Recommendations for Composite Video Cable?


It's a two-part question:

In my decidedly middling HT set-up, will I benefit from upgrading the composite video connections (from digital cable box to TiVo to TV, and from DVD player to TV)? My TV does not accept component or S-video.

If yes, which brands and models of composite video cables do people like?

-Dan
Ag insider logo xs@2xdrubin
I use IXOS cable, acompany from UK. Its prices are comparable to those from Monster, which is equivalent to the overpricing Bose. IXOS website often does marketing about directional soldered cable with good insulation. I usually got mine IXOS shipped from Accessories4less in FL. Tributeries are very good cables, as suggested by Avguygeorge. Accessories$less currently offers Tributaries on clearance, i.e. S-video 3X shield between $29 through $33 whose MSRP were between $90-$130, depending on the length. I recommend that you get the length that you need b/c the shorter the traveling distance, the less chance of distortion and signal loss. In addition, I highly recommend using a power coditioner to your composite video cable. You may be able to see the difference if you have big screen. If you have a small CRT TV, I doubt that you can notice the difference. I have still have one IXOS professional gold series, 3X shields, 2M long composite cable. Email me if you are interested.
Foxtrot are you perhaps a little tight tonight . You know , like wound the F=ch up ?
I liked Tributaries cheapie stuff. Better than the cheapie straightwire composite cables (ghostbuster?) that I had before. Be sure to get at least 2 meter, and 1 meters seem to be a hard resell on the used market. Plus you'll have more length to work with. YMMV.

Also a power conditioner is a good idea. It'll be a good investment for your next TV (or projector, plasma, or whatever). The monster hts1000 or hts2000 would be a good place to start. Though I am wondering what improvement something like a PS audio plant p300 or a vansevers digital condition would bring over the hts2000?

Darryl is right, I wouldn't invest too much in a TV that doesn't have at least s-video and component inputs. There are a lot of good performing video displays for not that much money. It just depends on what your priorities and budget are. Lots of good standard definition 27-36 flat tube TVs ($300-1000) and $800-1500 SVGA DLP and LCD front projectors. I'm not telling you to upgrade. So don't take my suggestions in a wrong way.
Thanks everybody. Consensus seems to be that I need a new monitor so that I can move to S-video or component. I have a late-80's 27" Proton TV, which refuses to die and, actually, I really like its picture. My wife seems intent on us getting a plasma or LCD flat screen but it's not in the budget right now. I, on the other hand, think we should get a widescreen CRT since we don't need a big screen in our small TV room anyway. Maybe I'll start lobbying. But I suspect we'll stand pat for a while longer.

On a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the best quality and 1 the poorest, where would you place composite, component and S-video?
A few weeks ago, I bought a Philips 963 DVD player from Tweeter ($288 and they paid the shipping). So, what to do with the old JVC? No S connector, much less component video, on the 19" Daewoo in the bedroom. Booked on down to Walmart yesterday and bought a 27" flat screen Sanyo for $277. Now the old JVC hooks up to the component video inputs of the Sanyo and I decided to move the S-VHS VCR to the bedroom also. Who wants to watch tape on a hi def monitor in the living room anyway? As for the picture on the Sanyo...dunno. No one here to help me carry it in, so it's still in the back of the truck. I've seen other Sanyos though and the picture was always great.