A/V cable & composite cable

[videohalp]

I need a composite (yellow, white, red) cable to hook up my DVD player to the TV. But the store is out of stock. However, they do have an A/V (yellow, red) cable for the VCRs.

My question is: Is the A/V cable for the VCR the same cable (minus 1 audio) for the DVD?

The jacks look the exact same, but not sure if they use the same signal and stuff.

[fritzi93]

Those are RCA connectors/cables, and they're all the same, apart from color. The color is merely an aid to identification.

As I recall, my first DVD player (an APEX), didn't come with any cables, so I used some spares, two pair, I had saved from (deceased) cassette decks or the like. Hook the audio up first, red to red, white to white. Then a single cable yellow to yellow. You do know that composite is the poorest type connection for video, right?

[jagabo]

The cables are the same except the 2 connector cable only has a single audio channel (mono), the 3 connector cable has two (left, right). You could buy two of those cables and use them together. Use one audio cable (red cable end) for the right channel (red connector), the other audio cable for the right channel (white connector).

[PuzZLeR]

Yes, all three wires are exactly alike - you can use three yellows for all inputs if you like. So, if you have several around, like some of us do from deceased electronics, then go ahead if you don't mind breaking RCA "tradition" of yellow=video, red=right audio channel, white=left audio channel, or if you won't get confused.

Worth emphasizing:

You do know that composite is the poorest type connection for video, right?

For sure. If your video outputs/inputs accept, for example, S-Video as well, you should use this instead of the (yellow) video composite. It may not make a big difference for a VCR with a cruddy EP VHS recording, but will for higher quality stuff, such as DvD and on.

[jagabo]

The yellow wire on some cables might be higher bandwidth or have better shielding. Even so, using it for audio will not be a problem.

[videohalp]

Thanks, everyone, for confirming. By the way, does this also apply to component? Because it cheaper to buy 3 sets of A/V cable than to buy 1 set of component cable.

You do know that composite is the poorest type connection for video, right?

Yes, but that is what my old TV has. And I doubt the quality will make a difference on a 15-inch.

[jagabo]

Component video at standard definition requires about the same bandwidth as composite video. High definition component signals require higher bandwidth so cheap A/V cables may not work as well as real component cables -- you may get a blurry picture.