Home Theater Design Buying Guide:
Understanding the Grades of Home Theater Cables
Understanding the varying grades of home theater cables is an important factor to maximizing the performance of your
audio/video system. Home theater components often come with multiple connection options that support the use of many of
the cables we'll be discussing shortly -- but they typically don't come equipped with the right cables needed to obtain the
best sound and picture possible. Knowing the attributes of each alternative and and how to rank them will help you get the
most out of your home theater system.
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The guiding principle and the easiest thing to remember is that the best audio and video performance is achieved when you use cables that separate the A/V signals. Within each category below, we'll discuss each of the cable types in order of preference. Each component in your system will have different inputs/outputs, so choose the cable which delivers the best audio/video quality for that component.
Obtaining the Highest Video Qualityhome theater cables
ComponentNext to digital pre-outs, component is the next best thing. While HDMI is becoming more prevalent, even on lower-end electronics, many televisions, DVD players, and receivers still don't have them. If you're in the market for a receiver and you really value picture quality, make sure the receiver has a set of component pre-outs. If you've got multiple sources within your home theater system, the more sets of these the better. Personally, there's no question that I wouldn't buy any electronic device that doesn't have component jacks.
S-Video
Still a high quality video source, but second rate when compared to component. If you're at all serious about your home theater system, I wouldn't stoop any lower than this.
Composite
Until recently, this has been the most common type of input jack seen on the back of a receiver, etc. Most often, this is the cable you'll find packaged in the box. You'll still get a good quality picture, but doesn't hold a candle to either of the previous two.
Coax
Don't consider this an option unless it's the only option. Enough said.
Obtaining the Highest Audio Qualityhome theater cables
Toslink Optical (Digital Optical)Since I'm a big fan of DTS sound, this is a requirement for me. You can't play a DVD encoded with DTS sound unless you have a digital connection, whether that's using a optical or digital coax cable.
Digital Coax
Same as above, However, there's a big debate over which is better (optical vs. coax), but don't let that keep you from flipping the coin. In a typical home theater setup, you can consider them as equals.
Composite (Analog Audio)
In many cases, you might be forced to use these connections for at least one of your home theater sound sources. I would use the digital sources whenever possible -- meaning you'll ultimately have to prioritize which items in your home theater sound arsenal goes digital and which don't.
Advanced Digital Audio/Video Solutionshome theater cables
High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI)The new wave of enhanced audio/video is upon us. HDMI provides you with the best of both worlds with the convenience of a single cable. The cables are still quite expensive, but certainly worth the price to a true home theater enthusiast. We're also starting to see more HDMI on home theater equipment, so that's a good thing, as well.
Digital Video Interface (DVI) The predecessor of HDMI. A high quality video source, but takes a back seat to HDMI. Always choose digital over analog, though.
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