Video Asylum

Posted by DavidLD (A) on August 09, 2004 at 17:59:15

In Reply to: Are all of you "desiginated hooker-uppers" too? posted by Hepcat on August 08, 2004 at 13:15:17:

...The number of connectors on the back of things has been increasing exponentially in recent years. It used to be just RF in and out on the back of VCRs Then we got red and white audio and composite yellow Video which suddenly on DVD players you need an separate RF modulator box if you are going to hook up to a TV with any age on it. Then the three component video connectors Green Blue and some other color I forget oh yah Red. Then a Coaxial connector in Orange for Digital output, not to mention the S-Video output for simulated S-video whatever that is. And that's just what's on the back of my $35 Cyberhome 300 DVD player!

I haven't ordered up my HDTV digital cable box and I'm not exactly excited about doing so. I suspect that will connect somehow to the multipronged DVI connector on the back of the 46 inch Sony. But I've learned I'm already obsolete in the digital connector as the DVI is being replaced by an alternate interface called HDMI which Toshiba now uses. The Sony has a large panel that allows for 7 different video sources all with possibilities for errors.

In short, If I'm confused by the plethora of connectors resolutions and lord only knows what I can't imagine where the casual user is at this point. And we shouldn't be surprised if connections occasionally get made wrong

At some point the manufacurers are going to need to try to work to simplify all of this so that it doesnt take a EEE PhD to hook this stuff up. I can see where it's scaring off the casual user.