What's the difference between using a HDMI cable vs. using the red,blue,& green component cables for an HD TV?

Question

would it be better to use both, an HDMI cable AND the component cables?

Answer 1

Over a short length, the cables don't make a difference. What is different is that in the case of the component cables, the TV has to convert the component analog signal to digital. In the case of the HDMI cable, the signal is already digital. So there may be a perceptible difference if the TV doesn't do the conversion well.
Putting aside picture quality, the reason you should use the HDMI cable is that it carries the HDCP signals, component does not. If the source device, say a cable box, looks for the HDCP handshake, and doesn't get it, it Will not output an HD signal. So if you want to watch HBO in HD from a cable box, you have to use HDMI or DVI.

Answer 2

I use the component cables. Then again, I spent about $60 on them (gold plated ends, large conductors, thick shielding, etc) for both the video components and audio channels. And, I bought them a few years ago, before HDMI cables were even around. The difference in performance between top-end component video cables and HDMI cables is negligent. But, if you just use standard RCA cables - like the cheap ones the cable TV company gives you - you won't get as good of quality as the HDMI cables.

HDMI cables are actually designed as a standard of connecting an HD monitor to a variety of multimedia devices (HDMI = high definition multimedia interface), such as computers, digital cameras, and gaming consoles. These 19-pin cables carry the actual digital information, where component video cables carry the demodulated HD TV signals themselves. Since the signal in an HDMI cable is digital, it is not susceptible to outside interference affecting the signal, like the component video cables are.

Answer 3

HDMI cables don't lose the Hi Frequency details like the Component cables do....and you really don't need MONSTER Cables unless you actually use component cables...they should help with those type of cables.

As for HDMI, you really want to find Cables that can handle the HDMI 1.3 standard....

You really don't need to use 2 cables for every device.....One or the other, that's it.