So why is HDMI cable better than other audio-video cables?

Much of the entertainment we enjoy today is based on digital technology, with TVs switching from analogue to digital signals and many new digital players and receivers becoming available in the past few years. This means current entertainment devices like HD (High Definition) TV, DVD players, transmit and play digital content – better in quality than analogue content, but need specialised cables to be able to play picture and sound as recorded. When analogue cables (like Component, S-video, etc.) are used to transmit the content from a digital source (like a DVD) to a digital player (like HD TV), the content is converted from digital to analogue at the source, and then again from analogue to digital in the player. This double conversion results in signal degradation and loss in quality of sound and picture.

HDMI is superior to all other cables because, being digital, it allows the transfer of digital content from the source to the player without losing quality. Also, unlike analogue cables, HDMI carries both the video and audio signal, which results in significantly less cable clutter in your home. Simply put, with HDMI, you will get excellent picture and sound quality with only one cable.

Key differentiators between HDMI, Component and Scart

Overall picture transfer quality:	HDMI	Component	Scart
Signal type:	Digital	Analog	Analog
Maximum resolution supported:	Full HD (4x1080p+)	HD (720p /180i)	Standard (480i)
Separate audio cable required:	No	Yes	No
3D Support:	Yes	No	No
Recommendation:	Best for new generation HD TV's Blue-ray players, game consoles, etc.	Best for HD devices when HDMI inputs are not available	For non-HD devices only