marketing in cables

Willow

I am just curious:
how much is makerting and how much is actual.

If I was to buy a set of component cables say at 100$ what difference is there between those cables and same brand, quality video cables or for that matter RCA cable. why not buy 3 video cables....so they may not have the cool little colors on the ends to differ the 3 colors matching on the dvd player.... what is the big difference are there any differences or is it just marketing

steveinaz

99.5% marketing. I seriously doubt there is any significant difference other than the use of different sources for materials, etc.

PolkThug

With component cables, just make sure its 75-ohm rated and you're good-to-go.

Regards,
PolkThug

LittleCar_w/12s

the only difference I know of is component cables are usually made for higher freq with less loss. you might only see an improvement of pricey over cheap if you have HDTV.
-Jerry

Willow

thanks guys this is why I did not mention names I was just wanting to know the nitty gritty, it's pretty much what I suspected
I am not asking for why will sound better as if they are constructed of the same materials just labled and marketed differently they should sound the same. company A can take a good shielded rca coax and market it for a sub cable, dig coax, video, audio, component . but the "guts" of the cable are all the same...this is what I was heading for

dcarlson

If a company does what you're explaining and doesn't label them as such, IMO, it's a shady company you should stay away from.

Willow

I am not looking at any cables right now this hypothetical .....

John K.

Willow this was explained in a couple of previous replies, but the basic question in using a connecting cable is whether or not it should be of 75 ohms impedance. The answer depends on the wavelength of the signal being carried compared to the length of the cable. For digital CD output from a player an "RCA analog" cable(i.e. one not of 75 ohms impedance)is fine for that digital output for distances up to about 40 feet, which covers most home situations. For wavelengths shorter than those involved in CD(e.g. progressive scan TV, HDTV)the allowable length without matched impedance is considerably shorter so except for just a few feet a 75 ohm coaxial cable should be used.

You're correct that if it's a 75 ohm coaxial cable it makes no difference whether it's called composite video, component video, subwoofer(not all subwoofer cables are 75 ohms), digital coaxial, or whatever. If the wavelength and distance involved call for the use of a matched 75 ohm impedance cable, then that's what should be used. For shorter distances there's no problem with carrying digital or other material over an "analog cable" which might have an impedance in the area of 40-50 ohms. Either of these types of cables is available for less than $1 a foot and no factual audio engineering basis exists for exotic cables marketed at outrageously inflated prices.

Willow

Originally posted by John K.
You're correct that if it's a 75 ohm coaxial cable it makes no difference whether it's called composite video, component video, subwoofer(not all subwoofer cables are 75 ohms), digital coaxial, or whatever. If the wavelength and distance involved call for the use of a matched 75 ohm impedance cable, then that's what should be used. For shorter distances there's no problem with carrying digital or other material over an "analog cable" which might have an impedance in the area of 40-50 ohms. Either of these types of cables is available for less than $1 a foot and no factual audio engineering basis exists for exotic cables marketed at outrageously inflated prices.

thank you this is what I was looking for

Tour2ma

Originally posted by Willow
thank you this is what I was looking for

Me, too... that ought to jump start the debate... (goes to get his lawn chair)...

Willow,
One thing you willl notice for sure is the step up to component video from composite and, to a lesser degree, S-Vid connections. Even on a standard TV...