Newbie Question!!! (1 Viewer)

[Matthew Jon]

I am getting a new TV. It is the Hitachi 57F500. This question is dealing with Monster Cables. What are Monster Cables and what do they do? Do I need or can I use Monster Cables on here?

The back of the panel looks like this.

http://www.hitachi.com/cgi-bin/techa....cgi?id=57F500

This is the Site for the TV.

http://www.hitachi.com/tv/browse/pro...l/57f500.shtml

 

[Bob McElfresh]

Monster Cable is a retail brand of cables. They are good quality, but they train salesmen to use pressure tactics and there are better cables available for less money. But you have to order them from the custom cable sites.

You use these cables to connect SOURCES to your HT receiver and television.

To properly advise you, you need to give us a list of your equipment.

In Anticipation of your next questions:

Types of Video Connections:

There are 3 popular types of video connections:

• Composite - This is a single RCA cable usually with a yellow band. This is considered baseline-quality.
• SVideo- This looks like a single cable (but is really 2 wires) and has a funny connector like a computer keyboard uses. This type of connection will give you a 20% better picture over Composite.
• Component - This is a bundle of 3 RCA cables (really 3 identical video cables). This can give a 25% better picture over Composite. You MUST use component cables for HD sources.

Places like www.bettercables.com will build you a custom cable for lots less than Monster.

Hint: if a salesman tries to sell you some Monster cables, ask him to show you where on the package the cables say "HDTV compatible" or "100 Mhz Bandwidth" before buying.

 

[Matthew Jon]

By looking at this setup of the TV, what do I need to get. I have S-Video currently on my TV now a 27" Panasonic. Is this TV setup with Component Video. Now If I get a HDTV Receiver or Tuner is that the port (Kinda like a Parallel Port on a Computer) that I would plug the HDTV Tuner into?

 

[Bob McElfresh]

Traditionally, you use Component video cables from ANY HDTV source to the TV. See the Pr, Pb, Y/Video jacks on your TV? Those are the Component Video inputs.

There is a new digital connection called "DVI" and your TV has one. But with the chicken-and-egg issue, there are not many sources with DVI outputs. People who have a source that offers both say they dont see much difference in picture quality between DVI and Component. So it's kind of your choice.

Eventually, everything will use the DVI (digital) connection. But since your TV only has 1 input - even the manufacturers are not building units ready for this.