57U
03-02-2003, 11:49 PM
There are a large number of different ways to connect components together. Let me outline them below: Video Connections first, then Audio.
Tip: Remember that audio and video signals flow separately (excepting HDMI) and that you should typically use the "best" connection between any two devices for audio and video. It's often (but not always) best to connect "directly" from component to component rather than to go "through" another component.
RF Cable
Most people have cable coming into their house either from the cable company, from a satellite dish, or from an antenna. RG6 is the better cable and you should use it where possible. RG59 is acceptable for short runs and is sometimes used where flexibility is required.
RF Cable is not however the best way to connect one component to another, because one component must "modulate" the signal to get it to the other component which then needs to "demodulate" the signal. This causes signal degradation. RF modulators in STBs, VCRs, DVD Recorders, etc are also usually mono, not stereo, so the connection will provide mono sound downstream of those devices.
Composite Cable (Usually Yellow, impedance 75 ohms)
Composite cable is the "video" connection that has been the standard for many years. The luminance and chrominance signals travel "together" and this is therefore typically inferior to the next connections we’ll discuss. The composite connection can sometimes be better than S-Video (for analogue TV stations), if the "source component" has sent the signal through a comb filter, because the comb filter in your TV may be better at doing this than the source component. Try both and see which is better.
S-Video
S-video connection is the next step up and usually supplies a superior signal to composite video. This is because the chrominance and luminance travel separately. As mentioned before, the composite connection can sometimes be superior due to "quirks" of the various components hooked up.
Component Video: (Red/Green/Blue, Impedance 75 Ohms)
Component Video is the "best" analogue connection. The various video signals are "separated" as much as possible. 480P and High Definition signals require component video connection and cannot travel by any of the previously mentioned means from component to component. (Digital connections can also handle HD and they’ll be discussed next.)
Component Video cables, however, sometimes are not the best way to view SD signals from a STB. They can be sent via composite or S-video if the signals are not clear through component video cables. This is a known issue with some (older) STBs.
Digital Connections
DVI, HDMI and Firewire are recently added digital connections that allow you to connect one component to another (if they have the appropriate outputs and inputs) A Firewire connection will allow "two way" communication between components and this may be an advantage. Firewire is required to record HD signals. Although these connections are digital, they do not necessarily provide a superior picture on your TV. Let’s say they are equivalent to component video cables and leave it at that for now.
HDMI is basically DVI plus digital audio. DVI is not necessarily superior to component video - see the HDMI information FAQ for additional information on the topic of HDMI, especially how problematical it can sometimes be.
Audio Cables
RCA (Analogue Audio) Cables (Red/White, Impedance 50 Ohms)
Up until recently all connections were made with RCA cables. These cables (usually red and white) provided a means of getting analogue audio signals from one component to another, and still do. In some rare cases (and often on smaller HDTVs), the jacks on the back of the TV requires a "mini-plug" for the audio. In that case you'll need a stereo "Y-connector" to connect the red/white cables to. These cables cannot carry DD5.1 audio - optical or coaxial cables are required for that.
Toslink, or Optical Cable
Toshiba invented this method of getting digital audio signals from one component to another – hence the name. There is a modulator at each end that translates the signals from electrical to light and back.
Digital Coaxial Cable (Orange, or sometimes Black, Impedance 75 Ohms)
(SPDIF - Sony Phillips Digital Interface - Toslink is also an SPDIF specification connection, which makes this confusing, but SPDIF usually refers to coaxial)
Sony/Phillips developed this coaxial connection as a method of getting digital audio signals from one component to another. People may argue whether Coaxial or Toslink is better, but let’s just say they are both excellent and better than analogue audio. For coaxial, you should get an "RCA-type" connection with an impedence of 75 ohms instead of the regular 50 ohm audio cable.
On some DVD players, especially for SACD, DVD Audio, or TrueHD on the new HD-DVD players, the audio decoding is done in the player and there are 6 analogue audio connections (outputs) required to transmit each of the 6 channels. Your A/V Receiver would require the same 6 inputs, otherwise you cannot "benefit" from these "superior" audio formats.
(a composite, coaxial and subwoofer cable are basically the same with 75 ohm impedences, just different coloured connectors - yellow for video, orange or black for audio and various colours for the sub)
HDMI can also carry audio from one component to another, however, many AVRs do not process the audio, simply switching the signal before it gets to the TV. See the HDMI FAQ for additional information.
