Kerrith
Kerry
join:2003-04-18
Pahoa, HI
 ·Hawaiian Telcom
| DVI vs Component cable-noticeable difference?
I just bought the wrong DVI-Integrated Dual-Link cable from Radio Shack to connect between my 3250HD box and my HDTV. Instead of the three rows of pins and a spade shaped pin the Radio Shack cable has four extra shorter pins along side the spade. Ughh.
Question:
Is it worth searching for the correct DVI cable? In other words, is there a noticeable difference in picture/sound quality between a DVI cable and component (Y,PB,PR) cables?
My components:
Scientific Atlanta Explorer 3250HD
AT&T Series 2 TIVO
Sony STR-DE597 Stereo Receiver (5.1)
Toshiba DVD D-R4 Player-Recorder,
Sony Wega TV KV-32H500 (HDTV) w/PIP (Twin View)
Thanks,
Kerry |
|
CableGei
Premium
join:2004-05-27
Brookville, OH
·Verizon Online DSL
 ·Sprint Mobile Broa..
 ·magicjack.com
 ·tw telecom
| This is only my opinion and I know that the AV guys may not agree, but...
I've seen two identical cable boxes connected to two identical TVs side by side... one with component cables, and the other with DVI.
Yes, I could see a difference. I thought the DVI looked darker. As far as resolution / picture quality, my untrained eye thought it looked the same. Personally, I will never invest in DVI or HDMI if component cables are an option. Even though it wouldn't have an impact on me for my use, I don't like the idea being restrained by digital copy protection either. |
|
monkeysuit
join:2002-12-16
League City, TX
1 edit | reply to Kerrith
I've got both HDMI and Component capability, and I don't think there's any difference. Component is capable of 1080i (or maybe more) HDTV, which looks pretty terrific. The only reason to go HDMI is if you are trying to do HD Upconversion for your DVD's or something. IMO ofcourse.
Oh, and as long as you use a Digital Coax or Optical connection for your audio with Component, the sound will be the same as HDMI (digital).  |
|
Kerrith
Kerry
join:2003-04-18
Pahoa, HI | reply to Kerrith
Thanks all.
I think I'll stick with component.
Am I correct that the Y,PB,PR, cable also requires a left and right audio cable as well or does sound travel in the component cables?
Kerry |
|
monkeysuit
join:2002-12-16
League City, TX
| No audio in component cable, which is why I stated you should use a coax or digital optical cable for your audio. You can also use a standard composite left/right analog audio (red/white RCA), but the sound won't be 5/6/7.1 digital.
HDMI is the only one that has the video & digital audio built into the single cable AFAIK. |
|
JonR800
Premium
join:2003-08-06
Farmington, MI
| reply to CableGei
said by CableGei  :Personally, I will never invest in DVI or HDMI if component cables are an option. Even though it wouldn't have an impact on me for my use, I don't like the idea being restrained by digital copy protection either. Kinda off your whole point, but DVI offers zero copy protection. Also they go for $10-$15 on ebay. Best Buy and other retailers make a killing on those cables. |
|
Kearnstd
Elf Wizard
Premium
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ | reply to Kerrith
you can also buy computer DVI cables which are sometimes cheaper and no different as DVI is DVI.
--
[65 Arcanist]Filan(High Elf) Zone: Broadband Reports |
|
CableGei
Premium
join:2004-05-27
Brookville, OH
·Verizon Online DSL
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·magicjack.com
·tw telecom
1 edit | reply to JonR800
said by CableGei :
Kinda off your whole point, but DVI offers zero copy protection.
Sorry, poor sentence contruction on my part.... didn't mean to include both connections in that statement. |
|
Kerrith
Kerry
join:2003-04-18
Pahoa, HI
·Hawaiian Telcom
1 edit | reply to Kearnstd
Hi Elf Wizard.
The DVI cable I bought at Radio Shack is missing two male spades. Mine has three spades plus 24 pins. (see the two additional vertical spade connectors on my drawing located on »www.comcom121.org/269test/TIVO.htm.
And, I can't find any like them online.
Thanks,
Kerry |
|
GhostDoggy
join:2005-05-11
Duluth, GA
| reply to Kerrith
said by Kerrith :I just bought the wrong DVI-Integrated Dual-Link cable from Radio Shack to connect between my 3250HD box and my HDTV. Instead of the three rows of pins and a spade shaped pin the Radio Shack cable has four extra shorter pins along side the spade. Ughh. Question: Is it worth searching for the correct DVI cable? In other words, is there a noticeable difference in picture/sound quality between a DVI cable and component (Y,PB,PR) cables? My components: Scientific Atlanta Explorer 3250HD AT&T Series 2 TIVO Sony STR-DE597 Stereo Receiver (5.1) Toshiba DVD D-R4 Player-Recorder, Sony Wega TV KV-32H500 (HDTV) w/PIP (Twin View) Thanks, Kerry The cable you bought is a DVI-I cable, and the extra four pins are for carrying an analog signal (e.g. RGBHV). It would appear the port on your STB requires a DVI-D, or digital-only DVI cable.
As to which looks better is difficult to say. First, you have to take source (STB) and display (your HDTV) into consideration in how they handle and process the two transports and the signals that come across them. Then, you have to consider how your provider incorporates the video signal (signaling is above hatdware transport).
