HDMI > Component on CRT HDTV?

Hi,

I'm currently using component cables to interface my CRT HDTV to the cable
company's HD STB.

Both the HDTV and STB have HDMI ports. I've been looking online for a
decently priced HDMI cable ($40 or less) to run between the two. My main
reason for using HDMI is to free up one set of component ports on the HDTV,
but could I also expect any improvment with HDMI over component? If I
remember right, I believe I read once that HDMI (or DVI) really only becomes
a major improvment with truely digital HDTV's (i.e., LCD) and wouldn't have
that much effect for a CRT?

Thanks..
-Eric

HDMI exists for only one reason....by keeping the signal digital till it's
inside the set, Hollywood eliminates much opportunity for piracy. It was
implemented for that reason only...not for "improving" the quality of your
picture.


"Eric" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I'm currently using component cables to interface my CRT HDTV to the cable
company's HD STB.

Both the HDTV and STB have HDMI ports. I've been looking online for a
decently priced HDMI cable ($40 or less) to run between the two. My main
reason for using HDMI is to free up one set of component ports on the
HDTV,
but could I also expect any improvment with HDMI over component? If I
remember right, I believe I read once that HDMI (or DVI) really only
becomes
a major improvment with truely digital HDTV's (i.e., LCD) and wouldn't
have
that much effect for a CRT?

Thanks..
-Eric

Curmudgeon, although Hollywood now insists on content protection for these
digital connections, I think it is not accurate to say that "it was
implemented for that reason only." DVI was originally developed by the
computer industry and it was not always copy protected. Of course now
everything needs to be DVI-HDCP, which that was definitely Hollywood's
doing. Another perspective is that the all-digital transition has been
going on for years. We've had the digital audio cable for some time and
it's only natural to have a digital video cable as well. HDMI takes this
one step further by combining the two.

Eric, a CRT set is an analog display. Basically whichever piece of
equipment has the better digital to analog converter should be used to do
the conversion. If that happens to be the DVD player then use component
cables. If it's the tv, use DVI or HDMI. Honestly though I am guessing you
wouldn't be able to tell the difference. If buying an HDMI cable is cheaper
than getting component cables then go ahead and get it. Either one will
look fantastic.

Brad

"curmudgeon" wrote in message
.. .
HDMI exists for only one reason....by keeping the signal digital till it's
inside the set, Hollywood eliminates much opportunity for piracy. It was
implemented for that reason only...not for "improving" the quality of your
picture.


"Eric" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I'm currently using component cables to interface my CRT HDTV to the
cable
company's HD STB.

Both the HDTV and STB have HDMI ports. I've been looking online for a
decently priced HDMI cable ($40 or less) to run between the two. My main
reason for using HDMI is to free up one set of component ports on the
HDTV,
but could I also expect any improvment with HDMI over component? If I
remember right, I believe I read once that HDMI (or DVI) really only
becomes
a major improvment with truely digital HDTV's (i.e., LCD) and wouldn't
have
that much effect for a CRT?

Thanks..
-Eric

You forget that by using DVI or HDMI one often avoids additional digital to
analog steps. Also, some DTV's simply have better digital conversion stages
with additional setup features. This advantage is lost in such sets if
analog inputs are used. It is dependent upon the hardware used.

Richard.

Eric, a CRT set is an analog display. Basically whichever piece of
equipment has the better digital to analog converter should be used to do
the conversion. If that happens to be the DVD player then use component
cables. If it's the tv, use DVI or HDMI. Honestly though I am guessing
you
wouldn't be able to tell the difference. If buying an HDMI cable is
cheaper
than getting component cables then go ahead and get it. Either one will
look fantastic.


Hi,

Thanks for the reply. I have a feeling that my HDTV might do a better
digital-analog conversion than the digital cable STB (Time Warner's Pace
HD). The main reason I'm looking to connect using HDMI (well, actually the
box is DVI out and HDTV is HDMI, so I'll be getting a DVI-HDMI cable) is so
I can free up a set of component ports on the TV. I've found the component
passthrough on this Pace STB to not be very good. I want to hook up the
device going through the passthrough directly to the TV. As for sound, this
device has it's audio (fiber) going to a DD receiver, so thats not an issue.

On 18-Nov-2004, "Eric" wrote:

I've been looking online for adecently priced HDMI cable ($40 or less) to
run between the two.


Wal-Mart has a Philips DVI cable for $27.46; I bought one yesterday. It does
free up a component connection but I can't see any difference in the video.
--
John in Sun Prairie

John wrote:
On 18-Nov-2004, "Eric" wrote:

I've been looking online for adecently priced HDMI cable ($40 or
less) to run between the two.


Wal-Mart has a Philips DVI cable for $27.46; I bought one yesterday.
It does free up a component connection but I can't see any difference
in the video.

Now if it was a Monster cable, you would see the difference sic

I've been looking online for adecently priced HDMI cable ($40 or less)
to
run between the two.


Wal-Mart has a Philips DVI cable for $27.46; I bought one yesterday. It
does
free up a component connection but I can't see any difference in the
video.

Hi,

Thanks for the info! I found one online that I was thinking about ordering,
($34), but its even better to just pick one up at Walmart!