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Types of entrances. Component input on the TV what is it

Pixel response time

Dynamic contrast

Contrast

Progressive scan

Permission

TV scan

TV tuner

Viewing angle

Image refresh rate

Interlaced scan

Interfaces (inputs and outputs) in TVs

CI / PCMCIA (Common Interface / Personal Computer Memory Card International Association)- a universal interface designed to connect access cards to a TV, which open the possibility of viewing encoded paid multimedia content.

A so-called Conditional Access Module (CAM) is inserted into a special PCMCIA slot located on the TV, into which a card for access to encrypted programs and films transmitted via satellite, cable or terrestrial digital television, previously purchased from the operator, is inserted.

The CAM module is a decoder that allows you to work with a specific standard digital television such as DVB-S, DVB-C or DVB-T. Some CAM modules can work with several standards at once.

DV (Digital Video)- type of interface and connector for connecting digital signal sources (VCRs, external disks, camcorders, receivers and media players) to the TV. It was introduced in the mid-90s of the last century to connect video cameras from Panasonic, Sony, Philips, JVC and Hitachi using the miniDV standard.

The main advantages of such an interface are high data transfer rates (up to 800 Mbit / s), low signal losses and promising opportunities for use in high-definition television. There are two compatible DV connector options: four-pin (Sony's iLink) and six-pin (Apple's FireWire). An additional two pins are used for power supply.

DVI (Digital Visual Interface)- a type of interface and connector designed for the transmission of analog and digital high definition signals. Used since 1999.

Depending on the type of signal being transmitted, DVI connectors are divided into three main types:

DVI-A - capable of transmitting only an analog signal;
DVI-I - capable of transmitting both analog and digital signals;
DVI-D - capable of transmitting only digital signal.

Digital versions of the interface (DVI-I and DVI-D), in turn, can be of the Single Link and Dual Link types, differing in the number of contacts involved. Single Link connectors can provide FullHD video transmission. To transfer more high resolution Ultra HD format, you will need to use the Dual Link connector.

The main weak point of the DVI interface is the dependence of the picture quality on the characteristics of the connection and the cable length (no more than 5 meters), which requires the use of various hardware and software solutions.

DisplayPort Is a promising interface standard for connecting and simultaneously transmitting high-quality digital video and audio signals, which was developed by a number of well-known companies in 2006 as an alternative to the licensed DVI and HDMI standards. It is used to connect computers and monitors, as well as household panels of various types (PDP, LCD and CRT).

The DisplayPort standard provides high data transfer rates, even exceeding the capabilities of HDMI, and also uses more advanced encryption algorithms for media data to protect it from illegal copying.

Additional advantages of the DisplayPort standard include low power consumption, high noise protection, small size, the ability to connect a longer cable, as well as a secure fixation of the connector using a special latch.

HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface)- the most advanced type of digital interface and connection to date, providing the highest picture and sound quality, equipped with an effective copy protection system. It is a logical development of the DVI-D interface, with which it is fully compatible.

There are special adapters that allow you to connect DVI to HDMI cables. Unlike DVI, the new type of interface is capable of transmitting not only high-quality FullHD video, but also multichannel digitized audio. In addition, HDMI is characterized by a higher bit rate, a smaller connector size, an extended cable length that transmits a signal without distortion (up to 15 meters), and a long-term future of use.

There are 3 types of HDMI connectors:

Type A (19-pin)
Type B (29-pin);
Mini-HDMI (a smaller version of Type A used for connecting video cameras).

RGB- an interface belonging to component types, which is used to connect various video sources (DVD players, TV decoders, computers, game consoles and the like) to the TV.

In an analog interface environment, RGB provides the highest video transmission quality. This result is achieved by breaking the standard RGB signal into separate components (color-difference signals Pb and Pr), as well as synchronization and luminance (Y) signals, each of which is transmitted through a separate cable.

This is the fundamental difference between the component interface and composite RCA (audio-video), in which all the video signal is transmitted through one cable, and the sound through one or two additional wires (stereo or mono). For RGB signal transmission, standard RCA-type cinch connectors or more exotic coaxial BNC-type bayonet connectors are used.

