TV hook up question? Red, white and Yellow cords vs S-video?

KingofCards · February 15th, 2007, 04:59 PM

Which is better? All of my components have an S-video option as well as the three headed tri-color cord. What is the difference? Is the S-video much better? What is the difference in price?

Thanks.

I am bored and have extra money burning in my pocket.

Duckjake · February 15th, 2007, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KingofCards

Which is better? All of my components have an S-video option as well as the three headed tri-color cord. What is the difference? Is the S-video much better? What is the difference in price?

Thanks.

I am bored and have extra money burning in my pocket.

All the tech guys I've talked to recently say the S-Video is basically useless.

Don't know why. That's just what they said.

nathan · February 15th, 2007, 08:10 PM

S-video is supposed to be better quality. I can't tell the difference between them.

Linderbee · February 15th, 2007, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duckjake

All the tech guys I've talked to recently say the S-Video is basically useless.

Don't know why. That's just what they said.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nm132

S-video is supposed to be better quality. I can't tell the difference between them.

There you go. Problem solved. A nice consensus on the subject.

O · February 15th, 2007, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KingofCards

Which is better? All of my components have an S-video option as well as the three headed tri-color cord. What is the difference? Is the S-video much better? What is the difference in price?

Thanks.

I am bored and have extra money burning in my pocket.

Depends on what your TV, receiver and satelite box will have as outputs and inputs.

If the cable is three prong and it's red and white for audio and yellow for video, That is the worst as far as video goes. It's pssibly the cheapest cable made.
S-Video is a step above for video. You can see the difference,
Component, red, blue, green, is considered by some to be the best. An HDMI cable is the latest technology and possibly the best, unfortunately not every home theatre is capable of using
HDMI.
As far as audiio goes an optical cable is best if possible. If not quality cables will serve you better then the cheap red and white, and yellow three prong cable.

dreamcastrocks · February 16th, 2007, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by O

Depends on what your TV, receiver and satelite box will have as outputs and inputs.

If the cable is three prong and it's red and white for audio and yellow for video, That is the worst as far as video goes. It's pssibly the cheapest cable made.
S-Video is a step above for video. You can see the difference,
Component, red, blue, green, is considered by some to be the best. An HDMI cable is the latest technology and possibly the best, unfortunately not every home theatre is capable of using
HDMI.
As far as audiio goes an optical cable is best if possible. If not quality cables will serve you better then the cheap red and white, and yellow three prong cable.

S-Video is better than composite (Red, White, Yellow). You should be able to notice a difference between them.

Whomever Duckjake talked to about S-Video is wrong. Composite video is about as bad as it gets. Most newer TV's have at least an S-Video connection, and that is clearly better than composite.

Overall, I would agree that component is the best, because HDMI still has issues with its technology that it is working out.

I actually need to take the time to remove the HDMI cable connection from my HD-DVR, and put the component cables back in, because the HDMI connection, although it is capable of displaying a better connection, it rarely does with cable boxes.

dreamcastrocks · February 16th, 2007, 06:49 AM

Oh, and if you need better cables, please do yourself a favor and buy them at

www.monoprice.com

Great quality cables, at a fraction of the cost.

DarenG · February 16th, 2007, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dreamcastrocks

S-Video is better than composite (Red, White, Yellow). You should be able to notice a difference between them.

Whomever Duckjake talked to about S-Video is wrong. Composite video is about as bad as it gets. Most newer TV's have at least an S-Video connection, and that is clearly better than composite.

Overall, I would agree that component is the best, because HDMI still has issues with its technology that it is working out.

I actually need to take the time to remove the HDMI cable connection from my HD-DVR, and put the component cables back in, because the HDMI connection, although it is capable of displaying a better connection, it rarely does with cable boxes.

That is correct. S-Video does look better then composite. The larger the TV the more you will notice a difference as well.

HDMI does have the better video quality but component is still a great quality video connection. The only problem is that most new HDTV's that are coming out won't allow 1080p over component which is what Blu-Ray and HD DVD uses. Meaning you have to use HDMI.

dreamcastrocks · February 16th, 2007, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteelDog

That is correct. S-Video does look better then composite. The larger the TV the more you will notice a difference as well.

HDMI does have the better video quality but component is still a great quality video connection. The only problem is that most new HDTV's that are coming out won't allow 1080p over component which is what Blu-Ray and HD DVD uses. Meaning you have to use HDMI.

Well, the HD-DVD addon for the 360 uses VGA to display 1080p. Component is capable of displaying in 1080p, but HDCP (High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection) is preventing it. The stupid part about HDCP, is that Hollywood has not even implemented it yet in their content, and they probably wont for at least another couple of years.

Duckjake · February 16th, 2007, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Whomever Duckjake talked to about S-Video is wrong. Composite video is about as bad as it gets. Most newer TV's have at least an S-Video connection, and that is clearly better than composite.

I should know better than to listen to the guys at Best Buy.

dreamcastrocks · February 16th, 2007, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duckjake

I should know better than to listen to the guys at Best Buy.

Wow. Don't ever do that again. In fact, I wouldn't even buy a major purchase at BB, if it weren't for their reasonably priced warranties. Do your research without taking to anyone in a blue shirt.

D-Dogg · February 16th, 2007, 10:26 AM

I use component cables on all my equipment, other than digital audio cables and the HDMI. I only use S-Video or composite cables when hooking my laptop up to the tv.

jw7 · February 16th, 2007, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dreamcastrocks

if it weren't for their reasonably priced warranties.

Does anyone really buy extended warranties? Heck, if I bought an extended warranty for every electronic product or appliance that was offered to me I would be out like $3000 with nothing to show for it.

Extended warranties have a huge profit margin, much more than the margin on the product itself. And the odds are, if a product is going to fail, it will be either right away (covered by the standard warranty) or after the term of the extended warranty.

Granted, I've never spent $2000 on a giant TV, but I have never had an electronic product or appliance break down within the window of the extended warranty.

D-Dogg · February 16th, 2007, 01:00 PM

Is this the questionable TV hookup thread?

abomb · February 16th, 2007, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by D-Dogg

Is this the questionable TV hookup thread?

, 5/5 and all that jazz.