What cables do I need for my tv and cable box?

Question

I just bought a hd plasma tv and want to get the best quality out of it. I will be connecting it to a cable box from Bright HOuse Networks to get HD channels. I am not sure what kind of cable box I will be getting. If it has an hdmi output I understand I only need an hdmi cord to hook the box to the tv. I have also heard of cable boxes that only have dvi and not hdmi. If I get a box with a dvi and not hdmi, what cords will I need to get the best quality?

2008-12-20T10:44:10Z

does dvi have audio too, or do i need a separate cord?

Tech Dude · Accepted Answer

Most cable boxes have HDMi, while others may have DVI. HDMi is both audio and video, but DVI is only video. HDMi will give you the best picture quality possible.

El Presidente · Answer

You would want a DVI to HDMI cable (or DVI to HDMI adapter).

If the box does not have HDMI or DVI, it will likely have component (Y, Pr, Pb) connections which go into the component inputs on your TV.

If it has neither of those, and it is a non-high-def box, use s-video, and then composite (the yellow plug) in that order.

Don't get monster cable, it's stupidly overpriced. Adapters are cheap ~$5, and you can get a 6 foot HDMI cable off of Amazon for ~$20. HDMI is digital, there is no such thing as a "high quality" HDMI cable. The digital signal either reaches the tv in a perfect condition, or it does not.

What cables do I need for my tv and cable box?

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