S-Video (Separate Video)- a special interface and a corresponding four-pin mini-DIN connector that allows you to connect an analog video signal source to the monitor. In terms of the quality of the transmitted image, it takes an intermediate place between composite and component interface .

Higher quality video signal transmission is achieved by dividing it into brightness and color components, which are transmitted through separate cables. Special adapters can be used to connect the S-Video and RCA connectors.

USB- a universal connector designed to interconnect various modern digital multimedia devices, including TVs. There are various USB generations with different data transfer rates.

Modern TVs equipped with this type of interface allow you to connect and display multimedia content recorded on compatible Flash drives and external hard drives.

Identification problems external devices and playback of content may be caused by insufficient power supplied through USB port as well as the format of multimedia files that the TV does not recognize. In some models inexpensive TVs The USB port is used exclusively for service purposes.

VGA Is a fairly common standard for transmitting analog video signals to computer monitors and television panels using a 15-pin connector or a five-pin BNC cable. VGA belongs to the component type of interfaces, since it provides separate transmission of the components of the video signal (three color-difference signals, as well as signals of brightness and synchronization), which provides a sufficiently high image quality.

Today the VGA standard is gradually losing its popularity, being replaced by more progressive digital interfaces HDMI, DVI and DisplayPort. The developers of modern electronic equipment have already announced that they will stop supporting of this standard in 2015.

RS-232 interface- a port for serial data transmission, which was originally installed on most personal computers, and recently it has begun to be equipped with modern television panels with a large diagonal.

By connecting a computer to this port, the user can remotely change the parameters of the TV (turn it on and off, change the picture and sound characteristics, select the video signal source) without using a traditional remote control. remote control... Such opportunities may be in demand in the case of using a TV set as a media center or information board in public places. Special software must be installed on the computer beforehand.

In the future, such capabilities may allow the TV to be used as a large screen displaying information from a computer, for example: an original alarm clock, a multimedia reminder board, an alarm and home security system, and the like.

Audio out (stereo)- a set of connectors that allow you to connect external audio audio devices to the TV. Typically, the speakers built into the TV panel cannot provide high quality sound, especially from a multichannel source. The presence of audio output jacks in the TV allows to a certain extent solve this problem by connecting external stereo speakers to it.

Coaxial audio input and output- the presence of these connectors on the TV allows you to connect to it sources and receivers of high-quality digital audio signal, such as DVD players or home theater systems.

Digital interfaces are characterized by the ability to transmit audio signal over a single cable with virtually no noise and interference in multi-channel or stereo format. The connection is made using a shielded cable with RCA cinch plugs.

Component video input and output (YPbPr)- a set of special connectors on TVs and consumer multimedia devices that provide parallel transmission of various components (components) of the video signal over several cables. This type of interface is supported by almost all modern consumer equipment.

The video signal is divided into three components (Pb, Pr and Y), each of which is transmitted over a separate cable:

Color difference Pb (the difference between the level of blue and the brightness of the image);
Color difference Pr (the difference between the level of red and the brightness of the image);
Image brightness levelY with sync pulses.

Due to the separate transmission of the components and their subsequent mixing, the overall video signal is transmitted with less distortion. Component video is transmitted over coaxial cable, at the ends of which there are familiar to many RCA-type “tulip” or BNC connectors.

The optical audio signal itself is transmitted using a sequence of light flashes over a special fiber optic cable, which costs much more than a traditional coaxial cable. It will be justified to use a fiber-optic cable if you are going to transmit an audio signal over a distance exceeding 10 meters, and also use Hi-Fi audio equipment. However, most users can hardly distinguish the quality of multichannel audio transmitted over an optical or coaxial cable.

AV input and output- the earliest way to connect home video equipment to a TV. Belongs to composite interfaces, since the transmission of video and audio signals occurs over two separate cables combined in a pair.

