The component video connection is capable of all High Definition Resolution depending on the source of the signal and the display capabilities of the monitor or TV. Component video should not be confused with composite video which uses a single cable for the video. Composite video is the most common way of connecting a DVD or decoder to a TV; it’s usually the single Yellow cable.
To connect a DVD Player or decoder to a TV using the component method you need 5 cables, three for the video and two for the stereo analogue audio. The photo below shows the backside of a 32 Inch LG Television model No. 32LN5100. In this type of model, just like many other TV models the input Component connectors have the color codes Green, Red and Blue. Component video is capable of carrying various signals such as 480i, 480p, 576i, 576p, 720p, 1080i and the full HD 1080p.
Update 16/10/2019
I did a video version of this article. If you are in hurry or want to understand better. The watch the following video.
The featured image shows the backside of an LG DVD Player model DP432 that supports Component Video output. In the photo I have only connected the Yellow cable just to show you in the background, the black and white colour of the picture. To connect the Video signal of the DVD Player to the TV you need 3 cables. If you cannot buy the cables color coded to match the ports, you can use the normal Yellow, Red and White cable.
This is how I would help you to connect the two items using the normal cable.
- Connect the Yellow cable to the Green port labeled Y port. The Y port carries the luma, a colourless signal. This is basically the brightness. If you were to turn on the TV right now with only this cable then you would be presented with a black and white picture.
- The red cable should be connected to the Red port labeled PR and the last white cable to the Blue port labeled PB. These two ports on the DVD Player usually provide the colour information to the TV. The two cables carry a signal that is known as chroma. The three cables are now carrying what is known as an YPbPr analog component video.
- What about the audio? For the audio, connect another pair of normal red and white cables both to the Audio Out on DVD Player and Audio IN on TV.
- Switch ON the TV and select the Component input
I read somewhere on the internet that there was a conspiracy to eliminate component video by Hollywood’s obsession to eliminate any analog unprotected High definition signals that a bad person could use to steal their content.
But even Samsung and Sony nowadays build Televisions with component terminals. I hope you learnt something new today. You can use this information to add another item to you TV instead of unplugging one item in order to connect another.