How To Get The Most Out Of Your DVD Player
Oct 19 '01
The Bottom Line Read about one of the most important aspects of DVD players.
Many people underestimate the cables and outputs... They make a great difference in quality.
So please make sure you get the best possible cables that you can squeeze into your budget.
-My Personal Preference-
*In my flagship home theater, I have my Marantz DV-18MkII connected into my Marantz SR-14EX via an Acoustic Research high grade TOSLINK cable. This allows me to get the bets out of Dolby Digital and Marantz. I could've used analog cables, but that would've resulted in much worse sound. The Acoustic Research products are quite expensive, but well worth it. Acoustic Research simply does the best, even better than Monster Cable. For sound cables, I would recommend Acoustic Research most highly, then Monster Cable, and IXOS. For video, I use premium Monster Cable compnent video cables, the DVD player is connected into a digital Sony KP-53V85 TV. I get simply amazing resolution with these cables. My favorite brand is Acoustic Research for cables without doubt, but I also use Monster Cable.
-The Sound-
*More people seem to care about sound quality over the actual video quality. DVD players have a reputation for giving out simply amazing surround sound. DVD and VHS are like day and night. Once you hear digital sound formats, you will have a hard time coping with normal stereo or Pro Logic sound! However, in order to get digital sound, you need a digital connection from your DVD player to your receiver. To acheive this, you use a TOSLINK (optical) cable. They are quite expensive, but the sound that is transmitted through them is simply incomparable to anything else. Through TOSLINK, you will get Dolby Digital and DTS sound formats, from 5.1 to 7.1 channels!
*However, some people don't have home theater decoders. So instead of high priced digital cables, they use either the standard videos, or upgrade to gold-plated RCA cables. The sound that comes from a DVD player is cleaner and better than VHS, even through analog connections. However, you simply can't compare analog to digital.
*There are many options for TOSLINK cables. You can buy premium, or you can buy generic cables. Generic cables range around $10, and are made by GE, RCA, etc... The premium cables are made by Monster Cable, Acoustic Research, IXOS, and other brands. Premium cables are usually $20+. My Acoustic Research cable was quite expensive, but it is definitly worth it for the sound quality that I get.
-Video Quality-
*There are three main connections for video. Most people connect their DVD players directly into their TVs instead of routing the cables into the receiver. This way it is better quality. The three main connections are composite video, S-Video, and component video.
*Composite Video* - Composite video is the cheapest way to connect your DVD player into your TV. A composite video cable is included with the DVD players, it is usually the yellow cable. You can use either standard or gold-plated connectors. Gold-plated jacks usually have better contact, which slightly improves quality. Composite video should be ample for most average viewers, however it simply can't be compared to S-Video or component video.
*S-Video* - S-Video is probably the most popular cable that is used with DVD players. That is because almost ALL TVs have S-Video jacks. You can either purchase generic S-Video cables, or you can take a major step up to premium S-Video. Generic S-Video comes from brands like GE, RCA, etc... They can be purchased at Target or other stores at low prices. However, premium S-Video can be incredibly expensive. My favorite premium S-Video cables are made by Monster Cable. They range from $40+ for a few feet. This is expensive, but the picture quality that you get is astounding. I use a 12ft Monster Cable with my Yamaha DV-S5350 that I also own. S-Video is excellent, but still not the best.
*Component Video* - Component video is the best that you can get for DVD. Componet video cables include three very thin RCA cables. However, they are very delicate and very high-tech. If you use component video cables with an HDTV or plasma, the DVD quality that you will get will amazer you. The component video cables also offer improved picture over S-Video. Once again, there are premium cables, and they cost a very large amount of money! Usually $50+, and I have seen some going for around $80, but the quality will definitly surprise you.
-In Conclusion-
*I hope that you have learned a lot about cables today. Some are significantly better than others. The cables and interconnects withina system are like ateries, it simplly won't work without them. So you'd better be sure that you have good ones. They make a big difference, so leave part of your budget for cables. Many people get the impression that cables are cheap, but DVD cables can end up costing a whole lot of money! So be careful, and research before you buy!
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