Composite video cables

[dinerouk]

I'm a duffer at this AV game so apologise if this sounds stupid:I have progressive scan DVD player(Philips 5960) and a Progressive scan TV (Samsung PS42Q97HD). I have read that composite Y Pb Pr Jacks be used to obtain optimum performance. I assume this cable is to be used in conjunction (not instead of) with the HDMI cable I currently use?

[Andy98765]

You either connect with HDMI or Component (do not mix this up with composite which is utter rubbish) not both.
As a general rule of thumb here are the best to worse types of connections available.
HDMI
Component Progressive
Component
Scart set to RGB
S-Video
Composite, Scart not set to RGB.

[Stephen Neal]

Originally Posted by dinerouk

I'm a duffer at this AV game so apologise if this sounds stupid:I have progressive scan DVD player(Philips 5960) and a Progressive scan TV (Samsung PS42Q97HD). I have read that composite Y Pb Pr Jacks be used to obtain optimum performance.

I think you mean COMPONENT jacks - not COMPOSITE.

Composite connections (usually Yellow, and accompanied by Red and White carrying stereo analogue audio) and Component (usually Green, Blue and Red for the video and Red and white for the stereo audio) use the same connectors usually - RCA Phonos, which are also used for SPDIF digital audio as well.

Describing an RCA connector as "composite" (when it could be component, analogue audio or SPDIF digital audio) is going to get you and a lot of people confused.

I assume this cable is to be used in conjunction (not instead of) with the HDMI cable I currently use?

If you have HDMI it should offer better picture quality than a Component connection. HDMI is digital, component is analogue - and in most cases digital interconnects are cleaner (less noise, no conversion artefacts etc.)

Component vs HDMI is either or, not both.

[Stephen Neal]

Originally Posted by Andy98765

You either connect with HDMI or Component (do not mix this up with composite which is utter rubbish) not both.
As a general rule of thumb here are the best to worse types of connections available.
HDMI
Component Progressive
Component
Scart set to RGB
S-Video
Composite, Scart not set to RGB.

Component interlaced and RGB SCART should be near as damn it identical. (All that is moving is the component to RGB conversion from the player to the display)

[Andy98765]

Originally Posted by Stephen Neal

Component interlaced and RGB SCART should be near as damn it identical. (All that is moving is the component to RGB conversion from the player to the display)

That is NIT PICKING, I did say "As a general rule of thumb".

[Liam @ Prog AV]

Continuing the NIT PICKING theme, progressive component is only going to be better if the deinterlacing in the source is better than the display. It's still just a component signal type, what goes down it isn't really relevant (you can send progressive down RGB just most things don't do it - in fact you can send component down scart).

[Barcoing Mad]

To Gnit pick, it's GNIT PICKING.

[dinerouk]

Thanks for your replies. I did indeed mean 'component'. I too would have thought HDMI would suffice as the DVD picture aint too bad, but not as good as the TV transmissions through a co-axial cable/ariel only, which are excellent. It appears though that I cannot select 'progressive' on my DVD menu unless I have an 'interlaced connection'(component connection?) and if one can explain the following answer on Philips DVD website on setting resolution:

RE:Upscale.
480p:interlaced output for NTSc TV
576p:interlaced output for PAL.
720p: Progressive output upscale to 720 lines.
1081: Interlaced output scale to 1080 lines.
Auto: Automatically based on my displays supported resolution.

I watched a very colourful back-up disc of 'Robin Hood' last night on 720, with excellent results. Is it worth getting component cables I ask?

[Barcoing Mad]

I'm surprised that your DVD player isn't out performing Freeview.

Analogue over component can give very good results. I'd spend 20 quid on a triplet of cables to find out, but not a 'monsterous' amount more.

[Liam @ Prog AV]

Originally Posted by Barcoing Mad

I'm surprised that your DVD player isn't out performing Freeview.

Analogue over component can give very good results. I'd spend 20 quid on a triplet of cables to find out, but not a 'monsterous' amount more.

To Gnit pick, it's "monstrous"