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Composite vs Component

K

knemonic

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 14, 2009
682
153
I am debating on buying either the Composite or Component AV cable for my iPhone to play movies on friends TVs.

I want to buy the one that is gonna work on the bulk of TVs out there. The trend seems like most even new TVs will have RCA inputs but I know lots of old TVs wont have component.

So based on the idea of which one I am going to be able to use on most TVs, which one should I go with? As much as quality is nice with the component, if you can't plug the cable into the TV, quality is a waste since you cant watch anything.

Thoughts? Thanks!
 
Depends on how old your friends' TVs are. I'd go with component though. Composite is so...1980s
 
vincenz said:
Depends on how old your friends' TVs are. I'd go with component though. Composite is so...1980s
Click to expand...

Ha! I agree but I guess it is a question if most TVs now a days, like LCD and Plasma have composite.

I know my parents have older tube TVs, which only have composite and s-video input. I would really like the ability to play movies from my iphone on generally all the Tvs out there if possible, which I know is far fetched but the more the merrier.

Component is great but I know there are not too many older tvs with those inputs.

I have friends with newer TVs as well, but it seems like composite is the safer bet.
 
Composite will NOT output HD 720p from your phone, so if you have any intentions on outputting at it's full potential, then you have no choice but component. Easy decision IMHO. ;)
 
328iGuy said:
Composite will NOT output HD 720p from your phone, so if you have any intentions on outputting at it's full potential, then you have no choice but component. Easy decision IMHO. ;)
Click to expand...

I totally understand the issue of quality but my main concern is compatibility, that is being able to go to a friends house and plug it in without concern they have a newer TV.

On the Apple forums they told me to buy both cables, but I kind of cant afford that right now, especially since I just bought my iphone. Also, really wouldn't want to carry around two cables.

I think generally the composite will work on nearly every TV out now a days so I think I may go with it, even though it is an inferior quality.
 
knemonic said:
I totally understand the issue of quality but my main concern is compatibility, that is being able to go to a friends house and plug it in without concern they have a newer TV.

On the Apple forums they told me to buy both cables, but I kind of cant afford that right now, especially since I just bought my iphone. Also, really wouldn't want to carry around two cables.

I think generally the composite will work on nearly every TV out now a days so I think I may go with it, even though it is an inferior quality.
Click to expand...

it will be very low quality on a hdtv. on an older non-hd tv, it will be fine
 
kny3twalker said:
it will be very low quality on a hdtv. on an older non-hd tv, it will be fine
Click to expand...

Totally understand. I will say this though, all my movies are DVD quality, I have no HD videos. I have also noticed that even though it is composite, because it is coming from a higher quality source, the video usually looks better than a vhs tape playing on a TV using composite.

Really the argument comes down to simple issue of this: quality vs compatibility

Composite will most likely work on way more tvs than component, but component's quality is only surpassed by HDMI/VGA.

I found a composite cable for $27 on ebay and what I think i'll is keep an eye for component cable deals. I simply cannot afford to buy both at $40. Also I really dont want to carry around two cables, since this is something I will not be doing on a daily basis. (I am a grad student in Chicago, carrying around tons of stuff, when you dont have a car is a burden).

Thanks!
 
knemonic said:
I am debating on buying either the Composite or Component AV cable for my iPhone to play movies on friends TVs.

I want to buy the one that is gonna work on the bulk of TVs out there. The trend seems like most even new TVs will have RCA inputs but I know lots of old TVs wont have component.

So based on the idea of which one I am going to be able to use on most TVs, which one should I go with? As much as quality is nice with the component, if you can't plug the cable into the TV, quality is a waste since you cant watch anything.

Thoughts? Thanks!
Click to expand...

I am 99.99% sure that no matter how new a TV is, it will ALWAYS have a composite input. For you, get composite.
 
xraytech said:
I am 99.99% sure that no matter how new a TV is, it will ALWAYS have a composite input. For you, get composite.
Click to expand...

That is my thoughts mainly because people still use VCRs and even have old school game consoles, like the sega genesis, which could only be used with composite.

So I think it is safer to go with composite. If I really get tired of the quality issues, then I will sell off the composite and get a component, or just sell my soul or something and have both.
 
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