Which Cables Should I buy?
This is the subject of endless debate, but here are my recommendations.
1. Buy a cable that has good connectors at each end.
2. Buy a cable at a price point that you’re comfortable with. A $20-30 cable is usuall better than a $3 cable (when talking about analogue cables, but a $100 cable is not necessarily any better than a $20-30 cable.
3. A good cable is recommended for analogue connections.
4. For digital connections, especially short runs, almost any "qualified" cable will do the job, so there is not much need to spend "more" for a "high end" digital cable since the digital signals will either "get through" or they won’t. Again, buy what you’re comfortable with.
Many people have been extremely happy with purchasing cables from Monoprice.com.
Lastly, about once a year or so, disconnect all of your cables, give them, and the inputs, a bit of a cleaning and reconnect them (rubbing alcohol and a Q-Tip work well). It’s also a good idea to "label" all of your cables once you’ve made all the connections, so that it’s easier to disconnect and reconnect as necessary.
For additional information, see the following links:
Video Connections Explained - 1 (http://www1.jaycar.com.au/images_uploaded/videosig.pdf) (PDF)
Video Connections Explained - 2 (http://www.michaeldvd.com.au/Articles/VideoConnectors/VideoConnectors.asp)
Here's a link to a connections guide:
http://www.ceaconnectionsguide.com/
Below is a link on how to hook up an SA3250HD STB to a TV/receiver. This information may be useful to anyone trying to connect a STB to a TV/Receiver, since most of the connections are similar. This shows all the connections, obviously not all of them are required - read the instructions specific to your TV, AVR, STB.
http://www.scientificatlanta.com/products/consumers/userguidepdfs/T10864-3250HD_HTS_HDTV.pdf[/url
The following thread discusses component video cables and contains discussions and links regarding these cables.
[url]http://www.hdtvoice.com/voice/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4664
Are you considering the purchase of "luxury cables"? Check out the following:
http://www.hdtvoice.com/voice/showthread.php?t=21206
Lastly, here's a good site that explains how to hook everything up. It contains additional tips as well.
http://www.audioholics.com/techtips/setup/index.php
If you have any comments or suggestions for this post, please PM me.
Tip: Remember that audio and video signals flow separately (excepting HDMI) and that you should typically use the "best" connection between any two devices for audio and video. It's often (but not always) best to connect "directly" from component to component rather than to go "through" another component.
RF Cable
Most people have cable coming into their house either from the cable company, from a satellite dish, or from an antenna. RG6 is the better cable and you should use it where possible. RG59 is acceptable for short runs and is sometimes used where flexibility is required.
RF Cable is not however the best way to connect one component to another, because one component must "modulate" the signal to get it to the other component which then needs to "demodulate" the signal. This causes signal degradation. RF modulators in STBs, VCRs, DVD Recorders, etc are also usually mono, not stereo, so the connection will provide mono sound downstream of those devices.
Composite Cable (Usually Yellow, impedance 75 ohms)
Composite cable is the "video" connection that has been the standard for many years. The luminance and chrominance signals travel "together" and this is therefore typically inferior to the next connections we’ll discuss. The composite connection can sometimes be better than S-Video (for analogue TV stations), if the "source component" has sent the signal through a comb filter, because the comb filter in your TV may be better at doing this than the source component. Try both and see which is better.
S-Video
S-video connection is the next step up and usually supplies a superior signal to composite video. This is because the chrominance and luminance travel separately. As mentioned before, the composite connection can sometimes be superior due to "quirks" of the various components hooked up.
Component Video: (Red/Green/Blue, Impedance 75 Ohms)
Component Video is the "best" analogue connection. The various video signals are "separated" as much as possible. 480P and High Definition signals require component video connection and cannot travel by any of the previously mentioned means from component to component. (Digital connections can also handle HD and they’ll be discussed next.)
Component Video cables, however, sometimes are not the best way to view SD signals from a STB. They can be sent via composite or S-video if the signals are not clear through component video cables. This is a known issue with some (older) STBs.
Digital Connections
DVI, HDMI and Firewire are recently added digital connections that allow you to connect one component to another (if they have the appropriate outputs and inputs) A Firewire connection will allow "two way" communication between components and this may be an advantage. Firewire is required to record HD signals. Although these connections are digital, they do not necessarily provide a superior picture on your TV. Let’s say they are equivalent to component video cables and leave it at that for now.
