“I am a big gamer and am looking for the best way to hook up my PS3 and Xbox 360 to my brand new HDTV. I am currently using the component cables the systems came with, but have heard great things about HDMI cables. What are the benefit of HDMI connections and are they worth the purchase? What about other methods such as S-video?”

-- Andres F.

No doubt about it, there are plenty of ways to hook up next generation consoles to your high definition television. This issue has recently become more complex because high definition resolution is quickly becoming the new visual standard. To get the full scoop on this issue we are going to have to start with a brief history of the three different types of connections you mentioned: S-video; component; and HDMI.

S-video connections are, by most standards, outdated; especially when considering a high definition output. If you are planning on making full use of your HDTV, you are probably going to want to skip any S-video connections because they are not able to produce high definition images. The highest resolution an S-video is able to produce on it’s own is 480i, which is roughly the quality of a standard cable channel. While it is convenient to have both audio and video carried through one cable, the quality of output just simply would not be worth it.

Component video is a very popular option for high definition audio and video and these are the cables usually included with newer video game consoles. These cords send video through three different wires (red, green, blue) and audio through two other wires (red and white). The usual output of these cables are 1080i and 720p resolutions, which are high definition but still not the highest quality available. Component video cables are sometimes able to output at 1080p resolution, which is generally considered the highest resolution commonly available. However, this is dependent on the device. Your PS3, for example, does not allow a component connection to send a 1080p resolution to your television. While this is an acceptable choice for most gamers, there are higher quality options available. The five cord connection can also be confusing to some and can lead to a messy setup behind your television.

Now, finally to your question about High-Definition-Multimedia Interface (HDMI) connections. HDMI, like S-video, sends audio and video data through a single cable but is also able to produce high quality resolutions. It sends this information digitally which allows for a very sharp, quick, crisp signal; giving HDMI a combination of the best qualities of S-video and component connections and able to project low quality images (480i) while still supporting the highest possible resolutions (1080p) of the three choices. The amount of bandwidth in an HDMI cable is also astounding, with a common HDTV signal only taking up less than half of the available space. Audio quality also benefits from this setup, supporting everything from standard stereo to full-on surround sound systems. This single cord digital signal also allows for a two-way connection between devices, letting your television communicate back to the gaming system rather than just receiving a signal and outputting a picture.

Through my experience, HDMI is the simplest and highest quality option available to connect your next generation consoles to your high definition television. The resolution is unbeatable and also provides superior audio quality. The single cord setup allows for better organization of cables which results in a much cleaner presentation in a media cabinet.