AV Connections module

DOC: UK/CCC/TRAINING/ CONNECTIONS MODULE V1.2

Analogue Connections

Page 1
Common Connections – RF Cable

Connects To….

RF Lead RF Socket

• Very basic connection but carries modulated video and audio

• Normally used in conjunction with other cables to carry TV signals

Page 2
Common Connections – 21 pin Scart

Connects To….

Scart Lead Scart Socket

• Multi-purpose lead carries both audio and video signals.

• Capable of displaying normal video, s-video and RGB signals.
• Can carry Q-Link information
• Contains 20 individual pins

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Common Connections – Phono

Connects To….

Phono Cable Phono Socket

• Single purpose lead, carries audio only

• Basic connections provides only 2-channel stereo
• Will not provide ‘true’ surround sound.

Page 4
Common Connections - Composite

Connects To….

Composite Cable Composite Socket

• Multi Purpose lead which carries both video and audio

• Capable of only simple composite video – no RGB
• Cannot carry Q-Link information
• Consists of 3 coloured ‘phono’ leads – yellow, red and white
• No Auto Switching – The correct AV input must be selected manually.
Page 5
Common Connections – S-Video

Connects To….

S-Video Cable S-Video Socket

• Single purpose lead, carries picture signals only

• Carries high quality S-Video Signal, (superior to composite video).

Page 6
Common Connections - Component

Connects To….

Component Cable Component Socket

• Single purpose lead, carries only high quality video signal

• Cannot carry Q-Link information
• Consists of 3 coloured ‘phono’ plugs – red, green and blue

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Digital Connections

Page 8
Common Connections - HDMI

Connects To….

HDMI Cable HDMI Socket

•HDMI stands for High Definition Multimedia Interface

• Multi purpose lead which carries both audio and video signals
• Digital connection rather than analogue means high quality signal
• Provides HDAVI Auto-switching (CEC auto-switching)
•This type of connection is more common on plasma or LCD products
Page 9
Common Connections - DVI

Connects To….

DVI Cable DVI Socket

• Single purpose lead, carries only high quality video signal

• No Auto-switching
• Digital connection rather than analogue means high quality signal
• This type of connection is more common on Plasma or LCD Products

Page 10
Common Connections – Optical

Connects To….

Optical Cable Optical Socket

• Single purpose lead, carries audio only

• Required to provide Dolby Digital 5.1 from DVD to amplifier
• Digital signal provides high quality audio signal.

Page 11
Common Connections – Digital Coaxial

Connects To….

Digital Coaxial Cable Digital Coaxial Socket

• Single purpose lead, carries audio only

• Required to provide Dolby Digital 5.1 from DVD to amplifier
• Digital signal provides high quality audio signal.
• Less common alternative, used where optical is not available.

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Common Connections – DV Connector (Firewire)

Connects To….

DV Cable DV Socket

• Digital quality signal

• Carries high quality video and audio between digital devices.
•Carries control signals
•Used on computers and digital AV equipment

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Common Connections
Plasma Display Terminal Boards

• Slots into Plasma Display Panel to provide connection sockets

• Can be purchased in Scart, component, DVI, composite and other varieties

Page 14
Signal Type Comparisons
Signal Name Description
RF Carries both Video and Audio
modulated together to form a
transmittable signal down a single
cable
Composite Video Carries Video Only.
Audio must be connected in addition to
get sound
S-Video Carries Video Only as separate Colour
and Black & White Signals
Audio must be connected in addition to
get sound
RGB (Analogue) Carries Red Green and Blue signals
that make up a high quality analogue
picture. Audio must be connected in
addition to get sound
Component Similar in principle to RGB, the Red
Green and Blue signals are calculated
within the TV/Display to produce a
high quality video image
Digital (HDMI) HDMI is used on High definition
products. It carries very high quality
Digital HD video and Digital Audio. It
also incorporates advances switching
technology
Connection Type (s)
RF Connector and Aerial leads
(RF Leads)
Yellow Phono
BNC (Push & Twist)
Scart
Black 4 pin S-Video connector or
Scart. If carrying S-Video via
Scart, it should be a fully wired
type.
Analogue RGB is usually carried
on a Scart connector along with
stereo audio. A fully wired Scart
connector is necessary to use
RGB
3 Separate RCA (Phono) leads
are used to connect the playback
device to the TV/Display. Audio
must be connected in addition to
get sound
The physical connection is also
called HDMI. It is a small simple
to use connector which can fit
through much smaller holes than
a Scart connector
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Notes
Re-modulating RF from a VCR to a TV for
example adds the stereo soundtrack together
to produce Mono sound. Picture quality also
deteriorates when re-modulating a signal.
Produces better quality video picture than RF
as the signal does not have to be modulated
S-Video, also referred to as S-VHS, Y & C or
Chrominance and Luminance, carries better
quality video signals than Composite video.
RGB offers the best in picture quality of any
of the analogue connections. The picture is
bright clear and has sharp clear edges.
Component video, similar to RGB, offers the
best in picture quality of any of the analogue
connections. The picture is bright clear and
has sharp clear edges.
Signals are all digital so they are extremely
good quality and are robust. HDMI also
carries Viera Link control signal and HDCP
digital copyright protection.
Understanding Connections

