HDMI cable vs Component RCA cables...

[Born2RockU]

Will there be a distinctive visible difference on my

High Definition monitor, if I use Component RCA cables instead if the HDMI cable ??

The reason for my asking is because my Motorola / Warner Cable box doesn't

have the HDMI output...only component rca's outputs.

Any suggestions or comments ?

[westcott]

It really depends on the capabilities of the cable box and the data resolution it can provide via component output.

I doubt you would notice much difference if the display is up to snuff.

Just use quality cables.

[tommiwan]

I have my box sending signal to my tv 3 different times. Once in RCA, once in component, and once in DVI. I don't notice a big difference between the Component and DVI.

I know that's a little off topic, but just giving what info I have.

[Born2RockU]

My cable box has a SPDIF Optical out...will that give the best Hogh Def pic....?

I don't know if my new monitor (due next week) has that input capability.

[wuzzzer]

What I've heard is that component looks best on rear projection TVs, and HDMI is best for LCD/DLP/Plasma TVs.

[lavinius]

on plasma/lcd if you have hdmi/dvi use it it has the bandwidth it needs to properly display the picture. Component is just a little bit better then S-Video and no where near as good as RGB or DVI/HDMI.

Plasma's use a digital singnal ... signal coming out of Component/RGB/Composite is not digital therefore some conversion is needed, HDMI is digital.

[Piranha]

IMO the DVMI connection looks really clear and sharp on both of my LCD's. Can't say on any other type of tele however.

[Born2RockU]

I just purchased the Pioneer PDP505-CMX 50" PUREVision Plasma Monitor to be delivery in 5 days..

So I assume the DVI output of my cable box goes directly into the DVI input of the Plasma for the best possible picture...correct?

[milton10]

I tried the HDMI input from my Denon DVD-1920 to my Samsung picture

tube TV. The results were horrible. I had Macrovision

artifacts all over the screen and noise around objects and

letters. I switched back to my components and will only consider

HDMI if I go with a LCD/Plasma/DLP in the future.

Milton

[Born2RockU]

I just purchased the Pioneer PDP505-CMX 50" PUREVision Plasma Monitor to be delivery in 5 days..

So I assume the DVI output of my cable box goes directly into the DVI input of the Plasma for the best possible picture...correct?

I will be using a Plasma...so I am hopeing someone can chime in and assist me on what cable box output and PLasma Monitor input I should use for the best possible Hi-Def images.

[tommiwan]

I just purchased the Pioneer PDP505-CMX 50" PUREVision Plasma Monitor to be delivery in 5 days..

So I assume the DVI output of my cable box goes directly into the DVI input of the Plasma for the best possible picture...correct?

Yes that is correct, and obviously your audio setup may vary but I just run the audio out from my cable box and in to my reciever.

[Born2RockU]

I just purchased the Pioneer PDP505-CMX 50" PUREVision Plasma Monitor to be delivery in 5 days..

So I assume the DVI output of my cable box goes directly into the DVI input of the Plasma for the best possible picture...correct?

Yes that is correct, and obviously your audio setup may vary but I just run the audio out from my cable box and in to my reciever.

I will be using the SPDIF Optical Out from the cable box (for the audio signal) to get the 5.1 surround signal when broadcasted.

[westcott]

If you are talking about the optical audio output, this will provide great sound without the concern for emf interferance, but, some people argue that it is more limited in bandwidth than a coaxial connection.

Try them both if you have them and see which one sounds best to you.

[Born2RockU]

If you are talking about the optical audio output, this will provide great sound without the concern for emf interferance, but, some people argue that it is more limited in bandwidth than a coaxial connection.

Try them both if you have them and see which one sounds best to you.

How will I recieve the 5.1 transmition w/ the coaxial stereo L+R outputs? There are not 6 individual RCA coaxial outputs offered from the cable box for 5.1 transmitions.

[JeffDurbin]

I tried the HDMI input from my Denon DVD-1920 to my Samsung picture tube TV. The results were horrible. I had Macrovision artifacts all over the screen and noise around objects and letters. I switched back to my components and will only consider HDMI if I go with a LCD/Plasma/DLP in the future.

Milton

The HDMI didn't cause the artifacts. Your other equipment does that. The HDMI simply made the weaknesses of your other equipment more obvious. You can use your display settings to deal with them.

In my case, the OPPO DVD player only upscales the image from 480 to 720 if you are using DVI output which requires me to use a DVI-HDMI cable into my HDTV.

I've got some component cables. I suppose I could A-B them with the HDMI-DVI connection and see how much improvement I am getting from the upscaling & digital cables compared to good old fashioned component output.

[westcott]

I tried the HDMI input from my Denon DVD-1920 to my Samsung picture tube TV. The results were horrible. I had Macrovision artifacts all over the screen and noise around objects and letters. I switched back to my components and will only consider HDMI if I go with a LCD/Plasma/DLP in the future.

