Poll: Do you still use component?
By Ben Drawbaugh 
posted Aug 19th 2008 3:29PM
posted Aug 19th 2008 3:29PM
We live in an ever changing world of electronics -- which is the way we like it -- but sometimes we try to hold on to the past. It's not that we don't like progress or change, but it's just that we feel that for us to throw out all of our old stuff and replace it with new stuff, that the new stuff had better be an improvement. Recently we started playing with Vudu again, and one thing we realized we missed in our review was the fact that HDMI is required for HD viewing. We find this new trend to kill component video a real drag, but wonder is it time to let go? We know that custom integrators don't like HDMI, but other than that, are we the only ones holding on to the ability to use existing custom cables that don't fall out on their own?
...because the Wii doesn't support HDMI.
Seriously, that's why.
+1 here. Fortunately, the Wii is my only component item.
Heck, I even break out the composite for the old PS2 on occasion.
+1
+1
+1
Neither did the original Xbox 360.
Unforutnately yes.
I use component for the Wii, which is not a big deal, but I also have to use it for my DVD player. I don't understand the issue - but my Samsung DVD player doesn't "talk right" to my Samsung HDTV over HDMI. So I have to use component until a software patch is released. And is that ever going to happen? Highly unlikely, even though the PR person in Jersey said that they are currently working on it.
Uh huh. Sure.
It is getting better, but there are few receivers out there with enough HDMI ports. So currently my cable box is using component instead of DVI->HDMI due to a lack of a free HDMI port.
Yes, but only for my Wii and PS2, which don't support HDMI.
Unfortunately, my 360 is of the older variety. It's the only thing still using it in my rig (aside from the Wii, of course).
I have an older 360 as well and I bought used VGA cable at Gamestop a while back for like 12.99. I use this rather than component because it seems to have a more crisp image. I didn't even have my HDTV when I got the cable, but thank god I did. I think they are like 40-50 new. :)
I second that on the VGA cable. Paid $24 for one off eBay. Best thing I have ever bought for my 360. Plus some TV's allow 1080p through the VGA (i.e. Samsung's)!
I do have one of those, but my TV only has one VGA input. I use it for my PC.
Yes, only because my I have an earlier Xbox 360. For DirecTV and anything else I buy, I use HDMI and Toslink (older Onkyo 603 amp).
I, too, use component on...um, components that don't have HDMI. My original XBox is connected to my receiver through component and optical while my Philips DVD recorder is connected through component.
I have nothing against component for everything else, but honestly HDMI cuts down on a LOT of cable clutter in the back of my home theater.
Yes - but only because I have a anon-HDMI Xbox360. My new receiver is ready for all HDMI, and if pressed I may buy the Mad Catz HDMI upgrade for the 360.
I heard that's pretty worthless. I wouldnt buy it.
I did with my Wii when I had it. But I use VGA for my 360 and HDMI for my PS3 & Cable Box... sucks only having one Toslink on my receiver though :/
Get an optical switch from monoprice.com, it's like $10. I use one since my receiver only has 1 optical input and it works great.
@ Prey521
Oh Shi- I didn't even think to see if those existed lol... Thanks for the tip!
When it works HDMI, but have also noticed HDMI after a month or so will act up sometimes. So I change back to component, which ALWAYS works.
Hauppauge HD-PVR FTW!!!
I use component for my HD Cox Cable and HDMI for PS3 and Xbox360.
Yep, still use components. Visually, HDMI doesn't offer any advantage over component so I'm not in a rush to "upgrade". My TV has 2 HDMI ports, one used by my HD-DVD player and the other by my HTPC. I have an XBOX 360 Elite but I have that hooked up to component and optical for audio.
