Know The Difference Between RCA vs HDMI

If you are about to purchase a high-end home entertainment system, you will be faced with several options for jacks, connections and cords. Say, for example, you wish to use your television as an extra-large screen to play video games on – video games that you have on your laptop. Or, you want to connect your camcorder to the television to view your videos.

How will you hook up your camera or laptop with your television? How will you decide which option is the best one for you? At some point, you might have to choose between HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface), RCA connectors, optical cables etc.

In this RCA vs HDMI article, we are going to explain the differences between RCA connection and HDMI connection. Once you go through the differences, you can decide on a suitable option for yourself.

What is RCA?

An RCA cable has three color-coded plugs extending from one end. These connect to three correspondingly colored jacks on the back of your television. These are essentially old-fashioned cables carrying audio and video signals from the source to the output device. It is commonly used in camcorders, TVs and stereos.

The two most common types of RCA cables are Composite video and Component.

Composite cables: Composite RCA cables usually use red, white and yellow wires. Composite video is analog and carries all video data in one signal. Since analog video itself consists of three separate signals, the quality takes a hit if all the three signals are squeezed together in one signal. So, composite video is not used for HD analog or digital video signals.
Component cables: Component cables are a bit more sophisticated and are sometimes used in HDTVs. They have three video lines (red, blue and green) and two audio lines (red and white or black). Component cables can transmit much higher resolutions than composite ones.

Most high-end devices that use RCA have all three RCA jacks, so the signal leaving or entering the device goes through three separate devices. This results in the high-quality output. Since RCA cables transmit analog signals, they can’t be plugged directly into a digital device.

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What is HDMI?

HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) is a technology standard designed to transmit HD, high-resolution audio and video signals through a single cable. Which means you just need one line for the connection. It is commonly used in HDTVs, projectors and AV receivers.

HDMI technology delivers a pure and uncompressed digital signal with clear images and multi-channel audio. You only need one cable to set up the connection.

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RCA VS HDMI CONNECTIONS

1. Digital or Analog

HDMI transmits digital signals the same way a computer sends a file to another computer. On the other hand, RCA transmits analog signals in the form of varying voltage levels.

2. Audio

An HDMI connection can transmit both video and audio signals via a single cable. Whereas, in the case of RCA, you will need a different cord to transmit audio signals. Usually, the RCA cable comes with two connectors in red and white, called the audio connectors.

3. Video quality

While a lot of people say that video quality transmitted through HDMI is superior to that of RCA, it is not always the case. Unless the source is Blu-ray or any other 1080p video source, there’s no noticeable difference. RCA cables are capable of carrying up to 1080p video signals.

4. Number of cables

Convenience may be an essential factor if you don’t have enough space. HDMI needs only a single cable to transmit signals, whereas RCA needs five. Therefore, not only is HDMI easier to set-up, but it also takes up less space and looks more organized.

In many ways, RCA cables are just as good as HDMI cables. However, the use of RCA cables has declined over the past few years because of the introduction of HD systems. RCA connections cannot carry a standard HD signal.

However, RCA connections are still used widely in many high-end electronics devices. The main reason for its continued usage, despite the introduction of HDMI, is its reliability. RCA cable set-ups are incredibly reliable and are more affordable than HDMI cables.

Conclusion

So, you may ask, which connection is better? RCA vs HDMI? The answer is, it depends on your device. If you are searching for options for your 4K TV, then HDMI will be the best option for you. However, RCA cables should be your go-to for old devices, satellite TVs, etc. If you are still confused, simply plug in the cables one-by-one and compare. Best of luck!

Stefan

Stefan is a software engineer who graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 2016 and currently living in San Francisco, California. He works in the leading media software industry who is quite an expert in computer manufacturing, systems development, imaging software and document management systems, and consulting. He is so passionate about computers, sports and photography and shares his knowledge by reviewing products at Yournabe.

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