HDMI Vs. Component Cable: Which is Better?
By The Guru | June 28, 2008
The world of technology often wants us to believe that newer is better. They say that the newer the technology, the greater the difference. If you have the old technology, you are not getting the most of your equipment. Sometimes, that is true. Is HDTV better than standard television? Yes. Sometimes, though, the answer is not as clear. Is an HDMI cable better than a component cable? Not exactly.
HDMI
One of the first things that people need to understand about a HDMI cable is that it is what we will be using in the future. However, the future is not here yet, so people might want to slow down before they go and spend the extra cash on this cable. There are still a lot of problems with the technology. In theory, it is a great cable. It is an all digital cable, but unfortunately, it still has a long way to go. Even though it is all digital, there are still things that the HDTV must recode, which can reduce picture quality.
Component
This is cheaper than a HDMI cable, and surprisingly, your picture quality is the same when you use this cable. While this runs on an analog signal and then coverts to digital, it is able to display the same types of images. In some instances, the component cable even displays a better picture, due to the problems that are still occurring with HDMI.
The Verdict
Right now, you should purchase a component cable. It will give you everything that you want and need as far as picture quality. In reality, it is more important what kind of television and DVD player you have than what kind of cable you use.
However, just because you should have a component cable now does not mean that will not change. As they work out the kinks with the HMDI cable, it will become more popular. It has the potential to be a great cable that can make a difference in picture quality, but as of right now, it is not worth the extra money you would have to spend.
Topics: General |
