We all have read this before:

#1. Component cables: The best picture quality

#2. S-Video cable: So-So picture quality

#3. Composite cables: The worst picture quality

Well, I believed what I had read, so today I removed the cheap Composite video cables that I had connected to my new Panasonic 42" plasma TV and hooked up a good quality S-Video cable between the satellite TV box and the TV ... What did I find ... No difference at all that I can see.

I would have used the even better Component cables, but the satellite TV box that I have only has connections for Composite and S-Video cables, so that is my only 2 choices as far as watching regular TV from the satellite (no cable TV where I live)

I am thinking that this is the same smoke the industry blows at us consumers like a $500 set of "Boutique" RCA Audio Interconnect cables used in 2 channel Hi-Fi will sound better than a cheap set of $1.98 Walmart RCA audio patch cables.

Next I will remove the cheap Composite cables I have between the DVD player and the TV and replace it with a set of Component cables ... but I have the feeling the picture will still be the same to my "un-trained" eye.

Just wondering if any of the rest of you can actually "see" an improvement in TV picture quality by switching to the various different types of video cables?

Ron,

We all have read this before:

#1. Component cables: The best picture quality

#2. S-Video cable: So-So picture quality

#3. Composite cables: The worst picture quality

Well, I believed what I had read, so today I removed the cheap Composite video cables that I had connected to my new Panasonic 42" plasma TV and hooked up a good quality S-Video cable between the satellite TV box and the TV ... What did I find ... No difference at all that I can see.

I would have used the even better Component cables, but the satellite TV box that I have only has connections for Composite and S-Video cables, so that is my only 2 choices as far as watching regular TV from the satellite (no cable TV where I live)

I am thinking that this is the same smoke the industry blows at us consumers like a $500 set of "Boutique" RCA Audio Interconnect cables used in 2 channel Hi-Fi will sound better than a cheap set of $1.98 Walmart RCA audio patch cables.

Next I will remove the cheap Composite cables I have between the DVD player and the TV and replace it with a set of Component cables ... but I have the feeling the picture will still be the same to my "un-trained" eye.

Just wondering if any of the rest of you can actually "see" an improvement in TV picture quality by switching to the various different types of video cables?

Ron,

I have found little or no difference between composite and s-video. You should have some improvement with component video. Be sure the DVD player is set to progressive scan for the component video connections.

Hi Ron,

A lot depends on the source video feed, along with your display settings. For standard definition TV, you may have difficulty seeing a difference between S-Video, Composite, or Component. But at 720p/1080i/1080p HD source video, you will probably see a world of difference between S-Video and Component.

- Steve O.

I think the difference between S-video and composite is evident on some CRT TVs. I think S-video can eliminate things like dot crawl. But both are limited to 480i (576i PAL), so on some sets there may be little if any difference.

Component can allow 480p (and HD resolutions, for that matter), a real benefit.

Thank's everyone one for the info.

I think I will just order cables from Blue Jeans.

1 ea Component cable for between the DVD player to TV
1 ea S-Video cable for between the satellite box to TV
2 pair of RCA Audio Interconnects (1 pair between the DVD player and TV, and 1 pair between the satellite box and TV)

Don't look like they will be getting HDTV here in the Philippines anytime soon (at least not from the Dream satellite service I have here)

I will make sure my CD/SACD/DVD player is set to progressive scan when using it to play DVDs