The TV is connected to a VCR or DVD player using an RCA cable, the end plugs of which are popularly called "tulip". It is clear that this method of signal transmission cannot satisfy modern requirements to picture and sound quality due to high losses and low noise immunity. Therefore, there is no need to talk about the transmission of video in HDTV format in this case.

The AV input of the TV allows you to connect home video equipment to it for demonstration on big screen previously recorded video programs, and the AV-out allows you to record broadcasts of terrestrial, satellite or cable television on VCRs and players.

SCART- a standardized European interface and multi-plug connector used to interconnect multimedia devices (TVs, DVD players, VCRs and the like). Present in almost every modern TV released for the European zone. The presence of a 21-pin connector allows high-quality transmission of the entire set of video and audio signals both in digital and analog form.

This interface provides high quality audio and video signal transmission with virtually no loss, and the presence of unoccupied contacts provides prospects for the further development of this standard.

Modern computers are highly capable of working with video, and their owners often watch movies on the monitor screen. And with the advent of barebone multimedia platforms aimed at using as a home media center, the interest in connecting audio and video equipment is only growing.
It is much more convenient and practical to watch video on a large TV screen, especially since almost all modern video cards are equipped with a TV output.
The need to connect a TV to a computer also arises when editing amateur video. As you can easily see in practice, the picture and sound on a computer are significantly different from those that you will later see and hear on TV. Therefore, all video editors allow you to view preliminary editing results on a television receiver directly from the working scale even before creating a movie. Experienced video enthusiasts constantly monitor the picture and sound by displaying them on a television screen, not on a computer monitor.
Topics such as setting up video cards, choosing an image standard, as well as comparing the quality of video outputs of video cards from different manufacturers and solving the problems that arise are beyond the scope of this article - here we will only consider the following questions: what connectors can be found on a TV and on a video card, how they agree with each other and what are the ways to connect a computer to a TV.

Display interfaces

Classic analog interface (VGA)

Computers have been using the 15-pin analog D-Sub HD15 (Mini-D-Sub) interface for quite some time, which is traditionally called the VGA interface. The VGA interface carries red, green, and blue (RGB) signals, as well as horizontal scan (H-Sync) and vertical sync (V-Sync) information.

All modern video cards have such an interface or provide it with an adapter from the universal combined DVI-I (DVI-integrated) interface.

Thus, both digital and analog monitors can be connected to the DVI-I connector. A DVI-I to VGA adapter is usually included with many graphics cards and allows you to connect older monitors with a 15-pin D-Sub (VGA) plug.

Please note that not every DVI interface supports analog VGA signals, which can be obtained through these adapters. Some video cards have a digital DVI-D interface to which you can connect only digital monitors. Visually, this interface differs from DVD-I by the absence of four holes (pins) around the horizontal slot (compare the right side of the white DVI connectors).

Often modern graphics cards are equipped with two DVI outputs, in which case they are usually universal - DVI-I. Such a video card can simultaneously work with any monitors, both analog and digital in any set.

DVI digital interface

The DVI interface (TDMS) was designed primarily for digital monitors that do not require the graphics card to convert digital signals to analog signals.

But since the transition from analog to digital monitors is slow, the developers graphics hardware usually these technologies are used in parallel. In addition, modern video cards can work with two monitors at the same time.

The universal interface DVI-I allows you to use both digital and analog connections, while DVI-D only allows digital connections. However, the DVI-D interface is quite rare today and is usually used only in cheap video adapters.

In addition, DVI digital connectors (both DVI-I and DVI-D) have two varieties - Single Link and Dual Link, which differ in the number of contacts (in Dual Link, all 24 digital contacts are involved, and in Single Link - only 18 ). Single Link is suitable for use in devices with resolutions up to 1920x1080 (full HDTV resolution), for b O higher resolutions already require Dual Link, which allows you to double the number of displayed pixels.

HDMI digital interface

The digital multimedia interface HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) has been developed jointly by a number of large companies- Hitachi, Panasonic, Philips, Sony, etc. The 19-pin version of HDMI is widely used today to transmit high definition television (HDTV) signals up to 1920x1080 (1080i). Higher resolution video signals require Type B 29-pin connectors. In addition, HDMI can provide up to eight channels of 24-bit 192 kHz audio and has a built-in Digital Rights Management (DRM) copyright protection mechanism.

