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RCA cable as temporary component video cable?

post #1 of 18
10/13/08 at 1:56pm
Thread Starter 
Greetings,

I have a Sony LCD coming tomorrow (I think), and then a couple days later I'll get my HDMI cable from Monoprice. This is my first foray into HDTV.

Question: As a temporary measure (until my HDMI cable comes), can I hook up my HD cable receiver to my LCD via the component video connections, but with RCA cables. I actually think that I have a couple of component cables lying around somewhere, but I know that I don't have three of them. I would have to use at least one rca cable, of which I have plenty.

Is this likely to work? TIA.
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post #2 of 18
10/13/08 at 2:07pm
Yes... results may vary.
Three composite (yellow) cables would be best (if you can dig 'em up).

Should be livable for a a day or two.
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post #3 of 18
10/13/08 at 3:34pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ratman View Post

Yes... results may vary.
Three composite (yellow) cables would be best (if you can dig 'em up).

Should be livable for a a day or two.

Thanks for the info. Just to be clear, will this be a digital, HD signal?
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post #4 of 18
10/13/08 at 3:50pm
Component-video signals are analog, but they can carry HD. In fact, in many systems the visual difference between HDMI and component video connections is very small or even undetectable.
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post #5 of 18
10/13/08 at 3:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by gte204i View Post

Thanks for the info. Just to be clear, will this be a digital, HD signal?

Component is analog but it will be HD.
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post #6 of 18
10/13/08 at 4:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by gte204i View Post

Greetings,

I have a Sony LCD coming tomorrow (I think), and then a couple days later I'll get my HDMI cable from Monoprice. This is my first foray into HDTV.

Question: As a temporary measure (until my HDMI cable comes), can I hook up my HD cable receiver to my LCD via the component video connections, but with RCA cables. I actually think that I have a couple of component cables lying around somewhere, but I know that I don't have three of them. I would have to use at least one rca cable, of which I have plenty.

Is this likely to work? TIA.

The biggest question is, are the cables 75 ohm coaxial cables with RCA connectors or are they the kind that come with DVD players, etc? If the former, you may not even see any difference between them and HDMI. If the latter, while the picture may be better than composite, it will be much better with HDMI.
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post #7 of 18
10/13/08 at 4:11pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks. AVS guys (and gals) are the best.
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post #8 of 18
10/13/08 at 4:14pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by egnlsn View Post

The biggest question is, are the cables 75 ohm coaxial cables with RCA connectors or are they the kind that come with DVD players, etc? If the former, you may not even see any difference between them and HDMI. If the latter, while the picture may be better than composite, it will be much better with HDMI.

I think that I have two of the former kind (separate, fairly beefy looking cable). But I may have to use one of the latter kind (combined, thin, cheap black plastic looking cable).

I'll give it a shot. With luck, I won't have to wait on the HDMI cable long. Thanks again.
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post #9 of 18
10/13/08 at 6:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by gte204i View Post

I think that I have two of the former kind (separate, fairly beefy looking cable). But I may have to use one of the latter kind (combined, thin, cheap black plastic looking cable).

I'll give it a shot. With luck, I won't have to wait on the HDMI cable long. Thanks again.

I think it would be better to have all 3 cables the same type than mix and match.
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post #10 of 18
10/13/08 at 6:38pm
Sounds like the gold plated speaker wire discussion. I would be surprised that you could see the difference between audio cables and the best component cables for lengths below 5'. Becomes a don't' care item if you plan to replace them with HDMI within a couple of weeks. Monster Cables anyone?
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post #11 of 18
10/14/08 at 6:24am
Quote:
Originally Posted by txrose View Post

Sounds like the gold plated speaker wire discussion. I would be surprised that you could see the difference between audio cables and the best component cables for lengths below 5'. Becomes a don't' care item if you plan to replace them with HDMI within a couple of weeks. Monster Cables anyone?

It is always best to use cables that match the source and destination impedances, which, for video, is 75 ohms. But that wasn't the comment. Since each cable of a component connection carries different portions of the whole information, it would be better to have all 3 portions running through cables with the same impedance (regardless of what that impedance is) and length rather than part of the picture running through 75 ohm cable and part of it running through 10,000 ohm cable.

Not quite the same as the gold plated speaker wire or Monster vs. the real world discussion.
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post #12 of 18
10/14/08 at 7:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by egnlsn View Post

The biggest question is, are the cables 75 ohm coaxial cables with RCA connectors or are they the kind that come with DVD players, etc? If the former, you may not even see any difference between them and HDMI. If the latter, while the picture may be better than composite, it will be much better with HDMI.


Component video looks better then HDMI to my eyes, every time.
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post #13 of 18
10/14/08 at 8:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mtnbike-dude View Post

Component video looks better then HDMI to my eyes, every time.

Get an eye exam.
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post #14 of 18
10/14/08 at 8:45am
Quote:
Originally Posted by HDMI Guy View Post

Get an eye exam.

Actually, it depends on the display device. On my 30" CRT, component does look better than HDMI. That's no surprise, though, as a CRT is an analog device. Can't say the same for my plasma, which is a digital device.
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post #15 of 18
10/14/08 at 9:04am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by txrose View Post

Sounds like the gold plated speaker wire discussion. I would be surprised that you could see the difference between audio cables and the best component cables for lengths below 5'. Becomes a don't' care item if you plan to replace them with HDMI within a couple of weeks. Monster Cables anyone?

I agree re impedance mismatching. I have no idea what the impedance of the cheap cables is. I just thought it would be good to take advantage of the better shielding on the two component cables so that I only have one signal that is relatively unshielded.

Thanks to all for the discussion.
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post #16 of 18
10/14/08 at 9:26am
I saw several years ago the local Costco used an audio visual cable as a component cable. To my supprise it had a great picture.

From what I have seen component cables have just as good a picture as HDMI. The only difference is some devices output a 1080p picture on HDMI but not component.

Rick R
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post #17 of 18
10/14/08 at 9:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by gte204i View Post

I agree re impedance mismatching. I have no idea what the impedance of the cheap cables is. I just thought it would be good to take advantage of the better shielding on the two component cables so that I only have one signal that is relatively unshielded.

Thanks to all for the discussion.

It would be better to have all three components the same mismatched impedance than have 2 matched and 1 mismatched with probably different lengths.
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post #18 of 18
10/14/08 at 9:33am
If it's only a "temporary" connection until the OP's HDMI cable arrives, it's really not an issue to get overly critical about IMO.
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