# DVI-Component Cable Difference



## Ken Green (Oct 6, 2005)

Can anyone tell me the difference between using the DVI vs. the Component (Y-Pb-Pr) output? My TV's have inputs for either DVI, Component, S-Video, and RCA.
I don't have a good understanding of how video/audio signals are transmitted through cables, so if anyone could provide somewhat of a basic difference, I'd appreciate it much  

For the most part, all I understand now is, DVI is better than Component, which is better that S-Video, which is better than the standard RCA.
I also know that the 921 will only output HD on one of the available outputs at a time.

When Dish installed the 921 the installer connected the 3 component-out from the 921, to the 3 component-in on the TV, which is how it still is now. The 921 stays in HD mode all the time. (blue LED on) The sound is connected by toslink to the DVD Surround Sound component, which is then connected to the TV with its own 3 component cables. (viewed on a different input on the TV)
TIA


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## craig8868 (Jul 20, 2005)

kdg454 said:


> Can anyone tell me the difference between using the DVI vs. the Component (Y-Pb-Pr) output? My TV's have inputs for either DVI, Component, S-Video, and RCA.
> I don't have a good understanding of how video/audio signals are transmitted through cables, so if anyone could provide somewhat of a basic difference, I'd appreciate it much
> 
> For the most part, all I understand now is, DVI is better than Component, which is better that S-Video, which is better than the standard RCA.
> ...


 Component cables are analog and DVI cables are digital. I prefer DVI since the PQ is a sharper than component but I do not think the average viewer will notice the difference between DVI or component PQ. DVI cables are more expemsive than component video cables but I think it's worth it if you can afford it.

hope this helps :hurah:


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## craig8868 (Jul 20, 2005)

and the only way to view HD is by using component or DVI. RCA or S-video doesn't cut it. good luck


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## Ken Green (Oct 6, 2005)

Perfect, Craig....TYVM!


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## Larry Caldwell (Apr 4, 2005)

kdg454 said:


> Can anyone tell me the difference between using the DVI vs. the Component (Y-Pb-Pr) output? My TV's have inputs for either DVI, Component, S-Video, and RCA.
> I don't have a good understanding of how video/audio signals are transmitted through cables, so if anyone could provide somewhat of a basic difference, I'd appreciate it much
> 
> For the most part, all I understand now is, DVI is better than Component, which is better that S-Video, which is better than the standard RCA.
> ...


Installers are there to get things to work. As soon as what they are installing works, they leave.

If I were setting up your system, I would connect the Dish DVI to the TV, the component video to your DVD player, and your composite or S-Video connection to your VCR. That way you could just switch between sources using your TV remote.

On my system, I also have a laptop with DVI output, so I connect the tv to the computer with the DVI cable. My entertainment center amp does source upconversion, so everything else goes through the amp and I use the amp to switch sources. There is only one set of component cables from the amp to the TV.

Buy your DVI cable on Ebay. DVI is a digital signal. Either you get it or you don't. If the signal makes it from one end of the cable to the other, the quality is as good as it gets. Expensive cables are a waste of money. The same goes with Dolby Digital optical cables. I have my 921 and my DVD player connected to my amp with $3.95 fiber optic cables, and they work just fine.


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## welchwarlock (Jan 5, 2005)

DVI can be an analog signal. The cable and interface supports the transmission of analog signals within the connector. If you have an anlog monitor (CRT), and it has a DVI connector, it is most likely just using the analog signals. If this were the case, then the DVI would produce the same quality picture as component video.

If you have a pixel addressable display such as LCD, Plasma, or DLP, then the DVI (Digital) or HDMI is the best because the display electronics can precisely place each pixel on the screen. The pixel data and timing are digital. Using another type of input with these displays causes the display to sample the analog signal to select the color and intensity to light up the pixel. When this happens, aliasing occurs and some MTF (sharpness) is lost resulting in a less than razor sharp picture.

The Component, S-Video, and Composite (RCA) are all analog signals with different signal bandwidths. The Composite is the lease desirable, and offers about 330 lines of effective resolution one pair of wires carries the picture. S-Video offers about 450 lines of resolution and uses two pair of wires to carry the picture. Component video offers full resolution, and uses three pair of wires to carry the signal. Composite and S-Video only operate in Interlaced mode, while component offers "Progressive Scan" or non-interlaced signals. 

DVI and HDMI are esentially the same and can be converted back and forth except that HDMI can not carry the analog video signal (It is digital only), and DVI does not carry the audio data, only the picture.

Enjoy!
WW


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## olgeezer (Dec 5, 2003)

welchwarlock said:


> DVI can be an analog signal. The cable and interface supports the transmission of analog signals within the connector. If you have an anlog monitor (CRT), and it has a DVI connector, it is most likely just using the analog signals. If this were the case, then the DVI would produce the same quality picture as component video.
> 
> If you have a pixel addressable display such as LCD, Plasma, or DLP, then the DVI (Digital) or HDMI is the best because the display electronics can precisely place each pixel on the screen. The pixel data and timing are digital. Using another type of input with these displays causes the display to sample the analog signal to select the color and intensity to light up the pixel. When this happens, aliasing occurs and some MTF (sharpness) is lost resulting in a less than razor sharp picture.
> 
> ...


I have a CRT RPTV HD ready. If that ain't enough letters, I've got DVI-D cables hooked up to it. It works


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## welchwarlock (Jan 5, 2005)

olgeezer said:


> I have a CRT RPTV HD ready. If that ain't enough letters, I've got DVI-D cables hooked up to it. It works


Interesting to have DVI-D on an HD Ready CRT RPTV. The picture quality depends on whos D to A converters are better. The TV's or the source device. However, keeping the signal digital until it gets to the TV prevents noise from being introduced during the brief transmission. Interesting.

Enjoy!
WW


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## horseshoe (Dec 23, 2005)

One more thing to throw into the mix. I have had my 921 over a year and have used both the DVI and component connection to my Sony digital TV. I noticed little if any difference. However, being digital, I settled on the DVI.
I had been having problems with recordings not completing and very often the recording time of an hour show something ridiculous like 1520 min. The recording would suddenly drop to a couple of minutes sometimes starting over at that point. Often it would just stop recording in the middle of a program, sometime the red record light would go out and sometimes it would stay on but not record. Very annoying.
I called Dish and the rep said this is a known problem. She said there are known grounding issues when using the DVI connection and to try the component connections.
After switching back to the component connections the 921 has behaved much better, very few of those really weird problems, although I still get few. It hasn't helped the stuck aspect ratio problem.

Dave


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## rdopso (Jan 26, 2004)

On my 50-inch Pany LCD rear projection I get a better quality HD picture with DVI/HDMI because on this particular set the component connection only allows 720P for some reason, while DVI provides full 1080i. Also, I did some experimenting with different DVI cables and I can tell you that there is a difference in quality -- don't necessarily go with the cheapest price (I paid something like $130 for my 6-ft DVI -- I think it's a Monster Cable, but can't remember for sure.


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