Optical for home theater

[AllGoNoShow]

Howdy all, with the new reciever we bought we can now implement optical for alot of things *TV, DVD Player, Sound, few other goodies*

Is the upgrade from standard video to optical video cables worth it, has anyone noticed a difference?

[AllGoNoShow]

and Im talking about optical as in the square light transmitting thing on the back, Fibre or whatever they call it on some machines.

[jdmakkord]

The optical connection is for audio only. It is one of two ways for you to get dolby digital audio. For video, the best possible picture quality comes from either dvi/hdmi cables or component cables.

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Yep, Toslink (SPFID Optical) is an audio connection. I highly recommend it, as I use it to connect my PC to my reciever. No matter how long the cable is, the only way to introduce interference is to actually cut/break the cable. For video quality, you'll most likely want to use component video cables.

[rage2]

Optical digital and coaxial digital is pretty much the only way to carry DTS and AC3 5.1 audio. Both do not suffer from interference.

[AllGoNoShow]

What about S-Video? I got some of that cabling around, any good?

[spike98]

Componant is better but s-video is real good to. Coax and composit are shitty IMO

[AllGoNoShow]

Wats Component look like?

What the hell is the standard shit you get when u buy from the store, the 3 cables or whatever, 2 sound one video

[tictactoe2004]

the standard 3 cables you get with most DVD players and stuff would be standard composite for video as well as a left and right audio (yellow, red and white)

component is 3 cables for video only, they look the same but they are red, green and blue. They are used for HDTV/DVD/Game machines. If you have an HDTV you want to use component for sure, if you have a standard TV, still try to use component if your TV has it, if not... just use S-Video... it's still pretty good.

[AllGoNoShow]

Well I don't got HDTV but I think I remeber seeing the RGB inlets for Component video, should check up on that, I'm pretty sure my reciever, which everything is running through right now, has RGB. I don't think Xbox or PS2 have RGB as the connectors arent interchangable like any other standard Composite cabling.

So Optical would be worth it for audio?
And Component for most and S-Video for the rest, would be worth it for video?

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Optical (or coaxial SPDIF) for audio, absolutely. No better way to carry a 5.1 AC3 or DTS stream.

Component video > *

Basically, the bigger your TV, the more you will notice a difference in signal quality, especially with HDTV. On a conventional 27", for instance, the difference between composite, s-video, and componeent won't be all that visible. However, the quality difference will be huge on a large (40" +) screen.

[AllGoNoShow]

Nah, it isnt 40 inch, I think its only a 27 or 32

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Oh, OK. I would use the component connections if they're available, but using S-video shouldn't cause much of a difference.

[AllGoNoShow]

Well everything is avalible, just have to pay a price ;) i was just wondering if it is worth the money, I mean we finished the basement, got new recieved and home entertainment unit to hold everyhing, why not upgrade the cabling behind so we never have any problems, for the price of some of the stuff it would be worth it.

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Might as well splurge then! :D It'll save you rewiring when you upgrade your TV.

Just a side note, if you can avoid running your video through your reciever, avoid it. The more things the signal goes through, the more it degrades. Recievers were designed for audio, I like to keep them that way!

[AllGoNoShow]

Nah, too many things not to run through the Reciever, and there will be no upgrading the TV unless it breaks, then it will be the same size as this one.

The cabnit is custom built and spent a few hundred dollars on atleast I assume, my dad bought it which means it will be done right, money isnt an issue. I won't be in the house for longewr then 5 years, I hope, tops 10 at the very very max so when I move out its DLP all the way but thats a whole new thread.