Blu-Ray Player Question...

[momof1princess]

So, DH and I finally broke down and bought a blu-ray player. We have an HDTV, but don't subscribe to HDTV through DirecTV. The blu-ray player is already connected to the TV with the cables that came in the box, but my question is, do we need an HDMI cable to get a better picture, or is the HDMI cable only needed to stream content from the internet or Netflix? This is very confusing to us, lol.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Yes, to get the best picture, you need the HDMI.

 

[bicker]

There are two different ways you can get HD video from a Blu-ray Player into an HDTV: HDMI, or component video. Component video is a set of three connections: Red, Green and Blue (basically). These three connections are aside from the audio connection (which can be done several ways, either coaxial SPDIF or TOSLINK, for multi-channel sound, or red and white RCA cables, for just stereo sound... please let me know if you need more details than that, about the audio side of things).

If you're using component video cables, and you're not unhappy with how many wires you have to have running back and forth, then you probably don't need HDMI cables (at least not at this point).

If, instead, you're using S-video (single black cable, typically) or composite video (single yellow cable, typically), then you're not getting HD from your Blu-ray Disc player, and you should change how you have it connected to your HDTV.

I hope this helps.

 

[bicker]

Yes, to get the best picture, you need the HDMI.

The difference between HDMI and component video cables is negligible in most applications. Imperceptible for most people, in most cases, actually.

 

[momof1princess]

thank you both! we're using the AV cables that came in the box, and the manual says it supplies a standard picture. DH has his heart set on a monster cable HDMI, but they're SO expensive. we could have gotten one at wal-mart the day after thanksgiving for $10, but didn't realize that wasn't the regular price, so we said we'd get it later, lol. now we're kicking ourselves! thank you both again! now we just have to find a sale on an HDMI, lol.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

The difference between HDMI and component video cables is negligible in most applications. Imperceptible for most people, in most cases, actually.

It is approximately the difference between 1080 and 1080p. For regular cable HD, no discernible difference. For BluRay, I see a big difference. My BluRay movies look so sharp with an HDMI cable that it almost seems that you could step into the screen. Before we bought the HDMI cable, we were disappointed in the picture quality. Maybe we had cheap component cables, but they were the ones that came with the Sony player.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

thank you both! we're using the AV cables that came in the box, and the manual says it supplies a standard picture. DH has his heart set on a monster cable HDMI, but they're SO expensive. we could have gotten one at wal-mart the day after thanksgiving for $10, but didn't realize that wasn't the regular price, so we said we'd get it later, lol. now we're kicking ourselves! thank you both again! now we just have to find a sale on an HDMI, lol.

Buy the cheap HDMI cable. It works just as well as the expensive ones.

 

[hsmamato2]

we just got one simply b/c it streamlines our setup- otherwise the cord from the ps3 to the tv has all these clunky end thingys (techie,I know)
it was pricey at Radio Shack,but it cuts down on wires everywhere

 

[bicker]

thank you both! we're using the AV cables that came in the box, and the manual says it supplies a standard picture.

Sounds like composite video. Blech. Definitely get better cables.

DH has his heart set on a monster cable HDMI, but they're SO expensive.

Please do not buy Monster cables. They are insanely and pointlessly overpriced. Buy HDMI cables from monoprice.com, or from amazon.com. You should be able to get what you need for about $5.

It is approximately the difference between 1080 and 1080p. For regular cable HD, no discernible difference. For BluRay, I see a big difference.

There must be something wrong with your component video cables. Component video cables are capable of transmitting 1080p. The only difference between component video cables and HDMI is that HDMI stays digital all the way through the transport, while via component video cables there is a lossless transition to analog and then a lossless transition back. Unless there is something seriously wrong with your component video cables, a typical viewr generally should not be able to detect the difference, except perhaps with sophisticated meters.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

There must be something wrong with your component video cables. Component video cables are capable of transmitting 1080p. The only difference between component video cables and HDMI is that HDMI stays digital all the way through the transport, while via component video cables there is a lossless transition to analog and then a lossless transition back. Unless there is something seriously wrong with your component video cables, a typical viewr generally should not be able to detect the difference, except perhaps with sophisticated meters.

Actually, it looks like it depends. I just read an interesting article about it here:

link...

The Upshot: It Depends

So, which is better, DVI or component? HDMI or component? The answer--unsatisfying, perhaps, but true--is that it depends. It depends upon your source and display devices, and there's no good way, in principle, to say in advance whether the digital or the analog connection will render a better picture. You may even find, say, that your DVD player looks better through its DVI or HDMI output, while your satellite or cable box looks better through its component output, on the same display. In this case, there's no real substitute for simply plugging it in and giving it a try both ways.

 

[bicker]

Here is a good option for an HDMI cable:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10240&cs_id=1024008&p_id=3871

$2.52 each

 

[bicker]

Actually, it looks like it depends. I just read an interesting article about it here:

link...

Interesting reading, if folks are so inclined. However, I think the columnist is writing for videophiles, a group of people who, in my experience, are generally religious about their chosen approaches, and basically love to find differences even when no significant differences exist. I have to give the columnist props for not kowtowing to either one of the religious perspectives, and firmly asserting nothing solid in the article. He strokes each side a little bit, and then ends up equivocating.

I've tried it both ways, with a half dozen different configurations of source and display, and my experience is that it doesn't depend... it simply doesn't matter, either way. The key thing for me is whether or not you have got one set of cabling or the other (HDMI or component video). If you have one, then use it and don't bother acquiring the other.

Of course, that is unless the number of wires matters to you.