Sony Wega: No difference in picture quality between S-video/RCA Jacks/Component cable (1 Viewer)

[Basi Nanda]

I have a new Sony WEGA 27" TV. I have heard so much about the picture quality being higher with s-video or component cables. I hooked up the s-video out from the DVD player to one of the inputs on my TV, the RCA composite cable output to another input and the component video output to another input on the TV.

When I switch between these different inputs, I see no difference at all between any of the inputs. The supposedly low quality RCA composite input has the same picture quality as the supposedly high quality s-video or the component input.

So is this all just hype? Or does input quality matter only in case of large screen HDTV sets?

My DVD player is a Sony DVPC660. I use the following component video cable:
GE AV92675 Ultra Prograde Digital Component Cable (12 ft)

 

[david stark]

This intrigued me because I thought the cables should make a difference, even at this level. Due to lack of cables I didn't try the composite, but I tried a comparison between component (which I normally use) and s-video which I had never tried before.

So before I start, the equipment:
Toshiba 30HF83 (widescreen 30" tv)
Arcam DV89 dvd player
Ecosse reference component cable
some gold plated s-video cable.

First of all this test is somewhat unfair because the s-video cable is some standard stuff I picked up in radio shack as opposed to the component cable which is specialist stuff costing about 6 times as much as the s-video cable.

I only did a quick check using star wars ep 2.

I noticed a difference, a slight improvement using the component cable over the s-video - more stable image (when showing text) and less jagged curves (this is picky).

But this was with progressive scan turned off (tv won't display prog scan via s-video. When turning prog scan on (on the dvd menu) the difference was much bigger. Better curves, more colour.

 

[Chad B]

The fact that you see no difference between the composite and the s-vid/component is really a testament to the high quality of your Sony TV's comb filter circuit. Older TV's with simpler comb filters will show a huge improvement when going from composite to s-video. Still, even with yours, there will be differences. They might not show up right away; it will depend on what type of images you use in your comparison.

 

[Michael Reuben]

Or does input quality matter only in case of large screen HDTV sets?

The larger the screen, the more obvious the differences. On a 27" screen, the differences will be harder to spot, but they're still there.

M.

 

[John Royster]

specifically color fidelity on the component input.

 

[Erik_Swinson]

I happen to have the same TV, I performed the same test using the PS2. The jump between the composite and the s-video was only apparent in the contrast quality, the lights and dark were much cleaner. As for the jump between s-video and component, I found the component to show a much sharper picture and better color quality. All the texture detail on Vice City was more noticable. I picked this game because of all the bright...Miami-ish colors. Stick with the component cables.

 

[Basi Nanda]

Stick with the component cables.

I do. Psychologically I feel that I am seeing the best quality picture when I use the component input, even though I do not see any difference.

I feel as if I notice that the s-video picture is 0.00000001% brighter than the component vid picture. But I think it is only in my mind because I am realy straining to see a difference.

 

[Basi Nanda]

BTW, the model number of my TV is: Sony WEGA KV-27FS100. A very nice set.

 

[Basi Nanda]

I decided to give this a closer look again after my last post. I loaded the Matrix Reloaded disc and went to the Zion meeting scene. I sat very close to the screen to see the differences and now I have started to notice stuff I did not see before:
1. RCA composite input: At a normal non-critical look it looks similar to the other inputs, but I paused at a scene where niobe is standing wearing a dress with intricate designs on it. I was able to see that area of the screen flickering while it was rock solid in s-video and component inputs.

2. The S-video input: Throughout the Zion orgy scene, the s-video input is redder than the component input. The picture seems to be a bit muddied (very imperceptibly, but it is there) than the component video picture.

3. component video: None of the above flaws were there. Rock solid picture with natural colors.

The GE component cable that I use cost me just $19.99 at amazon, but it gives the best bang for the buck.

 

[Basi Nanda]

One more difference:

At the scene in Matrix Reloaded where the councillor and Neo are in the engineering section of Zion, the red light reflected on neo's face:

The red color bled out of the borders of neos face in the RCA composite input slightly. The bleeding was there in the s-video as well but not as much as in the Composite.

As usual, component was rock solid.

I guess my mind is made up as to what is superior!

Note: These differences are very subtle and are not noticable unless you really try to look for them. For a casual viewer, these will be completely invisible.

 

[Seam Dempsy]

That is why when I get my new TV(one mentioned) in a few days I am hooking my PS2 and DVD up only with component cables. That way no matter what it will look better than my 13 yr old. flickering Sony Trinitron.

 

[Michael_Q]

I'm not sure if you have done this yet, but I would set the DVD player output to 16:9 and be sure I was using the 16:9 enhanced mode. This will give you a superior picture.

 

[John S]

And make sure you Progressive scan running...

That should produce much more of a difference.

 

[Mark_E]

I have noticed that my s-video is a better picture than with component. Can't quite figure out why. TV= Toshiba 51HX83. DVD = Panasonic DVD-S55. any hints? Cables for both are supposed to be higher quality cables.

 

[Steve Schaffer]

Do NOT turn on progressive scan on your player--The Sony FS-100 series sets are not capable of displaying progressive scan, you'll only get hash.