HDMI vs. Component?

Today when I turned on the TV in my office there was a loud snap which I thought came from the cable box. After a run to the cable company and some phone calls it turns out it was the HDMI section of the TV. I now have it running using component video and it seems to be doing fine. SWMBO says go get new TV but this one seems to be working fine and picture looks just as good as before.

Question is: Is there any reason I need to have HDMI over component?

HDMI is really just convenience. It allows the TV, or reciever, or DVD player to be a hub. That's rather simplistic, but that's the main advantage. Few, if any people, can detect a quality difference between HDMI and Component.

The only issue is when HDMI isn't implemented to complete and matching standards on both ends of the cable. Ran into this trying to get a blu-ray player, a home theater receiver, and a TV of all different brands and such to play nice. Ended up going component on the video & SPDIF for digital audio. That said, I think these issues are becoming more rare lately.

Component doesn't have CEC?

I control all the devices connected to my TV with my TV remote. Because HDMI is awesome like that.

Since the TV is just a TV, I'm going to just keep using it till it quits. Thanks for the info.

Since we're discussing HDMI, can anyone explain to me why when I plug the HMDI-out of my laptop into one of my flat-screen TV's inputs, the TV and computer go berserk?

HDMI has CEC, support for 1080P and 4K resolutions, and HDCP.

Component only supports 720P and 1080I resolutions and doesn't have CEC or HDCP.

Component works fine unless you want to play bluray discs or stream in higher resolutions, all network broadcasts are 720P except for a select few cable networks that are in 1080I.

Source: I've been a satellite TV tech for 12 years.

Ian F wrote: Since we're discussing HDMI, can anyone explain to me why when I plug the HMDI-out of my laptop into one of my flat-screen TV's inputs, the TV and computer go berserk?

HDMI is a smart connection. The TV (monitor in this case) and your device are communicating both HDCP information and resolution information.

In reply to moparman76_69:

Ok. So why did they go whacky and not work (and sent my laptop into blue screen of death mode)?

Look online... Odds are the HDMI module can be replaced really cheaply off somewhere like eBay. I got a new replacement circuit board for mine for under $30 shipped.

Hal wrote: SWMBO says go get new TV

Uhmm...she told you to upgrade and you didn't?

Hey, it works and you can't see the difference. Why spend money you don't need to spend? You can probably get a couple more years before the component section blows up. Then you can buy a nice new set.

1988RedT2 wrote: Hey, it works and you can't see the difference.... You can probably get a couple more years of use in the garage before the component section blows up. So you can buy a nice new set for the house.

FTFY

On a lot of the early LCD TVs you can't get 1:1 pixel mapping (i.e. no "overscan"/stretch) through the HDMI port anyways, gotta go through the component or PC/RGB/VGA/whatever you want to call it input to actually drive the panel correctly and not have it look like crap to begin with.

Stefan (Not Bruce) wrote:

1988RedT2 wrote: Hey, it works and you can't see the difference.... You can probably get a couple more years of use in the garage before the component section blows up. So you can buy a nice new set for the house.

FTFY

I will keep using it till it quits but not in the garage. Garage is way too small to put any TV in.