HDMI is still an immature technology (1.1, 1.3, 1.3a or b or c?). The electronics manufacturers are not helping; they push HDMI as if it were a legitimate standard, but it's not quite there yet. And this doesn't even hit on the legal ramifications of playing legal nut unrecognized content that HDMI introduces. For example, only the most expensive A/V receivers support more than one HDMI out port, so if you want to route your HD cable picture or Blu-Ray movie through your receiver to a TV and a computer, for example, you can't unless you spend a bunch- close to $2 grand (suggested retail). I guess you could buy an HDMI multi-port switch, but that defeats the purpose of an all-in-one receiver. So I'll wait a while for things to settle down before I abandon component to spend several thousand $$ on new receivers, HD LCD panels, Blu-Ray players, cables, and whatever else.
What I have today: living room: Sceptre 32" 720p LCD, Denon 2101 receiver, Comcast HD cable, Panasonic DVD changer. Master bedroom: Sceptre 37" 720p LCD, Denon 2101 receiver, Comcast HD cable, Onkyo DVD changer.
To get to the next step for me requires two new HDMI receivers, at least one new LCD screen with HDMI (the 37" Sceptre already supports HDMI so I can keep it for a while), and two Blu-Ray HDMI players (maybe PS3's?). Although I don't have to do all this at once, it's a big chunk of change no matter what.
Rick
I have a very nice Integra receiver that upscales, but is component only. I also have a Wii that is component only. My HD TiVo does HDMI, but I don't use it since I switch everything via my receiver. Maybe if I get a new Harmony remote to handle all of the various inputs, I won't care as much.
Plus, since I'm not buying a Blu-Ray player until there is a good standalone option (though that may be soon, with Sony's new release), I'm fine with component.
I can't imagine replacing my receiver any time soon - it is a real workhorse.
I use component with my Wii and my cable box. I was using it with my XBOX (xbmc) until it died recently. My new HTPC is using HDMI, but only for video. I use the optical out for sound to my receiver, which does not have HDMI. I was using HDMI with the comcast (motorola) cable box for a while, but I was getting weird split screen effects sometimes so I went back to component. I could not tell the difference.
I started using HDMI on everything when I discovered that the picture from my HD cable box looked much crisper over HDMI than it did using component into my Sharp TV. Plus HDMI is the only way to get high-res digital audio from my SACD/DVD-Audio player and my PS3. My Vista Media Center PC also has HDMI (from DVI) going into the TV.
My cable box doesn't play well with HDMI, hand-shake issues, so it's good-old component for me. And with no PC degradation either.
I use Component for my Xbox 360, and one of my HD boxes. Other than that it's HDMI.
My HT was set up around 2004-2005, so it's mostly component, and my denon receiver has a component switch, which is really, really nice when the STBs are all near the stereo and the TV is hung on the wall.
Both my Wii and my Comcast HD box require component.
I've had a component cable from when I went to college, because in the lobby on every floor of the dorm there was a large screen TV. Students could use them to watch TV, watch movies, or play video games. So now why would I buy a HDMI cable when I won't get much more than I can get with the component cable?
The writer added that Custom Integrators don't like HDMI. This statement is very true. We spend our days installing the devices, and if we don't like it, its probably because it doesn't work. Custom Integrators would love to sell consumers HDMI cables and run one cable instead of the 3 component video cables plus additional audio cables. If we integrators feel that doing the extra work of running extra cables ultimately makes ours and our clients' lives easier, you guys better take notice. If you can run HDMI point to point, fine, but if you have to use a switcher, stick with component at all cost.
I use HDMI for my TiVo and I use an HDMI to DVI adapter for my Mac Mini. I use component for my AppleTV. I don't use a DVD player or Blu-ray yet. But when I do get a Blu-ray (if I do) I'll probably use component. Although I do like the simplicity of connecting one cable and a power cord, and I would like the all digital nature of HDMI, the biggest trouble I have is that my TV doesn't pass HDMI audio through the TV's optical output. Fraking Sharp. So I still have to use an optical output to my soundbar since it doesn't have HDMI. I don't have the money to replace it with a receiver and 7.1 speakers.
