1/8 inch to RCA cable question

[FiftyBelow]

Kind of a dumb question... but is there a difference between the 1/8 inch to RCA cables that are colored red and white as opposed to those RCA cables colored yellow and black? I just hooked up a home stereo system to my computer and usually people use the cables with the red and white. Instead i'm using the yellow and black ones (too cheap to go out and buy the red and white ones) in which everything is working perfectly. I guess my question is... is it okay for me to use the yellow and black ones? I'm just a little paranoid that if they're not appropriate ones, I may be doing damage to the stereo or computer . Thanks.

[Bob]

If the only difference is the colour of the cable, which is sounds like it is, you're fine.

[Vulcan]

Usually the yellow is for video so it is often thicker but I've never noticed any problems using it for audio.

[OBCT]

If the connectors are the correct size (which they surely are if you did not notice anything wrong and they work properly), then they will definitely work for audio - no need to worry.

Vulcan is correct in that the yellow cord is usually thicker than the white/red cords, and meant for audio. Here's the reason: a video signal generally requires a different (higher) "resistance" within the cable for optimal transmission in comparison to an audio signal. This means a video signal also usually requires more insulation from surrounding electrical noise and artifacts to achieve a clear picture -- moreso as the length of cable increases -- than an audio cable does to achieve clear sound reproduction over the same length. Though in most cases the type of cable and thickness of insulation is sufficient for the average joe to interchange colours and types without a problem, it is possible for signal degradation to lead to reduced output quality, or lost signal data, etc, in some setup scenarios.

[DownhillGoat]

You'll have to spray paint the ends red and white. No way around it.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by kunkstyle

You'll have to spray paint the ends red and white. No way around it.

But how do you know which one to paint which colour?

[onetwo_threefour]

Originally Posted by OBCT

If the connectors are the correct size (which they surely are if you did not notice anything wrong and they work properly), then they will definitely work for audio - no need to worry.

Vulcan is correct in that the yellow cord is usually thicker than the white/red cords, and meant for audio. Here's the reason: a video signal generally requires a different (higher) "resistance" within the cable for optimal transmission in comparison to an audio signal. This means a video signal also usually requires more insulation from surrounding electrical noise and artifacts to achieve a clear picture -- moreso as the length of cable increases -- than an audio cable does to achieve clear sound reproduction over the same length. Though in most cases the type of cable and thickness of insulation is sufficient for the average joe to interchange colours and types without a problem, it is possible for signal degradation to lead to reduced output quality, or lost signal data, etc, in some setup scenarios.

Higher resistance seems counter-intuitive, wouldn't it be lower resistance? I could be wrong though... wouldn't be the first time. If you used a cable made out of the same material but with a larger cross-section, the resistance would be lower which would make sense to me.

BTW, to actually add something beneficial I am using leftover component video cables to run 5.1 analog from my Blu-ray to my receiver with no problem. In my view the bigger the pipe the better. I've got a half-dozen of those red/white/yellow cables lying around, but the gauge of the wire is so much smaller I figure I'm better off using the nice big fat component video cables.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by onetwo_threefour

Higher resistance seems counter-intuitive, wouldn't it be lower resistance? I could be wrong though... wouldn't be the first time. If you used a cable made out of the same material but with a larger cross-section, the resistance would be lower which would make sense to me.

BTW, to actually add something beneficial I am using leftover component video cables to run 5.1 analog from my Blu-ray to my receiver with no problem. In my view the bigger the pipe the better. I've got a half-dozen of those red/white/yellow cables lying around, but the gauge of the wire is so much smaller I figure I'm better off using the nice big fat component video cables.

Higher impedance, not straight resistance per se - means less current flow, and thus less voltage loss across the wire. The data is in the voltage fluctuations, not the current flow; you don’t need current to drive a speaker coil like you do with the connection from an amp to speakers, so you don’t want any voltage loss occurring at all.

[OBCT]

Originally Posted by onetwo_threefour

Higher resistance seems counter-intuitive, wouldn't it be lower resistance? I could be wrong though... wouldn't be the first time. If you used a cable made out of the same material but with a larger cross-section, the resistance would be lower which would make sense to me.

BTW, to actually add something beneficial I am using leftover component video cables to run 5.1 analog from my Blu-ray to my receiver with no problem. In my view the bigger the pipe the better. I've got a half-dozen of those red/white/yellow cables lying around, but the gauge of the wire is so much smaller I figure I'm better off using the nice big fat component video cables.

Your example is logically coherent, but the fact is that different wiring applications may require different resistance (or more accurately, "transmission line impedance") levels to function optimally in serving different purposes (ie. low attenuation, low signal loss, high power handling, low capacitance, etc).

Generally speaking, most consumer level wiring will function suitably at 75 Ohm, the industry standard for the majority of video and digital audio applications. Analog audio will function adequately at a wider range of resistances than other applications, so the comparison I made in my other post is pretty much erroneous. An analog audio signal is more likely to be successfully transmitted @ 50 Ohm than is a video signal, but that fact isn't really relevant - almost all non-exotic audio/video cables sold today happen to be tested @ ~75 Ohm. I apologize if I convoluted this relatively simple point earlier. 9 times out of 10, the main difference in thicknesses between otherwise similar (including price) cables comes from shielding/insulation, not the wire itself. Shielding is important, especially for video cables, but a thicker gauge of wire costs more than a thinner gauge of wire with a little extra insulation - unless you're talking Monster cables and their bloated advertising budget, but that's another topic entirely.

For some interesting (but not technical) further reading on the subject, check out this link: http://www.bluejeanscable.com/articles/impedance.htm.

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