HDMI is relatively new, but it has quite a few competitors in the computer sector, both from the traditional DVI interface and from newer and more advanced interfaces such as UDI or DisplayPort. However, products with HDMI ports are steadily moving into the market, as modern consumer video equipment is increasingly equipped with HDMI connectors. Thus, the rise in popularity of multimedia computing platforms will drive the emergence of graphics and motherboards with HDMI ports, even though computer manufacturers to use this standard, you have to buy a rather expensive license and also pay some flat royalties for each product sold with an HDMI interface.

License fees also increase the cost of products with HDMI ports for the end manufacturer - for example, a video card with an HDMI port will cost about $ 10 more. In addition, it is unlikely that an expensive HDMI cable ($ 10-30) will be included in the package, so you will have to purchase it separately. However, there is hope that with the growing popularity of the HDMI interface, the size of such a markup will gradually decrease.

HDMI uses the same TDMS signal technology as DVI-D, so inexpensive adapters are available for these interfaces.

And while the HDMI interface has not yet replaced DVI, such adapters can be used to connect video equipment via the DVI interface. Please note that HDMI cables cannot be longer than 15m.

New UDI

At the beginning of this year, Intel announced a new digital interface UDI (Unified Display Interface) for connecting digital monitors to a computer. So far, Intel has just announced the development of a new type of connection, but in the near future it plans to completely abandon the old analog VGA interface and connect computers to display devices through a new digital interface UDI, recently developed by the engineers of this company.

The creation of the new interface is due to the fact that both the analog VGA interface and even the digital DVI interface, according to representatives Intel are hopelessly outdated today. In addition, these interfaces do not support the latest content protection systems found in next generation digital media such as HD-DVD and Blu-ray.

Thus, UDI is almost analogous to the HDMI interface used to connect computers to modern HDTVs. The main (and perhaps the only) difference between UDI and HDMI will be the absence of an audio channel, that is, UDI will transmit only video and is entirely designed to work with computer monitors, not HD-TVs. In addition, Intel appears to be unwilling to pay royalties for every HDMI device it produces, so UDI is a good alternative for companies looking to keep their products cheaper.

The new interface is fully compatible with HDMI, and will also support all currently known content protection systems, which will allow the smooth playback of new media equipped with copy protection.

New DisplayPort interface

Another new video interface, DisplayPort, has recently been approved by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA).

The open DisplayPort standard has been developed by a number of large companies, including ATI Technologies, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, nVidia, Royal Philips Electronics, and Samsung Electronics. It is assumed that in the future, DisplayPort will become a universal digital interface that allows you to connect displays different types(plasma, liquid crystal, CRT monitors, etc.) for household devices and computer equipment.

The DisplayPort 1.0 specification provides for the possibility of simultaneous transmission of both video signal and audio streaming (in this sense new interface completely analogous to HDMI). Note that the maximum throughput the DisplayPort standard is 10.8 Gbps, with a relatively thin, four-conductor interconnect cable used for transmission.

Another feature of DisplayPort is its support for content protection functions (similar to HDMI and UDI). Built-in security controls allow the content of a document or video file to be displayed only on a limited number of “authorized” devices, which theoretically reduces the likelihood of illegal copying of copyrighted material. Finally, the new standard connectors are thinner than today's DVI and D-Sub connectors. This will allow DisplayPorts to be used in small form factor hardware and easily build multi-channel devices.

DisplayPort support has already been announced by Dell, HP and Lenovo. Most likely, the first devices equipped with new video interfaces will appear before the end of this year.

Video connector on graphics card

On modern video cards, in addition to connectors for connecting monitors (analog - D-Sub or digital - DVI), there is a composite video output ("tulip"), or a 4-pin S-Video output, or a 7-pin combined video output ( both S-Video and composite inputs and outputs).

