVI. HDMI cables were
also designed for use with HD components, but their connector
is much slimmer, like a large USB cable. HDMI also includes
HDCP copy protection. Manufacturers of HDMI cables tend to
advertise their product as the only choice for connecting HD
video components, but that's not true. DVI cables work
equally well. However, if you're using an analog TV, all
three work equally well.

In Europe and the UK, the most popular dual-purpose cable
is called SCART (Syndicat des Constructeurs d'Appareils
Radiorécepteurs et Téléviseurs). SCART cables have fat,
21-pin connectors. In Europe, SCART cables do the work of
RCA analog audio cables as well as composite, s-video and
component video cables, but they can't carry high-bandwidth
digital video or audio signals, such as those necessary for
high-definition TVs. HDMI is the preferred cable in Europe
for HD components.

FireWire, or IEEE 1394, cables are mostly associated with
connecting devices to computers, but a few high-end home
theater receivers and HDTVs now come with FireWire ports.
FireWire is capable of carrying compressed MPEG-2 video and
digital audio. You might use a FireWire cable to connect
a digital video camera directly to your home theater system
to show off some unedited footage.

To sum up, here are the cables that you would use for some
common home entertainment systems.

Home stereo system (CD changer, stereo receiver, speakers):

* Lower-end: If you're playing regular CDs or MP3s, you'll
only need RCA analog audio cables and speaker wire.
* Higher-end: If you want crisper digital audio, go for
optical or digital coaxial cables and thicker speaker wire.
* Highest-end: If you want the unparalleled sound of
DVD-audio in full surround sound, you'll need special
DVD-audio cables and 12-gauge speaker wire.

Home theater system (Blu-ray player, DVD player or VCR,
video game console, home theater receiver, TV, speakers):

* Lower-end: If you have an older standard-definition TV
and mostly use your system to watch regular DVDs or VHS tapes,
then you'll do fine with a composite video cable bundled with
RCA analog audio cables.
* Higher-end: For a newer standard-definition TV, you
should really upgrade to component video cables. RCA cables
will still do fine for audio.
* Highest-end: Once you enter the world of high
definition, you'll need to use either component video cables
or one of the two copy-protected options: DVI or HDMI. You'll
also want to invest in thick-gauge speaker cable to make the
most of your surround-sound system.