Good HD cables?

ghosstt · Post by **ghosstt** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 3:23 pm

Well, with my new discovery of my projector being able to display 1080p

, I want to run HD cables to it. Here are a few of my questions:

1. What is the main difference between HD cables, and RCA? I have all of the cables right now, running up in my wall, through my attic, out the ceiling to the projector. Is there a way I could use those cables and get HD quality?
2. Recommend me some really cheap HD cables? REALLY LONG ONES.

edit: All of the RCA cables I use now are regular cable lines (we have a huge like 300 ft roll, with RCA ends on them..)

gamer2 · Post by **gamer2** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 3:31 pm

Try HDMI, its grand

ghosstt · Post by **ghosstt** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 3:33 pm

Can't. It only has component inputs.

Post by **bicostp** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 3:56 pm

"regular cable lines"? You mean Coax wire you use for cable TV?

As long as you keep the cables in order, a regular yellow-white-red set should work fine. (The blue-red-green ones they sell in the store are usually the same damn thing anyway.

) If you're a real videophile you might notice a difference with higher quality, shielded cables. But for most applications, regular video cables are fine. (That's how we have the DVD player hooked up to the TV: just a regular yellow-white-red set. It looks nearly perfect.)

But if you had HDMI at your disposal, that's the best option.

ghosstt · Post by **ghosstt** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 4:01 pm

So coaxial cable is the same as component?

Why do they make you buy component cables for game systems then?

Post by **bicostp** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 4:14 pm

Wire is wire is wire. I was just asking what you had in the wall.

It doesn't matter what kind of wire you have, as long as they have the right connectors on each end and you keep them hooked up the same on both ends (for example, red = red, yellow = green, white = blue), you can use any cable set with RCA jacks on both ends. You could use speaker wire. You could use Cat-5. Heck you could even use an extension cord. As long as the connectors match up, it should work.

They make you buy component cables for systems because they use different pins in the AV connector, which may not be present in the composite cable.

ghosstt · Post by **ghosstt** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 4:19 pm

So component cable is really composite in disguise? Then why do they sell these?

http://www.mycablemart.com/store/cart.p ... _list&c=63

if people could just buy composite for cheaper...

EDIT: same with HD switchboxes.. Why do they sell seperate switchboxes for composite, and for component.

Post by **Triton** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 4:35 pm

its a different signal sent over the wires and uses a different color code but regardless of color and signal wire is still wire. like bic said so long as it has RCA jacks on it it should be fine

vskid · Post by **vskid** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 4:42 pm

ghosstt wrote:same with HD switchboxes.. Why do they sell seperate switchboxes for composite, and for component.

There are 5 lines for component (3 video, 2 audio) and 3 for composite (1 video, 2 audio). So you could use composite switch boxes, but you'd need one for video and one for audio and then you'd have to switch both boxes.
Assuming the projector is only in charge of video and you have a separate sound system, you just need three cable with RCA connectors. Then just do as bic said and match them to the other colors.

soundwave · Post by **soundwave** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 4:59 pm

I think you're missing the point, a piece of wire is a piece of wire, you don't have different metals for component wires and composite wires, they're the same, only with different colors. The signal that goes through them is different.

Negative_Creep · Post by **Negative_Creep** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 11:45 am

ghosstt wrote:So component cable is really composite in disguise? Then why do they sell these?

No. Component uses 5 cables and Composite only uses 3.

Composite/Coxoial (sp?) is terrible video quality, you obviously won't want that crap.

Composite also doesnt go any higher than 576i, you want component.

Tibia · Post by **Tibia** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 1:43 pm

The only thing I'd add is that if you're going a long distance, shielded cable is your best protection against interference and a poor signal. The fewer connections and splices the better. The more unshielded connections or length you have, the poorer quality overall. It gets even worse if they're near other wires, too.

Sharp Sapphire · Post by **Sharp Sapphire** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 4:17 pm

bicostp wrote:Wire is wire is wire.

No its not, try running 240 volts through ribbon wire.

Post by **bicostp** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 7:24 pm

Well of course different gauge wires can carry different amounts of electricity, but there's nothing special about the wires that makes one not carry the same signal as another. You could probably run composite video through a chain-link fence if the signal is strong enough.

(And at what amperage is this 240 volts at? I think that makes a difference...)