Component [Video] Connector
Various video signal formats where the overall signal is split into several 'component' signals, to reduce interference and increase the quality of the overall signal. Component video connections (generally RGB, YPbPr, and YCbCr) have a higher picture quality than composite and S-Video signals, though they are generally being superceeded by the digital DVI and HDMI formats.
Component video provides a high quality analog signal that splits the various picture signals into their own cables to reduce interference. Component video uses various incompatible encoding systems:
- RGB - Commonly found on older high-end computer monitors, the RGB format is often referred to as a unique signal format, but it's use of separate cables for the Red, Blue, and Green colour signals makes it a form of component video. For more information about RGB connections see here.
- YCbCr - While it also refers to a signal format used for older analog television broadcasts, YCbCr is generally taken to mean the split of a digital television broadcast into a luminance signal (Y), a blue chrominance signal, and a red chrominance signal (Cr). YCbCr connectors are generally found on newer TV's and digital set top boxes.
- YCC - An abbreviation of YCbCr (see above).
- YPbPr - Commonly found on newer TV's and DVD players, the YPbPr signal uses three separate analog signals: luminance or black and white (Y), BY or blue minus luminance colour difference (Pb), and RY or red minus luminance colour difference (Pr). YPbPr is similar to the YCbCr format used for digital video connections. YPbPr is also known as YPrPb, PrPbY, and PbPrY.
Note: The term YUV is often incorrectly used interchangeably with the YCbCr signal format. YUV in fact refers to the colour space used in the analog PAL and NTSC TV broadcast signals. The colour space used in YCbCr signals is a modified form of YUV.
Component Video is a signal format, and is independent of the actual connector used. For example, a YPbPr signal can equally be carried on a RCA or a BNC connector.
Advantages of Component Video
- Provides a high quality signal, superior to S-Video and Composite connectors.
- YPbPr is a common connector found in most newer TV's and DVD players.
- Supports signals up to 480p, 576p, 720p, 1080i, and 1080p.
Disadvantages of Component Video
- Does not carry a digital signal.
- Slowly being phased out in favour of DVI and HDMI.
- Different component signal formats (e.g. YPbPr and YCbCr) are generally not compatible with each other.
For more information about other TV connectors see here.