Component Video VS Composite - Is there a real difference?

[dchao]

Right now, there is nothing you can do about the jaggy lines. Wii is not a high specs gaming console, it doesn't have sophisticated hardware to smooth lines. Inside the wii, it's basically a GameCube with a faster processor.

The smoothing of the lines was not needed on the old GC because most players use the old video cable and the old cable provided the line smoothing (not by design).

Now the component cable can deliver such clarity of pictures, you can see the flaws in the old hardware.

But overall, I still think it's a good investment, because it makes the picture much more colorful, better contrast, (oh well it's little too sharp too).

All Wii game are HDTV 480P compatible, but some GC games are not (if they don't have the progressive scan logo). In that case, the console will just switch to 480I, but you'll still get better colors/contrast than the old video cable (which the sharpness and color info are squeezing into one signal channel).

 

[allsport21]

thanks for that info dchao! that makes a lot of sense.

 

[Retman]

not all wii games are EDTV/HDTV compatible.

Look at the logo on Red steel, i clearly says it is then look at wii sports....no logo.

 

[ciper]

that's exactly what I said. As far as I know they are Red Green and Blue? Are you retarded or something?

You are not right. The signals are NOT red green and blue over the Wii component cables. They are chroma/sync plus two color difference signals. If you were right I wouldn't have needed a 100$ Key Digital RGB to Component video converter to get 480P from my Dreamcast to my HD set!

I never said anything about a component cable being better than a RGB scart being. I don't have scart if you read the entire post. I said that RGB component cable is better than the standard cable that comes with the Wii if you TV supports 408P. Get your facts straight

EVILFOXHOUND said:
"Anyway, upon testing them both on my 26" HDTV, I noticed that SCART actually gives a slightley better picture quality in 480i than the Component gives in 480p"
And you replied with
"Are you crazy? If your TV is able to play 480P then you want to get a cable that allows you to display that. You have no idea what your talking about. Get a component cable for any TV that displays 480P"

So it sounds like YOU didnt read the thread.

 

[Nemix]

is this still going on?

think bottom line is if you've got a tv that has component inputs then you should buy component cables if you want a better picture quality.

if you've got s-video as an input then buy s-video cables, still better than composite.

if you've got composite only then you shouldn't even be reading this thread unless you plan on getting a new tv with component inputs.

and finally, if you've got RF (think that's what it's called) then GOD help you.
jk: find a RF switch/adapter/converter...


:incazzato:

 

[ciper]

Does an RF adapter exist for the Wii? If so is it at least stereo?

 

[dchao]

not all wii games are EDTV/HDTV compatible.

Look at the logo on Red steel, i clearly says it is then look at wii sports....no logo.

You are probably correct. Since Wii is 100% backward compatible, and some GC games doesn't support progressive scan/480P, this means not all Wii games support 480P either.

But I think by end of this year, when more brand new Wii games are out (not just ports of GC games), all of them will then be supporting 480P.

BTW, my Wii sports looks fantastic even on 480I.

 

[Nemix]

Does an RF adapter exist for the Wii? If so is it at least stereo?

not sure if it's an official product, but you can get a RF to coaxial adapter then a converter to composite/s-video/component

some newer converters may even have RF to composite/s-video but i don't believe they have component on these ones...

*more or less a tv product which gives to inputs that you don't have on your tv set*

 

[ciper]

I found out that not all Wii games are 480p. For example Trauma Center and Rayman are 480i only titles :wtf:

 

[LuzTeTT]

Okay guys. Settle down. Read this post, as it is pure fact...

It depends ENTIRELY on your hardware.

My TV set is WORSE than composite with s-video, better than both with YPbPr (component). My old TV was BETTER with composite worse with YPbPr and better than both with S-Video...

You know why? Because of the technology in the set.
If you have an LCD TV, it will most likely be digital. Composite is an analog signal. Hence, in order for your LCD TV to display it, it has to convert it to a digital signal. This is where most of the loss is. Now, go and buy a CRT TV of an equal size and plug in composite. Notice much? It looks way better. Why? It's an analog signal TV (most likely) and isn't converting it much or at all. Why are PCs perfectly good with resolution on VGA? Well, VGA is another form of "red, green, blue" and delivers all three signals through different pins. The PC's signal is DIGITAL being converted to ANALOG via the ONBOARD GRAPHICS CARD. Which is then converted back to digital by the LCD television, resulting in LOSS - but the VGA cable is so flawless that you can barely tell... that and it's a RGB cable.

