component vs rca on a regular tv

[rgf942]

component vs s-video on a regular tv

Hey I bought a nintendo wii recently and I have a few questions about the best setup for video quality.

On one hand, I have a 32" tv (tube, just your average television) with the regular rca connectors and one s-video connector. The s-video is taken up by my dvd player, but i could always get one of those things that lets me switch between two devices using one s-video input. so if i got an s-video cable for wii, i could hook it up through there.

On the other hand, I have a 27" tv (again, just a regular tube) with component video inputs, so i could hook my wii up through there.

So heres the question: should i use the s-video on the 32" or the component on the 27"? Does it really make a difference when its on a regular non-hi-def tv?

and also, this is probably a stupid question, but can a regular tube show 480p thru composite? or is that just for edtvs and hdtvs? i just want to know all this so i can decide what cables to buy depending on which setup im using.

 

[Oldschool Smasher]

Hey I bought a nintendo wii recently and I have a few questions about the best setup for video quality.

On one hand, I have a 32" tv (tube, just your average television) with the regular rca connectors and one s-video connector. The s-video is taken up by my dvd player, but i could always get one of those things that lets me switch between two devices using one s-video input. so if i got an s-video cable for wii, i could hook it up through there.

On the other hand, I have a 27" tv (again, just a regular tube) with component video inputs, so i could hook my wii up through there.

So heres the question: should i use the s-video on the 32" or the component on the 27"? Does it really make a difference when its on a regular non-hi-def tv?

and also, this is probably a stupid question, but can a regular tube show 480p thru composite? or is that just for edtvs and hdtvs? i just want to know all this so i can decide what cables to buy depending on which setup im using.

Well it doesnt really matter same tvs but different screen size so theres not much you can do but s-Video looks way crapier than RCA. But in comparison if your using HDTV cables no image will appear due to your televisions might be CRT and because of that might not have HDTV and yes those cables only will work for a HDTV television. So in other words plug it up to your biger tv and go regular RCA.

 

[SuperH]

s-Video looks way crapier than RCA

Since when?

S-Video is higher quality than composite (1 RCA (yellow jack), but lower quality than component (3 RCAs, RGB (even though it's not actually RGB, the jacks are colored that way)).

S-Video I've always called "poor man's component".

Composite carries luminance and composite chrominance on one conductor.

S-Video carries luminance and chrominance on two seperate conductors. Therefore, S-Video has higher bandwidth than composite.

Component video carries luminance, blue minus luminance, and red minus luminance -- or Y, Pb, and Pr, respectively. This is the highest quality form of analog video. As a result, component video also supports progressive scanning.

If your 27" TV supports progressive scanning, use the component on that set. If you end up using the 32" TV, use S-Video if possible. S-Video offers a number of advantages over composite video, such as elimination of dot crawl, and color crosstalk.

And, you DON'T need an HDTV to use component video. You simply need component inputs on your TV. Component video supports SD (480i) and ED (480p) on the Nintendo Wii.

 

[NateTheGreat]

Alright, well first, please try using the search feature of this site beforehand because this has been discussed in a number of threads.

Anyway, I'm not quite sure where Oldschool Smasher got his info from, but it's not correct. Sorry, but I have an original Xbox and I have a 27" tube tv with composite, s-video and component inputs and going with s-video will give a way better picture than the standard composite cable that comes with the wii. I don't know where people get this info, but composite is the worst, then s-video is better, and component is the best.

Now rgf942, whether hooking your Wii up to a 32" tv with s-video or a 27" tv with a component cable, well that's up to you. Obviously, the smaller the screen, generally, the better the picture. But because wii is so unique in the way the controller works, I'd personally go with the 32" and s-video because I think the bigger the screen, the more fun you have with wii.

Also, on your question about whether you can get 480p on a tube tv, the answer is no. With component cables, you can get the closest to that, 480i, but like you were guessing, you need an ed or hd tv. I think there are a few sony tube tvs that may support 480p, but I'm not sure.

Just make sure you go with something other than the standard composite cables that come with wii because it will give you blacker blacks, whiter whites, and richer colors.

Hope that helps.


*EDIT* SuperH, you beat me to it.

 

[ics]

I have a standard tv with component inputs but it does not support 480p.
I bought the component cables for the wii and it does help sharpen the picture and colors. I would recommend the component cables for you 27 inch TV if I were you.

 

[rgf942]

hey thanks everyone for helping me out so much, i guess i'll try out the component cables and see how that works. that leads me to another question: where can i find nintendo component cables? i've seen articles on the internet saying theyre in stock, but i havent been able to find them! i'm asking because i'd really rather use nintendo's than a third party; third party quality, though sometimes good, is usually unreliable.

EDIT: I actually just did some more searching and found the cables on nintendo's online store (stupid me ut: ). So nevermind.

