Component Video In ... Explained ( Now we’re getting really old school )

Component Video In

Now we’re getting really old school.

The problem with home theater manufacturers is that they have to take into account every eventuality. They can’t just assume that all their customers will be using the same connections and advanced equipment. Hence, the presence of component video ports, a technology that is to modern home entertainment what the penny farthing is to road cycling.

Component video cables split the signal into three separate colour components, which is why they are triple headed monsters. Connecting them is easy enough – just line up the colors. As with all the sections, you don’t have to obey the labels, so feel free to plug your DVD player into the slots marked Cable. Just connect the Out ports of your player to the In ports of your receiver.

But seriously: if you have the option of avoiding component video, do it. It’s a real pain, and HDMI is so much better. And remember, component video just carries video. You’ll need to wire up the audio separately.