Proper Wiring

This is pretty old information on this page.  We left this one up for fun, but the new wiring guide with current technology can be found by clicking here. 

Video Wires:  There are several types of video wires.  You will rarely use more than one type of video wire per device.  Most of the following wires control video only, which means when you hook them up by themselves, you'll see the picture but get no sound.  Coax is a twist-on wire that handles both video and audio.  Coax offers the lowest picture quality of all wires and only mono sound.  You shouldn't use this wire if you have other options.  Composite audio/video (also known as RCA) is the first step up from coax.  These wires are red, white, and yellow and are usually included in the box when you buy components.  The yellow wire is for video only and provides a much better picture than coax.  The red and white wires are explained below in the "Audio" section.  S-Video is the next step up.  The connectors are round with 4 pins on the inside.  S-Video controls picture only and will provide a noticeable difference in picture quality even to the untrained eye.  Next, we discuss high-definition wires.  You must use one of these wires in order to get high definition.  RGB is the same type of wire that connects your computer monitor to the main unit (cpu).  Even though RGB gives great picture quality, the only practical use of this wire is to hook the TV to the computer.  Not many components have an RGB output so you probably won't find a use for it.  The next wire in line is called DVI.  It's a multi-pin wire that gives great picture quality, but once again, not many components have an output for DVI so you probably won't use this one either.  A popular wire entering the market now is called HDMI.  It's basically a DVI wire with an added digital audio wire built into it.  This wire is gaining popularity, but most TVs and other components don't have the inputs/outputs for it.  This wire is very expensive- especially when you need long lengths.  Since it's becoming increasingly common, it might be a feature that you look for when you're buying a TV, but more for future use than for the present.  The most commonly used high def wires are called component video cables.  Almost all high definition equipment will have inputs/outputs for component video.  Component video consists of three wires that look just like RCA wires except they are red, blue, and green.  Since component video is so widely used and incorporated into other devices, we recommend using it for all your high-definition video wiring.

Audio Wires:  There are several types of audio wires, and it's important to use the right ones.  The first type is coax.  Like we mentioned earlier, coax only offers mono sound so you shouldn't use it unless you have to.  A step up from coax is composite audio/video or RCA wires.  These wires are red, white, and yellow.  The yellow wire controls video only and the red and white wires control audio.  RCA audio gives you stereo sound which means the left and right speakers have their own signal.  The red wire controls right sound and the white controls left. Now we'll discuss digital audio wires.  In order to get surround sound, aka Dolby Digital, you must use one of these wires.   HDMI is the first option, but since few receivers are compatible with it, you won't be using this wire often.  The next option is optical audio.  It's a fiber optic wire that can be used with almost all components.  The last option is called digital coaxial.  It looks just like a single RCA but it plugs into either a black or orange jack.  It can be used with most devices as well.  The sound quality of digital coax and optical audio is the same.

Interchanging Wires:  One of the most common questions we get is whether or not RCA wires can be used in place of other, more expensive wires.  RCA wires cost much less than most other types of wires.  Component video, powered subwoofer, and digital coaxial wires are all interchangeable, meaning they all use the same type of jack.  There is a difference in the quality of wires though.  Wires are made to fit their function, so using an RCA when you should be using something else will definitely hurt your signal quality.  We recommend using the correct wires for all your equipment.  Yes, it will be more expensive, but you will see and hear the difference.