In the case of S-Video, the situation is simple - there are S-Video cables or adapters for other SCART connectors on sale.

However, when a non-standard 7-pin connector is found on video cards, then in this case it is better to keep the adapter that comes with the video card, because there are several wiring standards for such a cable.

Composite video (RCA)

The so-called composite video output has long been widely used to connect consumer audio and video equipment. The connector for this signal is usually referred to as RCA (Radio Corporation of America), and popularly referred to as "tulip" or VHS connector. Please note that not only composite video or audio, but also many other signals such as component video or high definition television (HDTV) can be transmitted with such plugs in video equipment. Typically, tulip plugs are color-coded to help users navigate the bundle of wires. Common meanings of colors are given in table. 1.

Table 1

	Usage	Signal type
White or black	Sound, left channel	Analog
	Sound, right channel	Analog
	Video, composite signal	Analog
	Luminance Component Signal (Luminance, Luma, Y)	Analog
	Chrominance, Chroma, Cb / Pb Component Signal	Analog
	Chrominance Component (Chrominance, Chroma, Cr / Pr)	Analog
Orange / yellow	SPDIF digital audio	Digital

Composite wires can be long enough (simple adapters can be used to extend wires).

However, the use of low quality connections and sloppy "tulip" switching is gradually becoming a thing of the past. In addition, cheap RCA connectors on equipment often break. Today, other types of switching are increasingly used on digital audio and video equipment, and even when transmitting analog signals, it is more convenient to use SCART.

S-Video

Often the video card and TV have a four-pin S-Video connector (Y / C, Hosiden), which is used to transmit video signals of higher quality than composite. The fact is that the S-Video standard uses different lines to transmit luminance (the luminance and data sync signal is denoted by the letter Y) and color (the chroma signal is denoted by the letter C). Separation of luminance and color signals allows to achieve better picture quality in comparison with the composite RCA-interface ("tulip"). Higher quality analog video can only be achieved with completely separate RGB or component interfaces. To receive a composite signal from S-Video, a simple S-Video to RCA adapter is used.

If you do not have such an adapter, then you can make it yourself. However, there are two options for outputting a composite signal from a video card equipped with an S-Video interface, and the choice depends on the type of your video card. Some cards can switch output modes and send a simple composite signal to the S-Video output. In the mode of supplying such a signal to S-Video, you just need to connect the pins to which the composite signal is supplied with the corresponding tulip outputs.

The RCA cable routing is simple: the center conductor carries the video signal, and the outer braid is the ground.

The S-Video wiring is as follows:

GND - "ground" for the Y-signal;
GND - "ground" for the C-signal;
Y - luminance signal;
C - chrominance signal (contains both color difference).

If the S-Video-out can work in the composite signal supply mode, then the second pin of its connector is connected to ground, and the fourth - the signal. On a collapsible S-Video plug, which is required to make an adapter, the contacts are usually numbered. Jack and plug connectors are numbered mirrored.

If the video card does not have a composite signal output mode, then to obtain it, you will have to mix the chroma and luminance signal from the S-Video signal through a 470 pF capacitor. The signal received in this way is fed to the central core, and the "ground" from the second contact is fed to the braid of the composite cord.

SCART

SCART is the most interesting combined analog interface and is widely used in Europe and Asia. Its name comes from the French abbreviation proposed in 1983 by the Union of Developers of Radio and Television Equipment of France (Syndicat des Constructeurs d'Appareils, Radiorecepteurs et Televiseurs, SCART). This interface combines analog video (composite, S-Video, and RGB), stereo audio, and control signals. Today, every TV or VCR produced in Europe is equipped with at least one SCART socket.

For the transmission of simple analog signals (composite and S-Video), there are many different SCART adapters on the market. This interface is convenient not only because everything is connected using only one cable, but also because it allows you to connect a high-quality RGB video source to a TV without intermediate encoding into composite or S-Video signals and get the best image quality on a consumer TV screen. (the picture and sound quality when fed through SCART is noticeably superior to that of any other analog connections). This possibility, however, is not realized in all VCRs and TVs.