 

[gamechaser001]

Ok, if you want to go with the componet cables, go ahead, but, IMO there is no benefiet in using componet cables on a Wii, I think you will get a better picture using componet, but since Nintendo is into the gameplay, not grapics, they tend to drop in that area, so using the S-Video will give you the best picture that the Wii will push out

As for cable video quality from worst to best is below

-RF, coax cable
-Composite (the yellow RCA jack)
-S-Video
-Componet
-HDMI

The HD compatible cabling is

-RF, coax cable (with a digital tuner, but that is for broadcast, not Nintendo)
-Componet (produces the best picture for non-HD TVs, lowest quality for HD)
-HDMI (produces best picture, period)

There is also DVI, which is basicaly HDMI in disguise, DVI is older though, mostly seen on computers

Even though there are televisions that are not HD that have componet connections on them, HD images will still display on those televisions, just not as clear as a real HDTV, so the componet connection will display an image, but I don't think it's worth the money to use componet, S-Video sounds like a good bet though

 

[dds]

well i wouldnt say hdmi is better than component i would say there basically equal cause all hdmi is all the component **** in one wire for ease of use

 

[dedpoet777]

yeah id go with component for sure on the 27 inch. and to add on to what someone said earlier. yes some tube tvs do have 480p(edtv) and up to 1080i. there are now hd tube tvs up to 1080i. rca has one for 350. however 480p from the wii on a tube tv that is 4:3 is a bit stretched out. nonetheless, run the components man. they even have some at wal-mart for 20 bucks and they look just as well as the nintendo issued ones.

 

[bodtchboy]

well i wouldnt say hdmi is better than component i would say there basically equal cause all hdmi is all the component **** in one wire for ease of use

It is my understanding that hdmi cable is digital and component is high quality analog. Is this correct? If so, HDMI cable is superior and its quality does not rely on high grade components like the analog cords do.

 

[bodtchboy]

yeah id go with component for sure on the 27 inch. and to add on to what someone said earlier. yes some tube tvs do have 480p(edtv) and up to 1080i. there are now hd tube tvs up to 1080i. rca has one for 350. however 480p from the wii on a tube tv that is 4:3 is a bit stretched out. nonetheless, run the components man. they even have some at wal-mart for 20 bucks and they look just as well as the nintendo issued ones.

I have a question (off topic): I have a upconverter dvd player. What is better: 1080i or 720p? If it matters, I have a Hi def LCD TV (Vizio 37").

 

[rgf942]

Ok, if you want to go with the componet cables, go ahead, but, IMO there is no benefiet in using componet cables on a Wii, I think you will get a better picture using componet, but since Nintendo is into the gameplay, not grapics, they tend to drop in that area, so using the S-Video will give you the best picture that the Wii will push out

Yeah yeah, I understand that Nintendo is into gameplay, not graphics. But if I can squeeze out as much graphical power as I can on my Wii (short of buying an HDTV), I'll do it. I got a Wii because I thought that the new controls would be awesome for FPS games (who else here is looking forward to Metroid Prime 3???). But I really need to squeeze some graphical power out of that thing because right now my five-year-old Xbox has graphics that kick the crap out of the Wii's...on an s-video connection. I guess the games will just have better graphics as time moves on, that's what always seems to happen on consoles.

 

[NateTheGreat]

It is my understanding that hdmi cable is digital and component is high quality analog. Is this correct? If so, HDMI cable is superior and its quality does not rely on high grade components like the analog cords do.

Yep, you are correct. Glad someone cleared that up.

 

[SuperH]

I like to call component "Digilog". It's analog, yet it syncs (like a clock) on "green".

Yeah. If anyone in here uses HDMI ever, your monopricecables or whatever Brand X cable will do just fine. Component is another story. At 480i/p it doesn't matter as much but at 720p/1080i the quality of cables can make a significant difference.

Analog signals = cable makes a difference.
Digital signals = cable quality makes no difference.

So, for your S/PDIF and TosLink (Coaxial and Optical) interfaces for audio, respectively, cheap cables work for, too since they're digital. Coaxial MAY cut out, if there's noise in the environment (electrical noise, not screaming!). Digital = all or nothing!

If you have component, just use this for motivation: the textures will all come through clearest on component.

On the 720P 3LCD HDTV I have the Wii connected to, the component cables make a HUGE difference. Of course, that's comparing de-interlaced (by the TV) 480i scaled to 720p vs progressive 480p scaled to 720p.

Amazon looks like they have component cables from a variety of vendors. I see Nintendo and MadCatz at least. I haven't clicked on them, so I can't guarantee they actually have them.

Just search for "Wii Component Cables" (without quotes).

 

[rgf942]

I just got the cable in the mail and I moved my Wii to the 27" tv, and I gotta say, it looks tight.

I dont really have any graphically intense games--Super Monkey Ball, Far Cry Vengeance (yuk), Elebits--but even on Monkey Ball the edges of the environment were coming out much sharper, and everything was much more crisp than with the composite cables. And on top of that, the colors looked much better than before. And this was on my 480i tube.

So anyone who has a component connection on their tv, even if the tv only displays 480i, should get the cables. For $30, there is no excuse not to. Seriously. It looks that much better.