Home » Computers & Electronics

Cables - HDMI, DVI or Component?

Ranked #27,979 in Computers & Electronics, #524,600 overall

If you have bought (or planning to buy) a new TV, most likely you will end up with one of the newer generation HD (high definition) variety. Most of these come with a number of connection types, the three most popular and common standards are "Component", "DVI" and "HDMI." In a bid to maximize their per-unit margins, few manufacturers will include the desired "cables" with the TV. This has created a thriving after-market for specialized cables. This lens attempts to explain the differences, simplify the choices and help guide your cable buying decision.

HDMI stands for: High Definition Multimedia Interface 

DVI stands for: Digital Visual Interface

Component is the breakdown of the 3 primary colors (Red Green and Blue) used for video re-production

DVI, HDMI? Who's behind those standards?

The DVI proponents
The objective of the Digital Display Working Group is to deliver a robust industry specification based on Open IP that defines the digital interface between digital displays and high performance PCs. Members of the group include IBM, Intel, HP, NEC, Fujitsu and Compaq.
The HDMI guys
Comprised of Hitachi, Matsushita Electric (Panasonic), Royal Philips Electronics, Silicon Image, Sony Corporation, Thomson and Toshiba Corporation, the High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) Founders have joined together to define a next-generation digital interface specification for consumer electronics products. HDMI is also supported by major motion picture producers, as well as satellite and cable companies.

Ok, so which one is better?

Warning: Technical Content - you can skip down to the expert's verdict

HDMI and DVI are both digital standards while Component Video is an analog standard (more on this later). It follows that DVI and HDMI are exactly the same with one notable exception, DVI carries only the video-image signal and no sound, HDMI covers both. So if you use a DVI cable, you will need to connect audio cables from your DVD-player or cable/satellite receiver to your TV.

The major difference between the digital formats (DVI/HDMI) and analog format (Component Video) has to do with how the data is encoded. In the former, data is represented as bits and bytes no different from data traveling inside computers or over the Internet, whereas the analog signal is represented by varying voltages that represent color frequencies. The fact that the analog signal is represented with variable voltages makes it that much more susceptible to interference and puts a higher emphasis on the quality of the component cable, the effectiveness of its shielding design and both the location and distance of the run between the signal source and the TV.

However both the length and manufacturing quality of digital signal cables are also important considerations. Generally the digital cables are generally thinner and less shielded which results in inconsistent impedance qualities. This inherent design aspect shows signal degradation in extra long (over 20 ft) cables.

Given the fact that HDMI is DVI with sound, I believe that HDMI will win this battle of the standards going forward. However for high-end products, we should continue to see both an HDMI and a Component Video with separate audio connectors, offered side by side.

Between the HDMI and Component, the "answer to which is better" greatly depends on many factors. The section titled "The Expert's Verdict" should help users narrow down their choice based on specific situations.

So which one do I really need? (The Expert's Verdict)

- If you have a TV with good sound qualities and see no reason for utilizing a "home theater" system, then HDMI is the answer for you, provided that your cable length will be no longer than 20 feet.

- For connections less than 20 feet apart, if you need to route the audio through your home theater, then DVI or Component Video with separate audio cables should work best. The choice then depends on the price of the cable being considered.

- If you need both separate audio and video cables for runs longer than 20 feet, then "superior quality" Component Video cables will work best, provided you are mindful of where the cables are run (i.e. keeping them away from other sources of electrical or magnetic interference).

- If you want a digital connection but one of your devices supports a DVI connector and the other an HDMI, you will need a cross-over cable or a DVI-to-HDMI pin adapter.

So who makes the best cables? There are many manufacturers of quality audio/video cables, one of the more popular quality brands is "Monster Cable" out of Brisbane California. A good selection of cables are featured below.

Still interested in more cable insight? Here are some links:

Digital Cables and Analog Cables!
Many of the best video cables on the market today were designed primarily for use in the digital domain; but can a digital cable really perform well as an analog cable? Can an analog cable be used as a digital cable? What's the difference, anyway, between digital and analog cables? They both move electrons, don't they?
Video Cables from the Inside Out
So, what's in a video cable?
When reading descriptions of home theater cable products off of packages in a big-box store, or off of websites online, it's sometimes hard to get a clear understanding of just what, exactly, is inside a length of cable. It often isn't clear where the engineering-speak ends and where the marketing-speak begins, and the marketing-speak certainly isn't usually designed to aid understanding.
Component Video Cables -- A Guide
Component video cable, in just a few years, has gone from being a relatively uncommon and esoteric way to hook up video devices to being the near-universal analog video signal standard for home theater and high-definition television. Where a few years ago s-video and composite were the most common and widely usable video signal standards, component video has emerged as the leader because it is the only common consumer analog signal type which supports progressive scan and high-definition resolutions, and because it is the standard output format of DVD players.
The Role of Cabling in a Top-Quality Home Theater Installation
At the outset, to be able to approach cable planning in a logical way, one has to consider the layout of the home theater installation. Sometimes, all equipment is well-contained on a single rack, with the display on top, which presents very few cabling challenges; other times, the equipment may be on a rack and the display in another location; cables may be run in surface-mount raceways, or through walls or ceilings, to the display, and this may present issues for cable concealment. Also, it's important to consider how and where signals enter the room; lines from outside sources, such as a satellite dish, an off-air antenna, or a CATV system need to be taken into account in planning for routing and concealment. Lastly, consider speaker wires; will they be run along baseboards and behind furniture, or will you need to run them inside of walls or in other concealed locations?

Get quality cables from Amazon.com

Loading