In addition, the developers have incorporated additional capabilities into the SCART interface, having reserved several contacts for the future. And since the SCART interface has become a standard in European countries, it has acquired several new features. For example, with the help of some signals on pin 8, you can control the TV modes via SCART (switch it to "monitor" mode and vice versa), switch the TV to work with RGB signals (pin 16), etc. Pins 10 and 12 are for digital data transmission via SCART, which makes the number of commands practically unlimited. There are several well-known SCART communication systems: Megalogic, used by Grundig; Easy Link from Philips; SmartLink from Sony. True, their use is limited to communication between the TV and the VCR of these companies.

By the way, the standard provides for four types of SCART cables: type U - universal, providing all connections, V - without sound signals, C - without RGB signals, A - without video and RGB signals. Unfortunately, modern component modes (Y, Cb / Pb, Cr / Pr) are not supported in the SCART standard. However, some manufacturers of DVD players and large-format TVs build in the ability to transmit via SCART and component video, which is transmitted through the pins used in the standard for RGB-signal (however, this feature is practically the same from connecting via RGB).

Various adapters are available for connecting composite or S-Video sources to SCART. Many of them are universal (bi-directional) with an I / O switch.

There are also simple unidirectional adapters, mono or stereo adapters, and connectors for switching control. In the case when it is necessary to connect two devices at once to one device, you can use a SCART splitter in two or three directions. Those who are not satisfied with the proposed options or who are not available can make their own in accordance with the pin assignments in SCART, given in table. 2.

The pin numbering is usually indicated on the connector:

Of course, computers do not use a SCART connector, however, knowing its specification, you can always make an appropriate adapter for using an analog computer monitor as a receiver of a video signal from a tape recorder or, on the contrary, for supplying a video signal from a computer to a TV equipped with a SCART connector.

For example, in order to input or output a composite signal from the SCART connector, you need to take a coaxial cable with wave impedance 75 ohms and distribute the outer braid (ground) and the inner core (composite signal) on the SCART connector.

Video signal output from computer to TV (TV-OUT):

the composite signal is fed to pin 20 of the SCART connector;

To input video signal from a VCR to a computer (TV-IN):

composite signal - to the 19th pin of the SCART connector;
"Ground" - to the 17th pin of the SCART connector.

The correspondence of contacts in the manufacture of an adapter for S-Video is also indicated in table. 2.

Video signal output from a computer to a TV via S-Video (TV-OUT):

3rd S-Video pin - 20th SCART pin;

Video signal input from a VCR to a computer via S-Video (TV-IN):

1st S-Video pin - 17th SCART pin;
2nd S-Video pin - 13th SCART pin;
3rd S-Video pin - 19th SCART pin;
4th S-Video pin - 15th SCART pin.

To connect a computer to a TV via RGB, it is necessary that the computer outputs an RGB signal in a form that the TV can understand. Sometimes the RGB signal is fed through a dedicated 7-, 8-, or 9-pin composite video output. In this case, the video card settings should be able to switch the video output to RGB mode. If the video output on a video card has seven pins (such a plug is called a mini-DIN 7-pin), then in normal mode the S-Video signal is fed to exactly the same pins as in a regular four-pin S-Video connector. And in RGB mode, signals can be distributed to contacts different ways depending on the manufacturer of the video card.

As an example, we can give the correspondence of the contacts of one of these 7-pin connectors with SCART (this layout is used on some video cards based on the NVIDIA chip, but on your video card it may be different):

1st pin mini-DIN 7-pin (GND, "ground") - 17th pin SCART;
2nd pin mini-DIN 7-pin (Green, green) - 11th pin SCART;
3rd pin mini-DIN 7-pin (Sync, sweep) - 20th pin SCART;
4th pin mini-DIN 7-pin (Blue, blue) - 7th pin SCART;
5th pin mini-DIN 7-pin (GND, "ground") - 17th pin SCART;
6th pin mini-DIN 7-pin (Red, red) - 15th pin SCART;
7th pin mini-DIN 7-pin (+3 V RGB mode control) - 16th pin SCART.

