Home Theater Components

Component video is a video signal that has been split into two or more components. Component video can be contrasted with composite video, like NTSC, PAL or SECAM etc in which all the video information is combined into a single line-level signal. Like composite, component video cables do not carry audio signals. Reproducing a video signal on a display device (for example, a CRT) is a straightforward process complicated by the multitude of signal sources, which is not that easy to be understood by the common and the non technical minds. DVD, VHS, computers and video game consoles all store, process and transmit video signals using different methods, and often each will provide more than one signal option. One way of maintaining signal clarity is by separating the components of a video signal so that they do not interfere with each other. S-Video, RGB and YPbPr signals comprise two or more separate signals: hence, all are 'component video' signals. For most consumer-level applications, analog component video is used.

Digital component video is slowly becoming popular in both computer and home-theatre applications. To understand this complicated process, we need to understand how the component video actually works. Component video is capable of carrying signals such as 480i, 480p, 576i, 576p, 720p, 1080i and 1080p, although many TVs do not support 1080p through component video. RGB requires an additional signal for synchronizing the video display. Sometimes a full composite video signal may also serve as the sync signal, though often computer monitors will be unable to handle the extra video data. A full composite sync video signal requires four wires – red, green, blue, sync. If separate cables are used, the sync cable is usually colored white or yellow, as is the standard for composite video. Separate sync is most common with VGA, used worldwide for analog computer monitors. Like devices that use composite video or S-video, SoG devices require additional circuitry to remove the sync signal from the green line. Further types of component analogue video signals do not use R,G,B components but rather a colorless component, termed luma, combined with one or more color-carrying components, termed chroma, that give only color information. Both the S-Video component video output (two separate signals) and the YPbPr component video output (three separate signals) seen on DVD players are examples of this method.

Many consumer DVD players, high-definition displays, video projectors and the like, use this form of color coding. In component video systems, additional synchronization signals may need to be sent along with the images. 9-pin Mini-DIN-connectors called "S-Video" or "TV Out" in computer video cards, which usually include an adaptor for component RCA, composite RCA and 4-pin S-Video-Mini-DIN. S-Video (S for Separate) is another type of component video signal (transferring YUV when used for PAL video and YIQ when used for NTSC video), because the luma (Y) and chroma (UV or IQ) signals are transmitted on separate wires. Examples of international component video standards are RS-343 RGB , which consist of 525, 625 or 875 lines and STANAG 3350 Analogue Video Standard , which is NATO military version of RS-343 RGB. Component video connectors are not unique in that the same connectors are used for several different standards; hence, making a component video connection often does not lead to a satisfactory video signal being transferred.