Are the Audio and Video wires the same with composite (RCA)

[HydrO]

Here is my dilemma, i just purchased a new Geforce4 Ti4200 and it came w/ s-video outputs(and composite). What i'm trying to do is hook my tv up to the computer so i can play movies but i will need a video wire of over 15ft which i cannot seem to find, though i was able to find a 20ft audio composite cable.

My question is since both the video and audio on RCA cables are identical, would there be a problem buying the wire marked for audio and connect between the comp and tv as video?

[SLK001]

No - use the audio cable, but at this distance you may see some noticeable video loss (but the audio and video cable are the same).

Don't bother with gold connectors, either - they have no measureable effect. (And standbye, 'cause here we go into the "gold-connectors-are-better, monster-cables-are-better, etc wars...) This advice is from an Electrical Engineer with over 20 years of experience (Degree: MSEE).

[HydrO]

Thanks for your help SLK001.

How bad do you think the video loss would be? I just found an 18 ft monster cable specifically for video...would it be worth the 40 bucks to get this cable or just got w/ the regular 20ft audio cables?

[leebo]

There is another thing to consider.
Better quality composite video cables are RF sheilded.
This can keep RF (radio frequency) noise from being in the picture (and recorded to the new recording).

The longer your cable run, the more chance of RF noise.

[SLK001]

Try the cheapest route first. If you don't notice any video quality drop, stay with it. (This distance is A LOT farther that I have ever run this kind of cable.)

[tigeroolfd]

Since you are only using it for play back not recording, don't bother with an expensive cable. The 20-ft audio cable should be fine.

[gll99]

I won't contradict an expert but consider this an addendum.

If they are not the same diameter, then likely the shielding won't be as good and there is a higher risk of introducing or sending interference.

Some companies advertise special shielding on the video wire.

In Canada the yellow wire is usually designed specifically for video. In a 3 cable set if no yellow is included then default to the white.

The reason for gold is to stop oxides from forming on contacts when mixing different metals (like dark gray or dull brass). Initially this won't matter but resistance can build up over time.

Yes, you can get away with using almost any wire in many cases but on a long run I would use the lowest resistance cables with the best shielding that I could find at the first sign of trouble.

[HydrO]

Great advice guys. It turns out i measured the distance from the comp to the tv incorrectly and is only about 11ft.

I'll look for RF shielded and if possible gold plated connects, thanks