Depending on your display (analog or digital?), it might be worth keeping the STB-to-HDTV all digital. |
|
Kerrith
Kerry
join:2003-04-18
Pahoa, HI
·Hawaiian Telcom
| Hi GhostDoggy,
I've got it all working now.:) I'm so pleased with both the HDTV and the cable's scrambled and unscrambled channels, using an RGB cable and an S-Video cable, that I'm giving up on the DVI cable game.
FYI: Correction: Extra three pins. Also I surfed lots of online cable stores and could not find a pic of a DVI cable with the three spades and 24 pins.
Thanks,
Kerry |
|
z aXis
Premium
join:2003-01-23
Glenview, IL
| reply to Kerrith
»www.datapro.net/techinfo/dvi_info.html
HOW TO RECOGNIZE A DVI CABLE
There are two variables in every DVI connector, and each represents one characteristic.
The flat pin on one side denotes whether the cable is digital or analog:
A flat pin with four surrounding pins is either DVI-I or DVI-A
A flat pin alone denotes DVI-D
The pinsets vary depending on whether the cable is single-link, dual-link, or analog:
Two separated 9-pin sets (rows of 6) for a single-link cable
A solid 24-pin set (rows of 8) for a dual-link cable
A separated 8-pin and 4-pin set is for DVI-A.
--
Crudelius est quam mori semper timere mortem - Seneca |
|
Kerrith
Kerry
join:2003-04-18
Pahoa, HI
·Hawaiian Telcom
| Hi z aXis,
Thanks so much for taking the time to find and attach the image. None of the males shown would fit my DVI ports. Both of my females, the one on the SA and the HDTV, have slots for three spades along with holes for 24 pins as in »www.comcom121.org/259test/TIVO.htm
As best I can type it it looks like this:
|
__ {three rows of 8 pins}
|
Thank you,
Kerry |
|
pduncan
join:2005-12-29
Columbus, IN
| reply to Kerrith
My experience is Component is Better.......
I have a HD ready TV, Sony 40" XBR tube. It's a monster, weighs about 300 lbs, but my goodness, what a picture, blows away the best plasma I've seen in HD..... Sony quit making it about a year and 1/2 ago. Cost buck too!
Anyway. Here's one for the masses. It has DVI and Composite (Red/Green/Blue) connections. I've always heard that the DVI is suppose to always give a superior picture. But every time I have hooked my box that way, the picture is not nearly as good as the composite cables. Both connection are rated at 1080i. Use to have Dish HD, now have Comcast HD, same with both boxes..... It's better than S-Video, but not as good as I expected.
Just wondering if anyone else has noticed this same thing and possibly, why?? |
|
z aXis
Premium
join:2003-01-23
Glenview, IL
| reply to Kerrith
I'm thinking you want a DVI-D dual link. I cant find anything on the three spades. They could be for a propietery plug. It appears that you can use any DVI-D dual cable though. The SA 3250 shows that as a digital DVI connection. So thats all that you should need.
»www.datapro.net/products/1142.html
--
Crudelius est quam mori semper timere mortem - Seneca |
|
Kerrith
Kerry
join:2003-04-18
Pahoa, HI
·Hawaiian Telcom
| reply to pduncan
I have the 32 XBR, mine also weighs a ton. It's the first time I ever bought an extended warranty, no way was I going to heft that bugga to the repair shop. One thing that saves my back is that I have it set on a Lazy Suzan type TV stand so that it turns a bit for connecting cables.
Unless someone posts otherwise saying that DVI is noticeably better, I've decided to stick with RGB and S-Video cabeling. I'm wondering if the cheaper RGB cables at Wal-Mart work as well as the $56.00 ones at Radio Shack? Monsters are even more expensive. Mine are 12' long.
Thank you,
Kerry |
|
z aXis
Premium
join:2003-01-23
Glenview, IL
| The simple answer to which is better is: It depends.
It depends on source and display.
(Some reading:
»forum.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages···868.html)
For your set-up it sounds like component would be the best option.
--
Crudelius est quam mori semper timere mortem - Seneca |
|
Kerrith
Kerry
join:2003-04-18
Pahoa, HI
·Hawaiian Telcom
| I dropped by Radio Shack today and it loooks like you're right, a DVI-D will work with mine even though it opnly has one instead of three spades, the sibgle spade would fit into mine and the two other female ports for the two spades would simply remain empty.
Thanks all,
Kerry |
|
pduncan
join:2005-12-29
Columbus, IN | Kerrith,
I won't blow your money on the DVI, but I have noticed a difference when using better quality RGB cables. How is the picture quaility on your xbr? |
|
Kerrith
Kerry
join:2003-04-18
Pahoa, HI
·Hawaiian Telcom
1 edit | H'mm, I was afraid of that. You talking a noticeable diff between say Radio Shack premiums and "Monster" or just between Wal-Mart and Radio Shack premiums?
I'd like to hear some others views, preferably end users (nonprofessionals) like us. So much bucks.:o
Re: XBR With some HDTV programs I'm in awe, moved to tears at the joy of such perfection. The fact that the screen is cut off at the top and bottom disappears from my mind. One of our local stations (Ch 12) broadcasts in HD. It's very good, especially the sound.
Kerry |
|
