S Video vs. Component Video: which makes DVDs prettier?
 

I'm currently hooked up my Sony Wega Tv to my DVD via component video cables. I was told that it would make the image clearer than s video and normal video cables. I sthis true or gimmick??

true

true that

In Order (1 being the best)

1. Component
2. S-Video Cable
3. Composite
4. RF

If you're television has the capability of using Component Video, then by all means use it. I use S-Video cable with mine, only because It doesn't have a component hook up. Even though I'm very happy with it, I've seen the difference the two make, and component is slightly better (especially noticeable on bigger screen televisions).

Here's a link I posted in another thread asking the same question. It shows a visual comparison of all three hook ups. Of course the type and length of cable you use will make a difference also.

You'll really notice an improvement with the component cables if you're watching on an HD TV.

:up:

great find!

And you have to remember DVD is a component system itself, so you'll get the best results from a component hook-up.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but

progerssive scan dvd player + component cables + HDTV = best possible picture

The larger and higher quality your display, the more pronounced the difference between S-video and component is. On most average size (25-32") consumer televisions, the difference between the two is slight but noticeable.

Best possible picture from DVD? Usually. Don't forget higher resolution sources like D-VHS or HDTV broadcast.

That rule of thumb is correct, but there are many factors that can complicate the matter: The quality and type of the display (RPTV vs direct view vs front projection; CRT vs DLP vs LCD; etc.). Whether the deinterlacer in the progressive scan DVD player is better than the one in the HDTV. Whether the DVD player is infected with the chroma upsampling bug. Whether you use (or can afford!) a scaler.

There's a lot of information to take in if you want the "best picture possible". I say make the best of what you can reasonably afford without going bankrupt and enjoy it.

I've got a 55" Mits (not HDTV :() I tried both S-video and component. I could not tell a difference so I took the $35 component cables back and kept the $10 S-video cable. I suggest S-video if you do not have HDTV.

I have a 32" Toshiba, and I could clearly tell a difference between component and s-video. The colors were much more defined, especially the redness of the blood in Black Hawk Down.

Even if you didn't notice the difference right away, you should have stuck with component video if the option is there. Component can help to greatly reduce dot crawl and moire artifacts, which can be subtle intrusions on the video image but are also bothersome and well worth the $25 price difference to get rid of. If you aren't sure what these artifacts look like, I recommend you purchase the Avia calibration disc, or for a cheaper but also fairly useful alternative the Sound & Vision Home Theater Tune-Up disc.

Call me silly, but what are the basic hookups called like on a Super Nintendo where the yellow is the video and the red and white are the audio? Composite or component?

tks

Composite.

Think of the meaning of the words.
Composite - combined - 1 video cord (yellow)
Component - seperated - 3 video cords

S-Video is one cord that keeps luminescence (brightness) and chrominance (color) seperate.

Do you have to buy special component video cables or can you use anything with RCA plugs on it?

RCA cables come in two flavors: the yellow ones for video and the red or white ones for audio. The yellow ones have better impedance, which is why they should be used for video. If you use three yellow cables, there should be no visible difference between that and a set of component cables.

The advantage to component cables is that they come bundled together and are labeled to help you sort out the Y, Cr, and Cb. It's really just a convenience. If you can keep track of that on your own, three yellow RCA cables will do.

This might be a dumb question, but here goes:

Composite signals use the RED and WHITE cords to send audio signals. What exactly do they separate? Or does it just stand for RIGHT speaker and LEFT speaker?

yup. right speakers and left speakers.

What's a good brand of composite cables? I bought MonsterVideo2 from Circus City - but then I was pretty much in a hypnotic state after buying a 34" Sony Widescreen (KV-34XBR800). The cable was $74.54. If there's something just as good at a cheaper price, I can return the Monster Cable.

Why are you running composite to that TV? VCR?

In my earlier post I meant component not composite. I'll be running component from my DVD player to my new Sony Widescreen. I'm just wondering if there's a lower cost alternative to Monster. My tv doesn't come for a couple days so the Monster cables are still unopened.

you need to adjust your rankings now. there is a new kid on the block.

1. DVI (digital transmission for best image quality)
2. Component
3. S-Video Cable
4. Composite
5. RF

Unless you're running an HTPC, at the moment DVI is a non-issue on most DVD players.

This will probably change in the future, though.

How about more?

1. DVI / SDI
2. 5-BNC to 5-BNC
3. 15-Pin VGA to 5-BNC
4. 15-Pin VGA to 15-Pin VGA
5. Component (3-BNC to 3-BNC)
6. S-Video
7. Composite
8. RF