HDMI is basically DVI plus digital audio. DVI is not necessarily superior to component video - see the HDMI information FAQ for additional information on the topic of HDMI, especially how problematical it can sometimes be.
Audio Cables
RCA (Analogue Audio) Cables (Red/White, Impedance 50 Ohms)
Up until recently all connections were made with RCA cables. These cables (usually red and white) provided a means of getting analogue audio signals from one component to another, and still do. In some rare cases (and often on smaller HDTVs), the jacks on the back of the TV requires a "mini-plug" for the audio. In that case you'll need a stereo "Y-connector" to connect the red/white cables to. These cables cannot carry DD5.1 audio - optical or coaxial cables are required for that.
Toslink, or Optical Cable
Toshiba invented this method of getting digital audio signals from one component to another – hence the name. There is a modulator at each end that translates the signals from electrical to light and back.
Digital Coaxial Cable (Orange, or sometimes Black, Impedance 75 Ohms)
(SPDIF - Sony Phillips Digital Interface - Toslink is also an SPDIF specification connection, which makes this confusing, but SPDIF usually refers to coaxial)
Sony/Phillips developed this coaxial connection as a method of getting digital audio signals from one component to another. People may argue whether Coaxial or Toslink is better, but let’s just say they are both excellent and better than analogue audio. For coaxial, you should get an "RCA-type" connection with an impedence of 75 ohms instead of the regular 50 ohm audio cable.
On some DVD players, especially for SACD, DVD Audio, or TrueHD on the new HD-DVD players, the audio decoding is done in the player and there are 6 analogue audio connections (outputs) required to transmit each of the 6 channels. Your A/V Receiver would require the same 6 inputs, otherwise you cannot "benefit" from these "superior" audio formats.
(a composite, coaxial and subwoofer cable are basically the same with 75 ohm impedences, just different coloured connectors - yellow for video, orange or black for audio and various colours for the sub)
HDMI can also carry audio from one component to another, however, many AVRs do not process the audio, simply switching the signal before it gets to the TV. See the HDMI FAQ for additional information.
Which Cables Should I buy?
This is the subject of endless debate, but here are my recommendations.
1. Buy a cable that has good connectors at each end.
2. Buy a cable at a price point that you’re comfortable with. A $20-30 cable is usuall better than a $3 cable (when talking about analogue cables, but a $100 cable is not necessarily any better than a $20-30 cable.
3. A good cable is recommended for analogue connections.
4. For digital connections, especially short runs, almost any "qualified" cable will do the job, so there is not much need to spend "more" for a "high end" digital cable since the digital signals will either "get through" or they won’t. Again, buy what you’re comfortable with.
Many people have been extremely happy with purchasing cables from Monoprice.com.
Lastly, about once a year or so, disconnect all of your cables, give them, and the inputs, a bit of a cleaning and reconnect them (rubbing alcohol and a Q-Tip work well). It’s also a good idea to "label" all of your cables once you’ve made all the connections, so that it’s easier to disconnect and reconnect as necessary.
For additional information, see the following links:
Video Connections Explained - 1 (http://www1.jaycar.com.au/images_uploaded/videosig.pdf) (PDF)
Video Connections Explained - 2 (http://www.michaeldvd.com.au/Articles/VideoConnectors/VideoConnectors.asp)
Here's a link to a connections guide:
http://www.ceaconnectionsguide.com/
Below is a link on how to hook up an SA3250HD STB to a TV/receiver. This information may be useful to anyone trying to connect a STB to a TV/Receiver, since most of the connections are similar. This shows all the connections, obviously not all of them are required - read the instructions specific to your TV, AVR, STB.
http://www.scientificatlanta.com/products/consumers/userguidepdfs/T10864-3250HD_HTS_HDTV.pdf[/url
The following thread discusses component video cables and contains discussions and links regarding these cables.
[url]http://www.hdtvoice.com/voice/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4664
Are you considering the purchase of "luxury cables"? Check out the following:
http://www.hdtvoice.com/voice/showthread.php?t=21206
Lastly, here's a good site that explains how to hook everything up. It contains additional tips as well.
http://www.audioholics.com/techtips/setup/index.php
If you have any comments or suggestions for this post, please PM me.
