Posted: 11/9/2007 8:35:06 AM EDT
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I just bought one of those Wally World Toshiba HD DVD players. I have a Toshiba 32" LCD TV, that only displays 720 and not 1080. My question is this, since my TV will only do 720, is it worth buying an HDMI cable to watch DVD's, or will component cables do just fine? What I have read, HDMI is superior if your equipment is up to the 1080 standard, anything less component cables work just as good. Thoughts?? |
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Well, the main reason I am asking has to do with the fact that I have a Harmony 670 remote. What a royal pain in the ass to set up. If I leave component on, I just need to change the DVD player in the Harmony software. If I go HDMI, then I have to change the TV settings in the software. Also looking at getting an XBOX 360, and I only have 2 HDMI slots, 1 taken by the cable box so I was hoping to hook the XBOX up via HDMI. |
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Exactly $8 HDMI cables are the same as $800 HDMI cables - they both send DIGITAL signals (1's or 0's) so it either work, or it won't. Monster and the other BS "High End " brands don't offer ANY improvement over the bargain basement HDMI cables. Any ones that says differently is an assclown. And yes HDMI is FAR better than component in terms of picture quality. FYI- I bought my $8 cable off Amazon - but I bet you can get a similar priced set from Wally World too. |
Yeah it is a shame that the Best Buy stores try pawning off the Monster Cables. I have a friend who was so proud of the fact that he spent $300 on HDMI cables to get the best signal possible. I laughed and told him my $20 HDMI from Wally World is just as good as the uber expensive Monster Cables. I still felt raped for paying $20 for it, and I knew I could get them cheaper from NewEgg, but time is money, and I couldn't wait 1 week to get them. I guess I am going to Wally World! |
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I have a Toshiba upconverting DVD player connected to my 52" DLP. I can't tell the difference between HDMI or Component but I use HDMI. My Dish Network DVR looks better on component than HDMI....  I also have a Harmony remote but once it's set up it's no big deal. If you go HDMI the inexpensive cables will work just fine. |
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For Cables, try SAMS CLUB. Pretty cheap here. IF you don't have one, then try Wal-Mart. Not QUITE as cheap as Sam's, but cheaper than Best Buy/Circuit City/Etc. Internet is probably the cheapest, but, after shipping and time, Sams is probably the best for average sized cables! They either work, or they don't! |
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For your purposes, component is probably fine. Not all HDMI cables are created equal. There are various HDMI specs, from HDMI v1.0 to v1.3. There are even two 1.3 specs, 1.3a and 1.3b. HDMI 1.0 will not carry sufficient bandwidth to support 1080p. For 1080p throughput, you need HDMI 1.3. That being said, there are A LOT of very overpriced HDMI cables out there. Here's a good article on the subject: www.bluejeanscable.com/articles/certified-hdmi-cables.htm |
Tuition.  And I bet it looks REALLY cool. Probably beefy, with visible braided shielding, or very thick insulation, etc. I buy gigantically oversize speaker wire. Not because I can hear any difference on a 6' run, but because it looks so damn cool. Like copper rope. Hell yeah.
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| Well, my TV is only 720 so I don't see why HDMI with 1080p is needed when the tube can't support it. Some articles say component is good up to 1080p. Just wondering about 720p? I am already losing quality, but I bet you can't tell the difference between 720 and 1080 on a 32" screen. |
Wrong and Wrong. HDMI Cables are all digital however cheap cables may not fully meet the HDMI standard and may not pass the HDCP flags. This means you will get one of two options 1) no picture or 2) 480I picture. You are correct that Monster is for ass clowns. HDMI is by no means FAR better than component. I have never met anyone that can actually tell the difference between the two but I have meet tons of people that say they can. HDMI is a digital format however it is converted to an analog signal EVEN IN A DIGITAL TV. The bottom line is there is basically no improvement in PQ from HDMI. HDMI is nice WHEN IT WORKS in that it passes audio and video in one cable. However is has been screwed by HDCP bull crap that makes like tough for regular folks just trying to watch HDTV. Component always works IF you have a TV that will accept HD via Component and a way to send a component signal from your source. |
If/when you step up to a 1080p TV, you'll need the HDM interface to get the full resolution. If you didn't get the 1080p HDDVD player, the component cables will work fine no matter what because component cables are good for up to 1080i....1080p > 1080i. I have a 720p TV and the HDDVD player I bought isn't at all better than the progressive scan (480p) DVD player (on that TV) it replaces. I'm kinda bummed out about it. The TV in the bedroom is a much smaller 1080 set, but I haven't tried it with the 1080p HDDVD player yet. If one reading this doesn't plan on getting a 1080p TV any time soon, then DO NOT GET A 1080p HDDVD player yet because they'll probably be 1/4 of their price now by the time one gets the 1080 TV. |
E-X-A-C-T-L-Y!!!!!!!!! For 1080i, component sends the SAME QUALITY SIGNAL ans HDMI does, but you will not be able to watch all movies in HD1080i with component cables, because the DVD will instruct your player to TURN THE COMPONENT output off or degrade the signal. This has EVERYTHING to do with DRM, and NOTHING to do with quality. This is the MPAA sticking its nose into your home again. Welcome to the future, where you'll be forced to upgrade to protect someone else's rights. |
I didn't bother going there because the guy has a 720 TV...the C-cables will just as good as the HDM interface. I have yet to see a 1080p signal being played through an HDM interface, on a 1080p TV. So, I can't agree with your 1080i vs 1080p statment yet. I can tell you that a 1080p-capable HDDVD player does not improve the PQ over a 480p C-cabled DVD, on a 720p TV....at least that's my personal experience. I've played HDDVDs through the player with it set on 1080i or 1080p and even 720p, and I can't tell the PQ difference, and all these connections were through the HDMI. |