I use HDMI wherever I can. Component is nice, but it can be a pain remembering 5 wires, and colors and making sure they play nice. Though the problem i have now is I have more devices then I have HDMI ports. (2 on TV, but one links up my Home theatre receiver) so thanks to an HDMI switchbox from Monoprice (shameless plug from a customer), I have Xbox360 with HD, an HD-A30, and a PS3 all fighting for airtime. (Not to mention PS2, XBox, Dreamcast and the WII fighting for Component time)... I just need to buy another TV with more than 2 HDMI outputs.
But seriously, I like the fact that HDMI is one cable, one port, simple and easy to use.
My Xbox 360, PS3, HD DVD & Blu-ray players and DirecTV HD are using HDMI. My Gamecube, Xbox, Wii and PS2 are using component, only the Dreamcast are using VGA.
where's the I've never used component option. I had to pick I've never used neither, which is also true. I don't have a Blu-ray player, or anything that else that requires any of these cables. I do have an HDTV connected to my PC using, an HDMI TO DVI Cable does that count?
I still use component for PS2, DVD, etc. In some cases (and with some cable boxes) component looks much better than HDMI. When I get an Xbox 360 (yes, I'm years out of date), I plan on using HDMI.
My receiver doesn't have HDMI but my PS3 and TV do, so I plug the PS3 into the TV for video then have optical audio going to the receiver. But my cable box, Wii and DVD player all don't have HDMI. Over the next few years I'll upgrade everything slowly and most of my gear will be HDMI though.
I admit it: I'm cheap. I have one HDMI input on my TV, and it's attached to the Toshiba HD-A2. The Dish Network 622, Wii, and region-free DVD player are all attached via component. Here's why:
- I can switch all my component inputs using a cheap AV switch for the video (two stereo, one composite, mapped onto the three video connections), and the receiver for audio. HDMI would have required a $100 HDMI switcher for the video connections, or a new $500 receiver for the whole deal.
- I can use cheap AV cables instead of what were, at the time I set this up, $50 HDMI cables
The quality difference between the 622 hooked up via HDMI and via component really isn't that noticeable, if at all. So why not do it this way?
In the longer term, given the falling prices of receivers that do HDMI and do it properly and are capable of upscaling your component/composite-only connections, I'll eventually buy a receiver to do all of that. There's no rush right now though. The quality is good enough, the thing looks like a mess and some combinations of audio and video require getting up and twiddling knobs at the TV, but that's not worth spending $400-500 to fix. Yet.
...though I have added a few HDMI-supporting receivers to my Amazon wishlist...
I use component because of the reliability and the length of cable that can be used without losing video.
I still use component because I have an old receiver (only video switching it does is RCA) and a nice component auto-switcher (audio authority 1154a) to handle the 360/cable box/ps2/dvd player. I never have to switch anything myself. When I can get an affordable HDMI version of the 1154a (the 1374a doesn't really do it), I might upgrade.
I use HDMI for my PS3, but will not use it with my Time Warner HD-DVR, which just does not work well with HDMI.
When it comes to component I presently have no choice in the matter. The Mitsubishi WS-55411 only accepts component input - no HDMI or DVI-D.
As for the tricky trick of feeding it HD without downconversion, there's http://www.hdfury.com/ and http://www.x-vue.com/Box1020.html
So between that and all the HDMI horror stories I keep hearing from friends, I can't say I'm in a rush to switch just yet.
I would use HDMI, but it doesn't look as good. Grainy. And I've tried three different cables, including a freakingly expensive Monster Cable.
The HDMI cable that got even close to the clarity of the component cables only cost me $10 through Amazon.
Maybe it's the TV. But I don't think so.
I've got about a 50-50 split between HDMI and component, with a PS3, HD-DVD player and Mac Mini all connected with HDMI and a 360, DVD player and PC connected with component. Quality-wise I don't see much difference between a good component cable and HDMI, it's a shame HDMI has to be bundled with the annoying HDCP that causes pretty much all the problems (at no benefit to the consumer).