connecting DVD to HDTV (1 Viewer)

[Jason Norris]

Right now I have my DVD video out hooked into the receiver and then piped into the HDTV regular imput (not HD imput). The wire I am using is a very cheap wire with RCA ends. My DVD has an S-Video output and my TV has an S-Video imput but my Kenwood receiver does not. I'm not sure what S-Video even is but I assume that I am better off to connect the DVD player directly in the the HDTV through a quality S-Video cable and bypass the receiver.

Am I correct?

 

[Bob McElfresh]

Hi Jason.

If your video connection is a single rca cable, this is called a "Composite" video connection.

For a standard TV, using a SVideo connection can give you a 20% improvement in picture. A Component cable (3 RCA cables in a bundle) the improvement is something like 25%.

With your HDTV, the improvement from a better connection is likely to be even MORE.

Does your DVD player have Component outputs (3 RCA plugs)?

If not, just go buy a good SVideo cable and go straight to the TV. Leave the Composite video going through the receiver if you want. (Yes, they both work at the same time)

Now you can toggle the TV between the SVideo and Composite feed and see the improvement for yourself.

Let us know what you find.

 

[shankar]

What you have is called a composite video connection in which all of the video informations (chroma, luminescence...) are sent by that one RCA cable. It is by definition the most inaccurate connection.
The next-best is S-video. This cable will have ends that look like the cable you use in your PC to connect your mouse and keyboard to your computer. (they only look like them). Here, the video information is split between various pins and this offers a much better resolution and color rendition.
The ultimate (as of now) is called the component video connection. Here you'll have 3 video cables (Y Pb and Pr) connecting to your HDTV's color guns directly. If your DVD player and your TV have these connections, this is the one to use. If not use the S Video connection.
To get more info see
here
Hope this helps

 

[Jason Norris]

I'm not at home now but goign from memory I think I only have one RCA video and the RCA jacks are audio. Then one S-Video port and an optical port. I use the optical port to the receiver and the RCA audio ports when I play CD's.

Thanks for the information. I guess what I am saying is that I don't think I have a component video out. Its a basic Sony DVD player.

Thanks,
Jason

 

[shankar]

Jason,

If you bought your DVD player anytime recently, I'm almost certain that it'll have component video outputs. I bought the basic Toshiba DVD player 3 years ago and even it has those. I checked the Sony site and their basic DVD player NS300B has the component video outs. Check it out. If you see a group of 3 RCA jacks labeled Y Pb Pr (Sony may use different labels) those are your component video outs.

What TV and DVD player (Model numbers) do you have??

 

[Jason Norris]

The DVD player is about 2 years old. I forget the model number. The TV is a new Mitsu WS55809. I'll check it out when I go home.

Thanks,
Jason