Now, shove RGB+Luminance+Lighting in to three different plugs and you have a component connection. Try that through your PC graphics card to a LCD television. It looks beautiful, doesn't it? Try the CRT TV.. wow, that was just retarded, wasn't it? Now we have a chain. Digital by graphics card conversation to analog (3 times for each cord) to YCbCr for CRT television (note that I am basing this on my spec. systems and I can't guarantee this will work as I say on your television - it is the same concept though).
There's your dead signal.

What about this...

Wii - component cables ... that's not RGB, that's 3 channels of the transmission divided up so the TV has more work to do but can do it more efficiently.

LCD TV ... hmmm..
CRT TV ... not bad at all.
Switch it to 480P...
LCD TV ... beautiful!
CRT TV ... uhhh...
Switch it to 576i
LCD TV ... okay...
CRT TV ... WOW!

Which is the better technology? Well it depends on the signal and what is converting it. Analog signal + analog TV = great. Digital signal + digital TV = WOW.
This is why HDMI and DVI-D are really popular today. Because they give digital televisions the ultimate power.
No conversion = no data loss = perfect, flawless quality.

So what's progressive and interlaced mean? (Reffering to 480P and 576i)
Well I'll sum the numbers up for you. The numbers reflect the RESOLUTION. Higher resolution is generally better, espescially for larger televisions that need to stretch the image up to make it fit in their ratio.
The signal is SCANNED constantly to deliver it to your TV. Progressive scan is superior to interlaced - it scans on a different scale and more progressively, while interlaced scans ACROSS the screen ... giving it a disadvantage.

Progressive scan is indeed the better signal option... and when combined with a digital television and state-of-the-art technology, which LCD is, it is the ultimate displaying power. Interlaced is okay ... but when combined with a CRT television, it really can pack a punch ... regardless, progressive is better.

So, I seem to have my point out.
It really does depend on what hardware you're running and how the signal is interpreted. If you're not convinced, go to your local electronics store and look at all the televisions side by side playing the same DVD... it's not the exact same picture, is it?

So, if one cable doesn't work for your TV, use the other. Which ever looks better for YOUR television is what matters ... not the cable or the output of the signal.

Remember though. HD might exist ... but our technology doesn't take much advantage of the signals, let alone 1080P.
Wii has taken a lot of advantage of 480P ... it looks as good as 720P on my HD DVD.
But still, I can't be certain, because it depends on my TV.


...I hope some of you read this. It contains a lot of wisdom. I learned this myself the hard way, and I'm giving you an insight on it. Be thankful and don't always believe what others say about cables. Remember, it's YOUR eyes, YOUR TV, YOUR Wii, YOUR cable.... YOUR choice.

Have fun. ^.^

 

[Nemix]

My Blaze Component Cables have arrived and WOW big picture quality difference!

 

[austguy]

think bottom line is if you've got a tv that has component inputs then you should buy component cables if you want a better picture quality.

if you've got s-video as an input then buy s-video cables, still better than composite.

if you've got composite only then you shouldn't even be reading this thread unless you plan on getting a new tv with component inputs.

and finally, if you've got RF (think that's what it's called) then GOD help you.
jk: find a RF switch/adapter/converter...

This is pretty much the low down in as straight a way as possible. The average person considering what type of connection to use doesn't need to know much more than that.

If you're using the bundled cable and you have one of these other options available on your TV set (except for RF of course) you're not using the full capabilities of your Wii.

Prior to getting our component cable I never would have imagined how big the difference would be, but as others have said, it is huge.

This review has a couple of pictures that show the difference. You can also win a 3rd party component cable (and a Wii Sports Accessory package) in the forums. A bonus - the forums are new (i.e. not much competition). We've already got one (a cable that is), but a good opportunity for those who don't.

 

[Wiiownu]

i use components and i was really suprised at the picture clarity over composit, so i say go for it

Same here, IMO they're worth it. It really brings the picture and quality to top shape. It will work for gamecube games too, and when using the internet channel it will make much better quality all round, not only in the games.