Technology in the audio visual market has moved at an amazing pace over the past few years with big
advancements in all areas.
The result of this is that even the most modest home audio visual can have upwards of 10 cables connecting
devices, something that at first glance looks extremely daunting.
However, there is absolutely nothing complicated about setting up an audio visual configuration providing you
think about it logically and follow a few simple rules. The most simple way to think of connections is as a road
map, and that specific roads need to be followed in order to get to a destination.
Most modern pieces of equipment are connected via Scart leads or HDMI leads. These are multi purpose leads
and very simple to connect to sockets on devices. For example, a simple setup may consist of a video and a
television connected by a Scart socket at each end and linked with a Scart lead.
Scart sockets are usually labelled in a logical fashion. For example, a television with 2 Scart sockets on the back
will usually label them AV1 and AV2. This also applies for videos, DVDs, and most other equipment.
Take this simplified diagram as an example:

AV1 AV1
Scart Lead
TV Video
AV2
AV2

The ‘road map’ analogy works well on the above diagram. We want the signal to go from the video to the TV AV2
Socket so..
The signal needs to travel straight down the AV1 to reach it’s destination

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Understanding Connections

Continued from page one…

The road map thinking also works well on more complicated configurations as is demonstrated in these diagrams

AV1 AV1
Scart Lead
TV Video
AV2
AV2
Sc
art
Le
ad

AV1
DVD

On the above diagram the video signal still needs to follow the same route as nothing has changed there. The
DVD, however is coming from a different location so needs to follow the AV1 from DVD to arrive at the AV1 on
the Television
The road map thinking also works well on more complicated configurations as is demonstrated in these diagrams

Page 17
Understanding Connections

Continued from page two…

The previous two connection diagrams have involved direct routes from start point to destination. The next
diagram shows a slightly more complicated configuration which involves going via another location before
reaching the final destination.

AV1 AV1
Scart Lead
TV Video
AV2
AV2

Scart Lead
AV1
Sky Box

On this configuration we want the signal to come from the sky box end up at the television AV1 socket. However,
because it is useful to be able to record from the sky box it is a better route to go to the television via the video
recorder.
So, in this example, the signal travels from the Sky box via AV1 and arrives at the AV2 on the video recorder. It
then travels from the AV1 on the video to the AV2 of the television in the normal manner.

Page 18
Understanding Connections

Continued from page three…

The other common type of connection which most people are familiar with is the ‘RF cable’ or ‘Antenna’ cable.
This is the type of cable which has been used for years to carry signals from your house’s roof antenna to videos
and televisions in your front room.
Most audio visual configurations will also need an antenna or ‘RF cable’ to refer to the official term to run right
through their setup in order to carry the signal around the different units. If an RF cable is only plugged into a
video recorder for example, the video recorder will be able to pick up a signal but the television will not because
the cable has not been plugged into the television.
An example of good RF Cabling technique is shown in this diagram. As a rule of thumb, the only devices which
should not include an RF cable in the setup are those which do not have a tuner. For example, a video recorder,
DVD recorder, Sky box, and television should all have an RF cable included in the configuration. However, a
typical DVD player will not as this is purely a playback device.

AV1 AV1
Scart Lead
TV Video
AV2
AV2
Scart Lead

Scart Lead
AV1 AV1
DVD Sky Box
Page 19
Understanding Connections
The newest connection type is the HDMI or High Definition Media Interface. This carries high definition Digital
Audio and Video signals from an HD source such as a BluRay player to the TV. It also carries sophisticated but
simple to use switching and control signals such as Viera Link

HDMI Lead HDMI BluRay

HDMI 1
Player
TV
HDMI 2
HDM
I Lea
d

HDMI Sky HD

Unlike the Scart lead the HDMI carries the Digital Audio and Video Signals in one direction only.

The HDMI also carries an advanced copyright protection system called HDCP. High-bandwidth Digital Content
Protection us used to prevent the illegal copying of high definition material. Both the Source device and the TV
must be HDCP compliant for the picture and sound to be reproduced by the TV.

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