All types of adapters require the use of high quality 75 Ohm cables.

There is no video connector on the graphics card

If your video card does not have a TV output, then, in principle, you can connect a TV to a regular VGA connector. However, in this case, an electrical signal matching circuit will be required (in the general case, however, it is not complicated). There are special devices on the market that convert ordinary computer VGA signals to RGB and to a scan (sync) signal for the TV. Such a device is connected to a VGA cable between a computer and a monitor and duplicates the signal that goes through the VGA output.

In principle, such a device can be made independently. The correspondence between VGA and SCART signals will be as follows:

VGA SCART PIN SCART Description;
VGA RED - to the 15th SCART pin;
VGA GREEN - to the 11th SCART pin;
VGA BLUE - to the 7th SCART pin;
VGA RGB GROUND - on the 13th, or 9th, or 5th SCART pin;
VGA HSYNC & VSYNC - on the 16th and 20th SCART pins.

You will also need to apply + 1-3 V to the 16th SCART pin and 12 V to the 8th SCART pin to switch to AV mode with an aspect ratio of 4: 3.

However, a direct connection will most likely not work and for synchronization you will have to make an electrical circuit, as shown at http://www.tkk.fi/Misc/Electronics/circuits/vga2tv/circuit.html or http: //www.e.kth .se / ~ pontusf / index2.html.

I am glad to have new communication with my readers and today we will talk about the good old RCA connector. For some, it will be nostalgia for the first experience of using audio-video equipment. Well, to the younger generation, I will tell what kind of an unprecedented wonder that is still found on some devices.

To begin with, according to tradition, a small excursion into the history of radio electronics.

Back in 1940, it became necessary to connect phonographs to amplifiers, and the so far known Radio Corporation of America (RCA) proposed using a connector in the form of a shielded axial contact. Which later inherited the same name and gained immense popularity.

By the way, the principle itself, when one of the contacts plays the role of external protection, has been further developed and is successfully used in more modern connectors.

The subject of the conversation

Now let's take a closer look at the RCA connector and figure out what it is. To begin with, let's pay attention to the element that is inserted (therefore called "dad") and placed on the cable itself. Since a two-wire wire is used, the connector, respectively, consists of 2 contacts. The first (main) is a pin 15 mm long and 3.2 mm in diameter with a rounded head (for easy entry into the socket).

It is located inside a cylindrical shield contact with a diameter of 8 mm, and protrudes from it by 9 mm. The socket, respectively referred to as "mother", is made in the form of a sleeve. Its outer part is a shield contact, and inside there is a hole for a pin to enter.

In both halves of the connector, the space between the center and outer contact is filled with a dielectric material. In inexpensive models, ordinary plastic (polyethylene) is used for this purpose, and in more expensive variations, textolite washers. Well, in the most trump version - Teflon or ceramics.

We found out the physics of the process. Let's move on to the lyrically floral part of our review. This is not just a literary turnover, but an allusion to the second name of the RCA connector, which is commonly called a tulip. Very accurate figurative hitting as there are usually three connectors, one for video, the other two for stereo sound. To distinguish them, the plastic shell of each connector has its own strictly defined color:

Yellow - video;
Red - right audio channel;
White - left audio channel;

Take a cable in your hand, at the end of which there are 3 RCA plugs. Doesn't it look very much like a bouquet of tulips?

Until now, no one has argued with this.

For sound 2 a for video 1 plug

You can ask a logical question. How is it that there are as many as 2 connectors for sound, and only one for a technologically more complex video?

The fact is that a composite signal passes through the “yellow tulip”, which combines all the information:

Brightness;
Chromaticity;
Extinguishing;
Line, frame and color sync;

But there are also blue and green tulips. These are already component plugs for the transmission of individual color video streams.

Popularity that drives excellence

Since we have moved on to such complex technical details, it is time to talk about the technical aspects of using the RCA connector.

