Getting the Full Picture with HDTV Cables

With your brand new HDTV (high definition television set), you're well on your way to watching movies and television shows in high definition. However, some problems may prevent you from watching 720p or 1080i/p content, making that new television of yours a nice $1,500 paperweight. Many people don't realize that they will need HDTV cables to watch the content at the correct resolution because their old cables just don't cut it anymore.

From your HD box to your TV

Just because you get the Dish Network or high-definition cable doesn't mean that you're going to be watching those shows at a beautiful, vivid 1080p resolution. The signal your box receives, or that which is included in next generation HD-DVD or Blu-ray discs, doesn't necessarily get transferred to your television. First, you'll need HDTV cables. Why? Simply put, older cables were quite ample for transferring video at the old standard of 420p. Higher resolutions need more bandwidth, and that's where HDTV cables come in.

Standards to Choose From

When it comes to HDTV cables, there are several options you can choose from. HDMI (high definition media interface) and component HDTV cables are both great choices, although the latter is slowly being phased out in favor of HDMI, so older televisions should still be fine with component cables. They both transmit 1080p content, but the way they do it is slightly different. HDMI cables transmit the data all in one stream, while component cables split the picture into three streams: red, green, and blue pictures which help split the bandwidth requirements up. Together, those three RGB pictures are pieced back together by the television to form the picture you actually see.

However, HDTV cables aren't limited to video alone. To get crystalline sound for you audiophiles out there, you'll need to get high definition audio cables as well. Most cables can deliver great sound in two channels (most commonly left and right, although surround sound will also likely include one cable for the center channel and the subwoofer), and these are often delivered over analog cables although digital cables are also becoming available. Both will deliver great sound, but you'll need several of them for a surround sound system.

When you get all your cables together, many people find it useful to help organize them by using twist ties to clump like ones together while keeping the area behind your television and other electronics cleaner. Also, when moving components, you won't be left with a big mess to sort through. To get the best video and audio quality possible, you'll need HDTV cables.