If you plan to buy a new TV these days, chances are you’ll end up with an all-singing all-dancing HD ready flat-screen number like most modern models are. And although these usually make for an awesome viewing experience, the countless number of cables needed can make the set up quite daunting- especially if you have lots of other devices to attach to it. So we’ve put together a guide to the main cables you’ll need for your new TV, guaranteed to make the install easier and the viewing better.
HDMI Cables (High Definition Multimedia Interface)
Perhaps the most common way to connect your HD TV to devices like your Blu-ray player, HDMI cables deliver high quality audio and visual signals to your screen. The cable itself consists of four shielded twisted pair cables with an identical connector on either end. There are five different types of connector, each differing in size and power, but most TV models require a standard connector. Since the first use of the technology, the design of HDMI cables has been adapted to take into account the advances in technology in the years since its conception. For example, newer versions of the HDMI cable include features enabling 3D, an Ethernet data connection and an improved audio and visual capacity which improves the overall performance of the cable.
SCART Leads (Syndicat des Constructeurs d’Appareils Radiorécepteurs et Téléviseurs)
As the full form of the abbreviation suggests, the SCART lead originated in France and is used to connect audio visual equipment. It carries analogue, standard definition content and for years was the most common method of doing so, widely used to connect equipment such as DVD players to TV systems. With the introduction of the HDMI cable however, which caters for the now more common digital high definition content, the SCART is becoming more and more obsolete. Since many televisions promise HD quality resolution, the HDMI cable is the best option to ensure this quality is met. The SCART lead has a single cable, which gathers all analogue signal and distributes it using a unique 21 pin connector. Most TVs will still have at least one SCART port, so perhaps use this to connect your DVD player and save the image quality of the HDMI cable for your Blu-ray player or HD games console.
Component and Composite video cables (AV)
Although both of these cable types are similar in terms of looks, they fulfil different purposes in terms of audio and visual connections. Component: A component cable consists of five cables. Three of them are for video (green, red and blue) and the other two are for audio purposes. They are more commonly used with HD TVs. Composite: Often called RGB cables (red, green, blue) a composite cable consists of three cables-one for video and two for audio. They are most commonly used to connect games consoles to your TV.
Digital Audio Output
Digital audio output (also known as SPD/IF) cables, are used to connect TVs to home-theatre and surround-sound systems because of the high quality audio signal they transmit. Nowadays, it’s more common to use a HDMI cable for this purpose though, as they carry both audio and visual digital signals through the one cable. But if your home cinema system doesn’t have a HDMI port, then the digital audio output cable is the one to use. Alternatively, if your requirements differ from the services the above mentioned cables provide, why not speak to the experts? Here at Custom Designed Cables we have over twenty years’ experience in providing the best custom cable design services in the UK, and can manufacture the perfect cables for your needs and budget.