HD Cables/Component Cables the same?

[SlayersRage]

I am currently debating if I want to get the Gears of War 3 console, the only problem is the HDMI ports on my TV are broken. Would the HD Audio/Video cables give me the same quality as HDMI?


I am planning on getting the HDMI fixed, just not in the near future..

 

[Jodou]

Quality? No, but they can display up to 1080i. Hardly any games run at that resolution for 360, so for 720p you're fine.

 

[iiinightmar3ii]

You're not going to notice any difference. Just be aware that the newer consoles don't come with component cables anymore. It's only composite so you'll have to buy the component ones.

 

[Allnatural]

[quote name='Jodou']Quality? No, but they can display up to 1080i. Hardly any games run at that resolution for 360, so for 720p you're fine.[/QUOTE]
Quality will generally be the same, and component can handle 1080p for games just fine (though you're correct that few games actually render at that res).

 

[Jodou]

[quote name='Allnatural']Quality will generally be the same, and component can handle 1080p for games just fine (though you're correct that few games actually render at that res).[/QUOTE]
Technically speaking the quality won't be the same, but you'd never notice the difference unless you're some videophile nerd. Wasn't aware component could handle 1080p now or perhaps I've always been misinformed.

 

[hinotori]

Component video is capable of handling 1080p, and the video quality of HD video over component cable is generally indistinguishable from HDMI. Where it gets sticky is the fact that most TVs employ HDCP, a copy protection scheme that will only allow 1080p over HDMI. So if you had an older HDTV that would allow 1080p over component, then you're good.

Digital sound from optical cable on the 360 is also about as good as you're going to get on the 360, too. I don't think there's a noticeable difference in quality there, either.

However, as mentioned above, few games run in 1080p, and most people can't really tell the difference between 720p and 1080p, even on a 55" or 60" TV.

If you were talking about a PS3 (or a blu-ray or HD-DVD player...if anyone has those anymore), there'd be more reasons to care about HDMI, since HD audio formats do require HDMI.

I'm not sure how many people can tell the difference between Dolby TrueHD or regular old Dolby 5.1, though, so that's also not exactly a dealbreaker for the majority of folks. At that point, you're talking about having a newer receiver that can decode HD audio streams, and chances are the HDMI ports on that receiver would work.