Is RCA better than Coaxial?

[TheGreatSatan]

My cable signal comes out of the wall and into my cable receiver. The back of the receiver has coax and RCA (Red, Yellow, White cable) outputs. Which would be a better signal to run to my HDTV?

[LiTHiUM0XiD3]

component! lolz but im sure RCA is better than coax..

[OvRiDe]

Well neither coax or RCA will be HD so it might not make much of a difference. Most cable companies do not out put HD signals to the TV via the coax. In my experience, sometimes the tuner can come into play, we had a TV that was just a little flakey on the tuner so the coax (channel 3) just didn't lock onto the signal well and the picture was just a hair fuzzy, but the RCA inputs don't use the tuner so they were just fine. I would just try both and see which one looks the best to you.

[billygoat333]

I personally have always preferred rca because it seems like the coax makes things just a tad bit fuzzy. might just have been my tv, like overide said.

[LiTHiUM0XiD3]

well ya gotta figure... coax puts everything thro 1 line... and then has to decode it.. (tuner) .... RCA inputs all three separately.. without a need for the decoding... RCA ftw..

[crazybillybob]

Most cable boxes now also have S-Video (it's the one that looks like a PS/2 port) it will give you your best signal. It's noticeable clearer the either the coax or the "RCA" connection...but is not HD either.
You can pick these cables up at Radio shack (you don't need the "monster" sized ones..you normal $5 job will do fine) or online (Allelectronics) or check your parts bin, most video cards tat you've bought in the last 5 years have one included (till the release of hdmi... the manufactures seem to have stopped adding the svideo cable in favor of a DVI/HMI adapter).

If that's not available the "RCA" connection is your next best choice.

CHIMAERA's on the right path to why the difference (all signals super imposed on a single base carrier wave(injects noise into each signal).... limited bandwidth, cross talk, noise imposed in combination of the signals, then again more noise injected in the decoding of the signals, etc).


Good Luck,
CBB

[nevermind1534]

As most of the others have already said, RCA will definitely give you a better signal. I have seen the difference firsthand, from multiple units, and there is a noticeable difference in quality. Less artifacting, etc.

[Airbozo]

There is NO difference. Not on my TV anyway. RCA cables are almost the same as a COAX (depending on the manufacturer). You still have ONE signal line and ONE ground line.

I recently switched from COAX and RCA to dvi->hdmi and the difference is amazing. If you are running COAX or RCA and expect an HD signal, forget it. Paying for HD when you are using COAX or RCA is a waste of money.

[nevermind1534]

There is NO difference. Not on my TV anyway. RCA cables are almost the same as a COAX (depending on the manufacturer). You still have ONE signal line and ONE ground line.

I recently switched from COAX and RCA to dvi->hdmi and the difference is amazing. If you are running COAX or RCA and expect an HD signal, forget it. Paying for HD when you are using COAX or RCA is a waste of money.

The res is no different, but you get less artifacting and bleeding, and can get better colors. How big the difference is also depends on the TV and output device you use.

HDMI would definitely be the best.

[Luke122]

If the back of the cable box only has RCA and Coax outputs, I'd go with RCA to the tv. If it has Svideo or Components (Red/green/blue), use those instead.

Red/Yellow/White RCA's are split for red/white = audio, and yellow = video.