DVI vs RGB

[jjputz]

When I bought my hd samsung receiver - the salesman at ABC warehouse told me the RGB cables were the best for high definition - not the DVI cable that came with it.

Now my friend is telling me the DVI cable is better than rhe 3 - RGB cables.

Was I scammed?

[jhawk92]

I'm not an expert on these cables, but I'm learning. I am assuming you are talking about component video cables, most likely with RCA plugs. These are the best you can get in the analog environment, better than S-video, or composite.

DVI cables transport a digital signal, but you have to have a DVD and a receiver that can handle that type of signal. DVI means the DVD player will send the bitstream to the receiver, which will then decode the signal. If you have great DACs in your receiver, then that will work fine. But you may have better decoders on your DVD player, so the component cables would transport the analog signal fine.

I'm sure others will chime in, but that's a short description. It all depends on your equipment.

[STL]

First you are getting RGB and component confused. Component video is the three red, blue, and green cables. RGB is either a 15-pin connector or 5 cables (red, blue, green, vert. sync, and horz. sync). In most cases DVI is not the best connection these days -- despite what some try to claim. Unless your HDTV is a DLP, LCD, or LCOS (and I might be forgetting one of the other newer technologies) then the TV has analog driven display devices -- which means the signal will eventually get converted to analog anyhow -- so really either Component or RGB is the way to go.

FYI: If you haven't calibrated your TV (by at least using a test DVD like Digital Video Essentials) then worrying about connections really a waste of time becuase it's more than likely moot.

[gcoker]

jhawk is correct. DVI is a digital video connection. RGB

(Component) is an analog video connection. Is DVI better

than RGB? problable. It's alway better not to have the video

signal converted to analog to send over cables then converted

again to back to digital. Is the clairity between DVI and

Component noticable? I don't know. Only someone who can do a A/B

switch between the two comment. Has anyone compared?

[Griffinator]

I've made this commentary before, but I guess it bears repeating.

If you're working with a digital display (LCD, Plasma, DLP, LCOS, etc) then DVI will give you the truest picture results.

If you're dealing with an analog display (CRT-based) then component or RGBHV (5 BNC cable configuration) is your best bet for HD signals, as the analog signal will be passed untouched by the display's internal processors. However, on non-HD signals, DVI or Firewire is still the superior connection, as the internal processors will upsample this output anyhow.

[Lurch]

FWIW,I just picked up my HD cable box today and it has both component and DVI outputs. The Component output is subtly more detailed and better looking. The DVI is softer and looks a little washed out.

I thought that the DVI thing started with the review of the Bravo DVD player. That had DVI, which worked with most TVs, and a flawed compnent output. It also scaled DVDs to 720p on DVI. The question is: why wouldn't the component output, if it worked properly, scale to 720p also?

Jeff

[jjputz]

Well, the television is a CRT- toshiba HDTV - and the set up box is a Samsung

TS-160 direct tv HD Receiver - and I'm using the red, blue, and yellow component video cable.

Both the receiver and the T.V. accepts both component cable or the DVI cable.

(and I do have a dvd calibration for it but I don't recall the company)

I guess since I have both DVI and RBY cables I'll try them both and SEE if I can detect any differance.

I use to work for phillips years ago, making CRT's and would benchmark our CRT's against competitor's, my eyes are probably still calibrated enough to see the differance - I'll get back with my 2 cents worth on the differance in a CRT.

[STL]

On 4/27/2004 3:24:38 PM Lurch wrote:

The question is: why wouldn't the component output, if it worked properly, scale to 720p also?

I cannot help to think that it has somthing to do with the MPAA and them not wanting it to happen.

[IndyKlipschFan]

If you're working with a digital display (LCD, Plasma, DLP, LCOS, etc) then DVI will give you the truest picture results.

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Maybe this needs just a little information too. Digital to digital... Nothing else in the loop. It is a huge difference if you have a digital HDTV.

I took the DVI out of the samsung dvd player directly to the samsung HDTV, and the audio out of the DVD player to the Aragon Stage One. It is visually outstanding, and the way it should be too.

I think you were extra cable scammed!

[toddvj]

I don't think it was a scam, I just think he was misinformed. Now, he could've sold you a Super High End DVI cable...

If you don't think the component cables are better, take them back.