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Anonymous | I am currently running a "fixer-upper" $7 wal-mart S-video cable right now from my Toshiba SD-V280 DVD/VCR player to my Sharp 27U-F810 Flat screen TV. I haven't got a chance to go to BB or CC to get another S-video or component cable. I am planning on going with Monster for the cables, somewhere in the $50 range. I was just curious to know, will I see a dramatic change in picture quality and sharpness. Also, what has the best quality, S-video or Component? |
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| Anon, In descending order of video quality: composite, S-video, component video. You will notice a difference in each step. That is, the same source connected with composite will look better in S-video (more detail, better whites and blacks, richer colors). Going from composite or S-vid to Component will yield more of the same differences. The blacks and whites will be better, you will enjoy better resolution (detail), the colors will be richer and you will have fewer artifacts compared to composite. All of these improvements have to do with how the cable carries (separates or compacts) the color information and the brightness (chroma and luma) information in the video signal. With composite, all that info is shoved into one cable, with S-vid the luma and chroma are separated (via pins in the S-vid connecter), and with component the luma is separate and then the chroma is separated again...for three plugs usually Pb, Pr, and Y. Hope this helps. -h1pst3r |
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Anonymous | Thanks h1p, but I was mostly aware of that info....I was wondering if I will see a big difference if I switch from the $7 wal-mart cable to a $50 Monster cable. Thanks again for the input. |
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| Ya, I know, I was just fielding the question that was less subjective ;-) From my own expereince, unfortunately, not really. I have a $50 monster S-vid cable that's sitting in my wire heap (ask my wife, she calls it that) because it all of a sudden stopped passing color!! Yes, a $50 B/W-only monster cable...now that's quality. I now use a "good" quality cable but I basically won't get suckered on this proliferating scam known as "quality cables"...I think it's hooey. I feel the same way about speaker cable. I bought a 250ft roll of 12-guage speaker wire from Home Depot ($60) and then enough banana plugs for my system. Comparing the cables with a friends' insanely expensive monster speaker cable, with cute, screw-on proprietary banana-plugs yielded ZERO perceptiple difference in sonic presentation, voicing, depth, staging, etc. You are probably better off spending that $50 toward a line conditioner. I know other folks have very different opinions on cables, but as far as my first-hand expereince with Monster...they can have their cable, I'll keep my money! I do use monster interconnects that have served me fine for about 5 years, but that was also before they introduced so many product line differentiators to sell more product for more money. Good luck...and of course, if you buy the cable at Circuit city or Bestbuy, you can always return it!! Cheers, -h1pst3r |
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Phil Krewer | I have to agree on H1 with this one and I too have been suckered into buying "quality cables". Case in point I had my VCR hooked up to my receiver with the S-Video cable that came with my ATI Graphics card, lol. I decided to go out and upgrade the cable and bought a 1 meter Monster video 3 (40 bucks) I saw no difference. I also agree with H1 on the speaker cable there are people who spend more on cables than they do for their speakers. Do they sound better. Maybe the debate goes on. In my past life I worked on computers and really its a matter of impedence. The bigger the diameter, the shorter the wire, the better the conductor material, the better the insulation the better the signal. Even if you could affect the magnetic field by different configurations there are diminishing returns. ie, you have to pay a lot of money to get that tiny little bit of improved sound. Do what H1 say and make your own. Use 12 gage or better. Get good banana plugs and make sure the connections are solid. If you don't want to make your own go to a good music store. You can buy a pair of 25ft of 12 gage speaker cables for about $45 dollars. AR will charge you about $190 for the same. Sorry for the long wind but this is one of my pet peeves in audio, lol Phil |
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| Phil, That is hysterical...I use an S-video cable that came with an ATI video card too!! We must be be starting a new minimalist movement...;-) I was a bit embarassed to mention it...but it's true and looks great! Cya, -h1pst3r |
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Anonymous | Speaking of which... will the adapter that came with my Gforce card work. It's a RCA to S-Video adapter. Maybe I can save $40 for my PS2 cable. |
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Derek | I doubt it but try it anyway. If it doesn't work, try these http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&User_ID=14088186&St=6126&St2=-55154136&St3=54986648&DS_ID=3&Product_ID=15509&DID=7. They only cost $5. |