TV Input quality scale

[erkishhorde]

I'm too lazy to look them up myself so could someone help me layout the qualities of the various TV inputs? I'm thinking it goes like this:
Coaxial < RCA < S-video < Component < HDMI
but I don't really know the quality difference between them. Like, I can see the difference between RCA and S-video when I run cables from my computer to my TV but I haven't tried it on anything else (ie. DVD to TV). I've also got a rather old TV right now so I can't even see the improvement between S-Video and Component and can barely see the difference between RCA and Component. (My PS3 looks like PS2 graphics  ) A new TV is in the near future but I really just wanna know this stuff so I'm better informed since I'm kinda the entertainment setup guy in the family.

Oh, and my AT&T cable comes in through a cat-5 cable...  I have no idea where that lands in the scale either. The easiest thing to assume is that since the DVR they give you has component and HDMI outputs it is at least that good but I know that's not a good assumption to make and is most likely a wrong assumption.

edit:
Ah, while searching consumer report for information on TVs I found this information:
~S-video
These split the video signal into two parts, color and luminance. In general, and S-video input will provide better picture quality than either an antennae/cable or composite-video input.
~Component-video
Component-video uses three separate jacks that split the video into three parts: two for color and one for luminance. This provides slightly better video quality than an S-video input, most evident in color fidelity.

[pennyrobber]

RCA to S-video is an obvious difference. In order to go to 720p you need to go component. HDMI is the only format that can handle true 1080P. Unless you are transmitting a 1080P signal then HDMI isn't really necessary. One nice thing about HDMI though is that the video and audio is all one cable. In comparison, component video can have up to 5 cables to handle video and audio depending on your audio set up.

[erkishhorde]

To make sure I've got my terms correct,

Component I'm refering to is the 3 cable video (blue, green, ....red?)
RCA I'm refering to is the 1 cable video that is usually w/ the red and white audio cables.

As far as I know there is no difference between the actual cable itself between RCA and Component, there are just more cables for the video, correct?

[Jobu]

To make sure I've got my terms correct,

Component I'm refering to is the 3 cable video (blue, green, ....red?)
RCA I'm refering to is the 1 cable video that is usually w/ the red and white audio cables.

As far as I know there is no difference between the actual cable itself between RCA and Component, there are just more cables for the video, correct?

Correct (at least I think so  ).  They use the same wiring and same size plug, but a component cable just breaks the video down into its component colors whereas RCA combines them into on cable.  Theoretically, one could use an RCA cable as a component cable, if the RCA cable had enough inputs (you need five for full component video and audio).

[erkishhorde]

Yeah, when the AT&T guy was setting up my DVR he use a component cable to connect the RCA and audio.

[il d00d]

I think you have that scale right, but one thing I will add is that the cables also differ in what signal they transmit - analog vs digital.  One of the benefits of HDMI (and DVI - that would be tied for best quality) is that you don't get signal degradation the same way as you would with an analog signal.
So, if you have a digital signal coming to your house (and you do with AT&T), it is usually best to complete that with a digital connection to your TV.  Going from digital to analog to digital can cause some problems - it depends on how well your TV handles that.  I would say it is best to avoid the problem.

Which is why Monster Cable can go suck one, trying to sell people on "higher quality" digital cables.  What, are you making the zeros rounder and the ones straighter?  Either it works or it doesn't.  Hate them...

[CairnsDuc]

I refer here to Visual and Audio connections only, but I hope this helps.

Composite connection - All video information all crammed into one wire, it works but quality suffers because it's signal type is pretty much RF based, 4801 and 576i support only. Sound travels in a separate RCA lead


S Video - Next step up the Signal quality ladder, uses a small round Din plug (there are many different types of S connector but the mini Din is preferred for home use), it separates the signal into luma (luminance) and chroma (colour) this in turns gives you a better picture. Sound travels in it's own RCA lead. Supports 480i and 576i.


Component - Or sometimes marked as YPbPr connections, expands on the S-video by adding a third carrier for Video signal.
YPBPR is converted from the RGB video signal, which is split into three components, Y, PB, and PR.
Y carries luma (brightness) information.
PB carries the difference between blue and luma (B âˆ' Y).
PR carries the difference between red and luma (R âˆ' Y).
A green signal is not sent as it can be deduced using the blue, red and luma information. This is done to avoid sending redundant information. Component can support 480i, 480p 576i, 576p, 720p 1080i and 1080p although support for 1080p through component is almost non existent. Again sound is sent via it's own RCA which meant up to 5 cables for hook up, this annoyed a lot of home users and made wiring up a number of products messy and expensive
This is pretty much the top of the Analogue connection food chain for the home user.


DVI - Digital Video Interface, Has now fallen out of favor in the home market, it is still popular in the Computer and Pro A/V industry, sends the signal in a digital format, DVI does not support HDCP (High Def copy protection) Which scared off the Hollywood studios, it also does not carry sound. But it can support a large amount of Data depending on dual link or single link setup. But HDMI is pretty much forcing DVI out of the consumer market and more into the PRO A/V and specialist computer market, although the new Display port system may even kill off DVI in the computer industry (Display port is mainly for the computer market, and at this point is royalty free, computer companies love free stuff, Apple and Dell are pushing Display port very hard) A lot of Industry analysts have said that DVI is living on borrowed time.


HDMI - High Definition Multimedia Interface, Is proving very popular and is much more flexible than DVI, it carries all video standards, it supports 1080P (and is capable of going beyond that should the need arise) it carries the audio (Up to 8 channels EG: DTS-HD Master audio or Dolby True HD, ver 1.3 of HDMI)  CEC support (Consumer electronics Control channel) basically means 1 remote can run many boxes. HDCP Support, keeps Hollywood happy to try and eliminate people copying movies. HDMI also support new color standards such as Deep colour and XV colour. I could go on for hours about HDMI, but I would suggest spend dome time on there Website if your interested in the Technical stuff.  www.hdmi.org


And to echo iL dood, don't get hung up on expensive cables, it's a have, avoid the cheap cables as they are just crap, I have always bought middle $$ value cables and they work just as good as the super duper expensive cables. Maybe if your wiring up a Million dollar theatre you would see a difference, but for most people the difference they see is all in there heads (and the salesman commission cheque - The commission on highend cables is awesome - You can make more % money on one cable than all of the Equipment, 10 years in this industry, ask me how I know  )


Hope this helps, thanks to Wikipedia for some of the Info, I have all of this stuff in my head, but trying to put it into a way so others can understand it is the challenge. Thats where Wikipedia makes life a bit easier.

[MendoDave]

All I know is when i went to buy a new TV ( the first one in 15 years or so) I found that the world was not as simple as it used to be.

HDMI works for me though