Its main purpose is to transmit analog audio-video signal. And he coped with this task brilliantly before the appearance digital standards... At one time, tulips were the only way to connect TVs to VCRs or DVD players.

Convenient connection was actively used in audio equipment and amplifiers. Hardware manufacturers even made such outputs on a sound card.

And the craftsmen performed a special RCA wiring for connecting TVs as a monitor to a PC.

Over time, many industrial cables and adapters have appeared that allow you to connect TV to more modern gadgets. For example, using an RCA-mini jack cable, it was possible to send content from some smartphones.

Now the RCA connector can still be found on modern TVs or projectors, designed to be connected to some video playback devices. However, on screens with a maximum resolution of 4K and higher, the transmission analog signal through RCA looks pointless. Why?

Yes, because the usual composite (rca) is able to output a maximum of Full HD.

And therefore, manufacturers are abandoning it in favor of more modern information transfer standards.

As you understand, my dear readers, the era of RCA connectors is coming to an end. But it is still necessary to pay tribute to them. I hope you have more modern technology at your disposal. And the one with tulips will simply remind of the rapid progress of technology.

On this I say goodbye and promise that we will continue talking about different connectors.

See you soon.

Composite video

Composite video signal of "color stripes" on the oscilloscope screen. The luminance signal, subcarrier and sync signal are visible

Composite video, composite video- full analog television color video signal transmitted over one communication line separately from sound. Unlike component video, in which the individual components of the video signal - luminance and chrominance - are transmitted over separate lines, composite video requires a single communication line and, together with sound, makes up a complete television signal, ready for broadcast.

Composite signal composition

A full color video signal contains three main components: a luminance signal, a subcarrier modulated with a chroma signal, and a sync signal consisting of horizontal and vertical sync pulses, blanking and equalizing pulses. The subcarrier also contains color bursts. Therefore, in foreign sources, composite video is often referred to as CVBS, which stands for “Color, Video, Blank and Sync”.

Video recording

Also, the term is used in relation to analog video recording formats. Most common video recording formats are considered composite, since they use one group of video heads and a signal processing path to record / reproduce all components of the video signal. However, in most composite formats, the luminance signal and subcarrier are separated to carry the spectrum of the latter, so that its frequencies fall within the recorded range. When played back, the signal is split again for separate luminance and subcarrier processing, and is combined again at the output. This leads to significant quality losses during repeated re-recording, therefore, in broadcast practice, component formats are used, such as Betacam or S-VHS, which use separate video heads and processing paths to record / reproduce individual components of the video signal. Component formats provide higher image quality and allow more re-recordings due to the lack of crosstalk inherent in composite formats.

disadvantages

The use of a composite video signal for TV transmission makes it possible to dispense with a single communication channel and to narrow the frequency band occupied by each TV channel. However, the joint transmission of luminance and chrominance signals requires their separation in the receiving device, in which the appearance of mutual interference that degrades the image quality is inevitable. Therefore, most professional studio equipment uses separate transmission of luma and chroma using component interfaces such as S-Video. The development of consumer video technology and increased demands for video quality has led to the proliferation of component transmission lines between consumer devices. The European SCART interface allows the transmission of a component video signal, just like S-Video, which has become widespread in home video equipment and computers.

Connection types

Composite BNC

RCA connectors for video and stereo sound. Yellow for video, white for mono or left channel for stereo 2ch audio, red for right channel for stereo 2ch audio

The main type of connection for transferring composite video signals between professional image processing and recording devices is a coaxial cable with connectors of the type Bnc... In household devices for transmitting a composite video signal CVBS, as a rule, a cable with standard RCA connectors, commonly called "tulip" (bells), is used. Household composite video cords are rarely coaxial. In this case, the sound is transmitted over a separate wire with similar connectors.

In consumer video technology, the transmission of composite video and audio over two separate wires was often referred to as a "low frequency connection" and was an alternative to a "high frequency" connection, in which a complete television signal using one of the standard TV broadcast channels. This connection is often used in consumer VCRs to transfer images and sound to a TV set.

Types of entrances. Component input on the TV what is it