Component Video Switching

tombanjo2 · Post by **tombanjo2** » Sat Jan 15, 2005 9:26 am

For the longest time I was worried about signal degradation but I finally decided to utilize the component video switching that my Sunfire Theater Grand III pre/pro offers. I hooked up the component cables from my Comcast HD DVR and my Directv HD DVR to the Sunfire and ran another set from the Sunfire mains to the TV.

I'm also going to hook up component cables from my Samsung HD841 DVD player and compare the picture to the DVI hook-up the unit currently has direct to the TV. I was greatly disturbed by the latest bench tests from the Secrets of Home Theater... people which claimed a better reesult from the component cables vs the DVI.

Sunfire claims a more then adaquate 100MHz bandwidth for its Vid inputs and I spoke to a tech who claims that it's strictly a signal pass through with no degradation to the signal at all.

While it is no doubt a huge convenience, I still have a nagging doubt about adding another link to the signal chain. How can going from HD source>pre-amp>TV be equal to going directly from HD source>TV, especially when you need to involve another set of component cables?

I can't really trust my eyes on this yet because sometimes I see something and sometimes I don't, so I figure I'm too biased to trust my own judgement at this point in the experiment. Has there been any testing in this area?

raff · Post by **raff** » Sat Jan 15, 2005 11:38 am

I have used Component Video switching in the past, not with the Sunfire but with high bandwidth switchers. I have not noticed any issues / signal degredation, again using high bandwidth switchers.

akirby · Post by **akirby** » Sat Jan 15, 2005 3:04 pm

If you don't notice any degradation then don't worry about it. I'm using a Denon 100 mhz with no apparent problems (but then again I'm no videophile).

Richard · Post by **Richard** » Sat Jan 15, 2005 5:43 pm

I can't really trust my eyes on this yet because sometimes I see something and sometimes I don't,

Gotta use test patterns... You really have to know your stuff and your sources to use actual images for this and even if you do the first thing you know is you really need test patterns... Then you look at images and if everything is set right you just sit back and know that it is what it is, so enjoy!

I was greatly disturbed by the latest bench tests from the Secrets of Home Theater... people which claimed a better reesult from the component cables vs the DVI.

Got any links?

How can going from HD source>pre-amp>TV be equal to...

If your runs are less than about 8 feet don't sweat it.