This bickering back and forth about whether HDMI or component video is better is just stupid. Either format is only as good as the engineers who designed and built the devices generating and decoding these signals. And it's not like there is only one project team out there that created both. There are tons of examples of both technologies, and some of these are gonna be crap.

So, if you're going to say that one is better than the other, at least say exactly what it is that you are comparing. I can tell you that when looking at a Motorola 6412 Phase 3 HDTV cable box and a Daytek 32" LCD TV, the color on component video actually looks slightly better than HDMI. And I'm certainly not the only person who thinks that.

As for the super cheap HDMI cables (like the 99 cent eBay ones), I've seen them in person, and they are build and work just fine. You would have to be doing a pretty extreme install to ever need anything more than what those cables provide.

Chris

 

Oversimplistic that statement is. Odds are the shit cables are good for <3 or even 5 foot runs.

These days with hidden components for OTW installs runs are getting really, really long.

Yup.

 

chris is right.

if a company puts super crappy TDMI chips into their TVs, the DVI/HDMI will not be very good. Same if they use bad chips to encode the component video.

for DVD, component in theory is a great choice because it mirrors very closely how the data is stored on the disc. Component video is kind of a mix between analog and digital. The signal is analog, but the color has been broken out via a digital algorithm so that when recombined will come out better than just by using standard RGB.

For HDTV, DVI/HDMI (same thing video wise) in theory is your best choice. Of course, if the TDMI or Video DACs are not up to snuff, will suck.

BTW, component and RGB are very very different to those who don't know. Both have a Red, Green, and Blue cable but could not be more different. They are totally incompatible, too.

 

Yes, that was an overly simplistic statement. Your point that installs in homes are getting longer is true. But you need to understand the limitations of the DVI standard. It says that a device is compliant if it can transmit up to 5 meters. It also says that DVI cables of up to 5 meters should be able to transmit a signal from a DVI compliant device. Some manufacturers are building devices that are capable of transmitting further. But honestly, if you want to run 30 to 40 foot lengths in your walls, DVI might not be the answer.

And for the comment that the shit cables are good for less than 3 feet, if you consider that blanket statement covers the majority of 99 cent eBay cables, then it's completely wrong. The 10 foot HDMI and DVI "shit" cables that I have work just fine and certainly meet the DVI standards. The Koreans make a better cable then you think (hell, I wouldn't be surprised if the $30 cable from your local store and the 99 cent eBay cable came from the same factory). And again, I'm definitely not the only one who has successfully used one of these cables.

Chris.

 

KV34XBR2 is a POS (Today's standard), I got rid of it almost 2 yrs ago...

 

I don't know about that. Tubes still have the best picture quality hands down, and the Sony XBRs are considered the best in the 32-40" sizes. Most LCDs blow in brightness distribution, overall response time, and are not so good on color deviation either.

POS? I think not.

 

They are still the reference for almost all comparisons and considered to be either the best or one of the two best screens out there.

Of course -- if you did in fact have one you got rid of it after a year as they debuted in 2001.

My plasma and LCD's in comparison are worse -- about on average with the 27" toshiba in the garage.

 

PM me for details on providing me my $100 I have done each. I've used Avia to tune my set and later had it professionally tuned. I am not running a tube set, rather a Hitachi RPTV 51" s715 with a direct OTA feed and a feed through Dish Networks. I have a Tosh upconvert dvd which has HDMI as well. I made it a point to test the two diff connections and did find hdmi to be the best for me as well as many of my friends that have HD setups.

Hands down though, the OTA broadcasts provide the absolute best HD I've seen to date.

 

This thread has really struck a cord!

 

At least there haven't been any shameless plugs. . .