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Connecting your Plasma TV to your other home theater components.

Connecting your plasma TV to your other home theater equipment may at first seem a little daunting, but can be made easier when you know which audio or video device should be connected to each jack. Below are a list of commonly found input on the majority of plasma TVs. Please note some plasmas may offer just a selection of these:

Composite Video Inputs * (RCA or BNC)
The old "AV" standard connector. This is color coded Yellow for Composite video.

S-Video Inputs
Better than "composite video because it separates the luminance (white level) and chrominance (color information). Used on DVD players, TV's, Satellite receivers and Cable TV boxes. Also used on some Computers with TV outputs.

Component Video Inputs * (RCA or BNC)
This is used on most HDTV's and decent or better DVD players. Notice the Red, Green and Blue color coded connectors.

*RCA and BNC are different types of jack inputs with RCA being the most common. BNC cables may be ordered at some higher end stores specializing in plasma display products.

VGA (Video Graphics Array) Inputs
VGA inputs are typically used to connect PCs to plasma screens, the type of cable used is a 15 pin VGA cable which is the same type used to connect regular computer monitors to processors.

On certain models such as the Sony PFM series of plasma displays the VGA input can also be used to connect video components using an RCA - VGA cable. The majority of plasma displays only use the VGA for computer use, so check with your vendor before purchasing a RCA - VGA cable.

DVI (Digital Video Interface) Inputs
This can be either a digital only connection or a combination digital and analog connection. Many new DVD's and STB's (Set top Boxes) for Satellite (DSS) or Digital Cable TV will have these connectors this year. Many new HDTV's and Projectors are using this connection already.

A DVI connection can be one of three types - DVI-I, DVI-D or DVI-A (very rare!) .

DVI-I:
DVI-I contains both the digital and analog connections, (DVI-D + DVI-A) , It's essentially a combination of DVI-D and DVI-A cables within one cable.

DVI-D:
DVI-D (like DFP or P&D-D (EVC)) is a digital only connection. If both devices being connected support a Digital DVI connection (DVI-I or DVI-D compatible) and are compatible in resolutions, refresh rates and sync, using a DVI-D cable will ensure that you are using a digital connection rather than an analog connection, without playing around with settings.

DVI-A:
DVI-A is really rare. Why use a DVI connector when you can use a cheaper VGA connector? see DVI-I P&D-A (EVC) is more common with projectors, and you should go to your projector manufacturer for recommendations.

Audio Inputs
Stereo Analog Audio connections use red and White color coded "RCA" connections. These support mono or stereo analog audio.

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