Component overly sharp?

[NES_Master]

I just recently got myself a new Toshiba 19" LCD TV. I figure it's time to upgrade my video signals, so I tried to connect my DVD player to the TV using component video. It works, and I could tell it was sharper, but images were just so darn bright. Any text on the screen looked like it was doubled/bleeding. I recall my dad having this problem on his 26" flat screen and simply resorted back to RCA. Is this normal?

Now, I wasn't use "true" component cables, just stereo A/V cables, but is there really any difference? Much the same that I'm using standard cables for my coax audio output... Now I do have a set of true component cables, but they are so large and ridged, it's almost impossible to connect them.

[redwudz]

If the video is too bright, adjust your TV settings. That may help with the 'bleeding' issue also. But more often bleeding is from signal crossover and that can be caused by the wrong cable. I would just try the other cable and see if there is any change. You may get away with regular RCA cables when used for component connections if the run is short, less than three feet and you use a quality cable.

But I would use the proper component cable for a longer run. And they are definitely recommended for any run. A proper component cable is matched to the Component specification. A single RCA Composite cable would give you a low quality picture, compared to digital DVI, HDMI or analog Component or S-Video.

And this doesn't seem to be about PCs. Moving you to the DVD Player Forum.

[edDV]

I just recently got myself a new Toshiba 19" LCD TV. I figure it's time to upgrade my video signals, so I tried to connect my DVD player to the TV using component video. It works, and I could tell it was sharper, but images were just so darn bright. Any text on the screen looked like it was doubled/bleeding. I recall my dad having this problem on his 26" flat screen and simply resorted back to RCA. Is this normal?

Now, I wasn't use "true" component cables, just stereo A/V cables, but is there really any difference? Much the same that I'm using standard cables for my coax audio output... Now I do have a set of true component cables, but they are so large and ridged, it's almost impossible to connect them.

Two issues. "RCA" cables come in two types. "Yellow" video cables are 75 ohm coax. These are the same as used for component analog and digital audio so will work OK in those applications. "Red" and "white" audio cables are twisted pair and should not be used for video.

Component analog Y "green", Pb "blue", Pr "red" cable are available in the $10 and $20 range at Walmart. The $20 cables are double shielded and are intended for HD connections.

But your problem seems to be a misadjusted DVD player or a defective TV. To test the TV, plug a known good composite source (e.g. cable box) composite output into the green component input and see if the contrast is normal. The picture will be monochrome.

Your DVD player may have "user" video adjustments for brightness (sets black), contrast (sets peak white) and also chroma saturation and gain.

[NES_Master]

Honestly, I can't tell a huge difference(if any) between my true component cables and the basic A/V cables I had. But whatever, I have component connected to my TV and it's all working as Progressive so I'm happy. The quality still looks a bit poor at times, but I guess it's simply picking up any imperfections. Some of my disks that have lower compression rates look quite poor...

Oh, and cutting down sharpness did help, but it's much lower than I figured I'd need to go. From the default of 70 to about 20!

[edDV]

Honestly, I can't tell a huge difference(if any) between my true component cables and the basic A/V cables I had. But whatever, I have component connected to my TV and it's all working as Progressive so I'm happy. The quality still looks a bit poor at times, but I guess it's simply picking up any imperfections. Some of my disks that have lower compression rates look quite poor...

Oh, and cutting down sharpness did help, but it's much lower than I figured I'd need to go. From the default of 70 to about 20!

Did hooking Y to a known good source show any difference? If not your TV is probably defective.