Milton

The HDMI didn't cause the artifacts. Your other equipment does that. The HDMI simply made the weaknesses of your other equipment more obvious. You can use your display settings to deal with them.

In my case, the OPPO DVD player only upscales the image from 480 to 720 if you are using DVI output which requires me to use a DVI-HDMI cable into my HDTV.

I've got some component cables. I suppose I could A-B them with the HDMI-DVI connection and see how much improvement I am getting from the upscaling & digital cables compared to good old fashioned component output.

I agree with Jeff. Some displays just do not handle the HDMI handshake as well as others. It is a crapshoot because there are so many possible combinations between components.

I do not place total blame on the mfgs because of this.

It is kind of like software. So many hardware configurations to address and limited time to test. The HDMI standard is still evolving, making it a moving target.

[Tom Adams]

I tried the HDMI input from my Denon DVD-1920 to my Samsung picture tube TV. The results were horrible. I had Macrovision artifacts all over the screen and noise around objects and letters. I switched back to my components and will only consider HDMI if I go with a LCD/Plasma/DLP in the future.

Milton

The HDMI didn't cause the artifacts. Your other equipment does that. The HDMI simply made the weaknesses of your other equipment more obvious. You can use your display settings to deal with them.

In my case, the OPPO DVD player only upscales the image from 480 to 720 if you are using DVI output which requires me to use a DVI-HDMI cable into my HDTV.

I've got some component cables. I suppose I could A-B them with the HDMI-DVI connection and see how much improvement I am getting from the upscaling & digital cables compared to good old fashioned component output.

I agree with Jeff. Some displays just do not handle the HDMI handshake as well as others. It is a crapshoot because there are so many possible combinations between components.

I do not place total blame on the mfgs because of this.

It is kind of like software. So many hardware configurations to address and limited time to test. The HDMI standard is still evolving, making it a moving target.

If one reads the tests that have been done on the Denon 1920 you'll find that it still suffers from macroblaocking due to its de-interlacer. From Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity:

Using the digital outputs rendered the same results. There was some pixel cropping, which also seems to be a byproduct of the Faroudja processing, as it goes away without it. Macroblocking is still an issue but is toned down in comparison to the DVD-5900. This continues to be a problem for any player that uses the Genesis FLI-23xx chips. Hopefully Genesiss new line of chips will remedy the problem or hardware manufacturers will look elsewhere for de-interlacing and scaling support.

Tom

[texxas guy]

I would call your cable company and make sure their HDMI or DVI is active on their boxes. I have a Pioneer Elite rear projection tv with Charter cable and tried the DVI coming out of the Charter box, but got a message saying my tv was not HDCP compatible. BS,! the Pioneer is HDCP compatible and I called Pioneer anyway just to verify. I called Charter and they changed their story, and said the DVI on their boxes was not "active at this time" and were working with Scientific Atlanta to correct the problem. Bottom line is, at least with Charter, is what they say will work and what does work are sometimes two different things. YMMV

[Born2RockU]

I would call your cable company and make sure their HDMI or DVI is active on their boxes. I have a Pioneer Elite rear projection tv with Charter cable and tried the DVI coming out of the Charter box, but got a message saying my tv was not HDCP compatible. BS,! the Pioneer is HDCP compatible and I called Pioneer anyway just to verify. I called Charter and they changed their story, and said the DVI on their boxes was not "active at this time" and were working with Scientific Atlanta to correct the problem. Bottom line is, at least with Charter, is what they say will work and what does work are sometimes two different things. YMMV

Man-o-Man...you just saved me a major heart break.

I did call my Warner Cable company and they told me that the new Motorola HI-DEF box they swapped out with me, does NOT have the DVI-d port activated and that I needed to return that Motorola new box and swap it out for....get this... the Scientific Atlanta 3250 Box.

Texxas Guy...you saved me some serious heart ache. Thank You , thank You , thank YOu !

[texxas guy]

I would call your cable company and make sure their HDMI or DVI is active on their boxes. I have a Pioneer Elite rear projection tv with Charter cable and tried the DVI coming out of the Charter box, but got a message saying my tv was not HDCP compatible. BS,! the Pioneer is HDCP compatible and I called Pioneer anyway just to verify. I called Charter and they changed their story, and said the DVI on their boxes was not "active at this time" and were working with Scientific Atlanta to correct the problem. Bottom line is, at least with Charter, is what they say will work and what does work are sometimes two different things. YMMV

Man-o-Man...you just saved me a major heart break.

I did call my Warner Cable company and they told me that the new Motorola HI-DEF box they swapped out with me, does NOT have the DVI-d port activated and that I needed to return that Motorola new box and swap it out for....get this... the Scientific Atlanta 3250 Box.

Texxas Guy...you saved me some serious heart ache. Thank You , thank You , thank YOu !

LOL,,,glad it worked out. In my case, I bought the cable off Ebay before checking. Anyway, hope Warner Cable does not speak with forked tongue like Charter............Good Luck!

PS: Wanna buy a brand new Monster DVI cable?[]jk