Do the kinds of connector really matter?

[azmun]

Here we've gone over lengths of discussion about types of video signal (rf, composite, s-video, component, rgb) and cable (shielding, coax, etc.). There's also been talk about the love/hate relationship between the different kinds of plugs (e.g. SCART, DSUB/VGA, etc.) but in practice, our choice is largely dictated by the ports on our display. PVMs and other professional grade equipment use BNC and I'm curious to know why they didn't opt for RCA (which can use coax wiring). That said and all things equal, will the terminals impact quality of image/graphics or are they (designed and preferred) mostly for convenience? Put another way, is one connector type inherently more lossy or prone to signal degradation/interference than another? For example, component usually comes in the form of RCA but the Japanese have a version via D-Terminal. S-video is most common in the four pin mini-din but can be carried via RCA or SCART. I'm by no means an expert in cable manufacturing but I suppose these cable ends have constraints or limitations regarding how shielding can be done?

Hope I'm not opening a can of worms. I've only breached upon world of analog. The digital domain is smeared with slew of other connectors (DVI, HDMI, Display Port, etc.).

[Guspaz]

Professional grade equipment uses BNC because it's a locking connector and RCA isn't. You never want a cable to fall out during a live performance or broadcast or recording. Ask me how I know.

For most purposes, despite all the debate here, and ignoring some potential what-ifs (like "what if you mix up the sync and +12v lines", a real danger with the Nintendo AV connector) the connector doesn't make any real difference from a consumer standpoint. Different cable types can make a difference, you need only look at the misguided glorification of csync that happened because everybody was using poorly shielded cables and had annoying video interference, and thought that the solution was to use csync instead of using properly shielded cables.

[azmun]

Thank you for that clarification and for shedding some light even on the issue of sync. I guess some things have been blown out of proportion by us enthusiasts. In any case, I'd be interested to hear that story of how a connection may have come lose during some serious setting.

[jamisonia]

I seem to remember a Blue Jeans Cable article that said RCA connectors cannot be truly 75 ohm impedance. However that mismatch isn't relevant at the lengths of cable used in a home setup.

Generally though RCA and BNC connections are going to tolerate long runs without signal degradation better then any other type, and if you needs require it, it's easy to get a thicker cable into the connectors. There are simply practical limits to how much cable you can shove into multi pin connectors, be they SCART, VGA or DIN connectors.

The best setup would be YPbPR BNC connections on both sides. However consumers like the ease of multipin connectors.

[Guspaz]

Thank you for that clarification and for shedding some light even on the issue of sync. I guess some things have been blown out of proportion by us enthusiasts. In any case, I'd be interested to hear that story of how a connection may have come lose during some serious setting.

At our convention, we used cameras for image magnification during concerts and performances. In the early days, we tried HDMI cameras, and the HDMI connectors had a tendency to pull out as the cameras moved around, even though we were using them on fixed tripods. When we had the budget, we moved to HD-SDI cameras that used locking BNC connectors, and never had that problem again, even when we had cameras on dollies and shoulder mounts.

We also had some problems with the power connector to our video mixer coming out during a performance, blanking out the two giant screens that flanked the stage... the culprit was a wayward foot. Locking power connectors are less common than locking video connectors, so we had to solve that one by just being more careful with where we put power cables and power bars and the like. Eventually we just stopped doing video ourselves and paid an AV company to do it for us. It cost a lot more than renting all the gear oureslves, but significantly increased the level of polish and reliability to have actual professionals doing the equipment selection, setup, camera operating, mixer operating, etc. It also let us do some things easier like supplement the manned cameras with a PTZ rigged on one of the lighting trusses. I do kind of miss those seat-of-our-pants we're-in-over-our-heads-but-we-have-to-make-it-work days though.

[tacoguy64]

Im no expert, but I think it doesn't matter. It's most likely a preference thing. Cases can be made for why a cable might be superior in terms of practicality, or convenience. But end of the day, a scart cable is just a different way for consoles outputting a high quality rgb signal, the same way a bnc cable would. The discussion is more nuanced, but what matters most is what you already have, what is available to you, and how much you are willing to spend.

For me, when i started my rgb journey, scart was the most accessible method at the time. So most my consoles have a connection for that. I got me some HD retro vision cables for a few consoles and i been happy with those as well. Dreamcast the only console i use VGA for, but I do use that connection for PC.

[RocketBelt]

Scart cables can become loose over time, making a poor connection. Quality cable is thick, and the plug is held in only by friction.
Sometimes the colours on my TV are not right and have to re-seat the scart cable both ends.
I can see why this would annoy enthusiasts.

[xeos]

I generally think that the wires and the connectors don't matter at all, so long as you are using a high quality signal (ie YPbPR ). But I did once see an exception to this: I had a long VGA cable (15 feet) and it had horrible blur and ghosting. I ponied up for a expensive "low loss" VGA cable that was about twice as thick and the image quality was much improved, as sharp as a 6ft VGA cable.