Can component pass 1080p to a plasma?

[Yahmoncool]

I'm setting up a plasma 1080p TV - unfortunately HDMI won' t work for the application - would a component cable pass 1080p?

[optivity]

Sorry, a component interface is an analog connection which does not support HDCP. You will not see 1080p content provided without HDCP.

[Yahmoncool]

How about HDMI over 12 meters - is that too long of a distance to pass 1080p?

[optivity]

From Wikipedia regarding the: High-Definition Multimedia Interface (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI)

Distance limitations

"A reported problem with HDMI is the maximum cable length. As with all cables, signal attenuation becomes too high at a certain length. For the standard HDMI copper cables at 28 AWG, some users have found signal performance degrades above a cable length of about 5 meters. For front projection televisions and computer hookups, this can result in lost data and the video device compensating in unacceptable ways.

The HDMI Web site, however, disputes the 5 meter limit. "HDMI technology has been designed to use standard copper cable construction at long lengths. In order to allow cable manufacturers to improve their products through the use of new technologies, HDMI specifies the required performance of a cable but does not specify a maximum cable length. Cable manufacturers are expected to sell reasonably priced copper cables at lengths of up to 15 meters." (from the HDMI FAQ page)

One reported way to increase the distance limit is to increase the thickness of the copper cables, effectively decreasing impedance. 24 AWG wire is considered superior to 28 AWG. Another way is to use fiber optic or dual Cat-5 cables instead of standard copper. Some companies also offer amplifiers and repeaters that can string several HDMI cables together."

Also, check out the: HDMI FAQ (http://www.hdmi.com/about/faq.asp) page.

[cammy]

Optivity brought up some great information on the topic.

For a digital cable I always suggest people not to go longer then 6 meters. They do make longer cables but going digital I wouldnt recommend it since it will start to loose quality. Same goes for audio cables.

Cheers,
Cambryn

[tangfoot]

[QUOTE=cammy]Optivity brought up some great information on the topic.

For a digital cable I always suggest people not to go longer then 6 meters. They do make longer cables but going digital I wouldnt recommend it since it will start to loose quality. Same goes for audio cables.

Cheers,
Cambryn[/QUOTE]

When did audio cables go digital?

[martyj19]

[QUOTE=tangfoot]When did audio cables go digital?[/QUOTE]

About the time we got Dolby and DTS decoders. The signal over optical and coaxial-digital (orange connector) is digital.

[afiggatt]

[QUOTE=optivity]Sorry, a component interface is an analog connection which does not support HDCP. You will not see 1080p content provided without HDCP.[/QUOTE]
Sez who? The current Blu-Ray and HD-DVD players and disks are providing 1080p over the component interface. The down-rez over component is determined by the setting of the Image Constraint Token (ICT) flag on the disk and the studios have stated (or at least most of them) that the ICT flag will be set to off for the time being. Since the analog hole is not that much of a serious threat for the early release bootleg markets, the ICT is likely to stay off for the next few years.

As for the component interface itself, the manual for my commercial TH-42PHD7UY states that the component interface can accept 1080/24p and for that matter 1080/30p. Won't work with 1080/60p however. I expect the consumer Pannys are the same. But the manual needs to be checked to confirm or call the manufacturer to confirm what signals the component interface can handle for the specific model.

My question to the OP is what you do mean by 1080p? A 1080/24p signal from a Blu-Ray player? 1080/60p from a PC? Or do you mean a plasma with 1920x1080p screen resolution?

I have a complaint about this forum and that is people are throwing 1080p way too loosely without context or clarity in frame rate. 1080p is now THE hot buzzword and creating a great deal of confusion as people toss off the term without being specific.

[optivity]

[QUOTE=afiggatt]Sez who? The current Blu-Ray and HD-DVD players and disks are providing 1080p over the component interface. The down-rez over component is determined by the setting of the Image Constraint Token (ICT) flag on the disk and the studios have stated (or at least most of them) that the ICT flag will be set to off for the time being. Since the analog hole is not that much of a serious threat for the early release bootleg markets, the ICT is likely to stay off for the next few years.

As for the component interface itself, the manual for my commercial TH-42PHD7UY states that the component interface can accept 1080/24p and for that matter 1080/30p. Won't work with 1080/60p however. I expect the consumer Pannys are the same. But the manual needs to be checked to confirm or call the manufacturer to confirm what signals the component interface can handle for the specific model.

My question to the OP is what you do mean by 1080p? A 1080/24p signal from a Blu-Ray player? 1080/60p from a PC? Or do you mean a plasma with 1920x1080p screen resolution?

I have a complaint about this forum and that is people are throwing 1080p way too loosely without context or clarity in frame rate. 1080p is now THE hot buzzword and creating a great deal of confusion as people toss off the term without being specific.[/QUOTE]Eh, for now... maybe. I for one have grown tired of spending $$$$ on A/V equipment that can’t do this or that because it lacks some feature, doesn't adhere to some specification or can't play well with the content provided:

"HDCP only works on digital connections, namely HDMI. By dint of the "Image Constraint Token" component HDCP, Hollywood studies have reserved the right to limit HD-signals from Blu-ray and HD-DVD movies, downgrading 1080p to 540p if the signals are transmitted through components not compatible with HDMI video connections. Though the issue has received relatively little mainstream attention, more than 3 million Americans own HDTVs that are inoperable with HDCP. Worse still, both the Xbox 360 (with the forthcoming USB HD-DVD drive) and the low-end $499 PS3 will lack HDMI output, meaning both will be unable to play movies in full 1080p when the Image Constraint Token is implemented.

While Sony and Universal have publicly promised to turn off ICT for the first few years while consumers make the switch to compatible hardware, the fact that many Blu-ray and HD-DVD devices will be marketed as future proof, but will, in fact, not support HDCP, has had us very worried. Apparently we're not alone. Over the weekend, Ars Technica learned that the German news site Spiegel Online reported that a secret, behind-the-scenes deal has been struck between Hollywood studios and consumer electronics heavyweights (including Microsoft and Sony) to not use ICT until 2010 or perhaps 2012."

[size=1]source: Hollywood Agrees to Postpone Image Constraint Token until 2012? (http://gear.ign.com/articles/709/709653p1.html) by Gerry Block.[/size]

So let's all run out right now and spend $1500 on two HD DVD players, to accommodate the "format wars," that may or may not support 1080p over component in three years. By then I'll have that 1080p PDP "monitor" connected to a six-year-old SA8300 :p and I anticipate my cable bill will be ~$200 per month! :eek: But I won't care because "early adopters" like buying twice. :D

[aprather]

[QUOTE=optivity]You will not see 1080p content provided without HDCP.[/QUOTE]

Sorry, this is simply not true.

[lyris]

many Blu-ray and HD-DVD devices will be marketed as future proof, but will, in fact, not support HDCP,
IGN does it yet again with misinformation...

The players DO support HDCP. It's older screens - and current computer video cards - that don't.

[optivity]

[QUOTE=aprather]Sorry, this is simply not true.[/QUOTE]OK, allow me to rephrase:

Except for a handful of DVDs, which most likely you have already viewed many times before, you will not see any 1080p HD content from Cable/Satellite/FiOS providers displayed on or recorded by devices that do not support HDCP.