Will my plasma screen be filled while watching HD channels if I use component cables?

Question

I've recently moved and am now renting a house. My landlord already has Comcast HD installed in the house so I cancelled my own Comcast before moving instead of transferring it into the new house. However, the new house has an older cable box without the HDMI output and the kind folks at Comcast refuse to let me keep my newer box (with HDMI outputs) at my new place and turn in the older one, so now my HDMI cable is currently useless. Also Comcast says the newer boxes are all on back order throughout the land. If I buy component cables, will the the whole screen be filled when watching HD channels or will the sides be cropped off like they are now with my RCA cables?

Answer 1

Yes

Assuming you have an HD box, you can use component cables.

I am sure the box has also a DVI output. You can also use a simple DVI-to-HDMI adaptor and a separate audio cable for even better performance; but component will be OK.

Answer 2

Your TV should have an "Aspect" or "Display" button that lets you fill the screen.

If you watch a HD-CBS, or HD-NBC or any HD broadcast channel in the evening - it will correctly fill your 16:9 screen

But if you watch a Movie or an older show not shot in HD - there can be bars on the sides and top and bottom.  

All HDTV broadcasts are exactly 16:9.  But movies do NOT follow this standard.  There are at least 6 different ratios in use today.  The bars mean you are viewing the movie in Original Aspect Ratio.

Movie lovers prefer this because it's true to the original film makers vision.  (but if you hit the button to fill the screen and distort the image a bit - I wont think bad of you.)

COMPONENT CABLES:

Make sure to buy cables that say "Rated for HD video" or have "90 Mhz" or more bandwidth.  "Component" cables only have to handle standard def video.

My favorite place for HD rated cables is www.bluejeanscables.com  The owner is an honest, no BS type of guy and his website is full of good information about cables.  A good 10 ft cable will run you about $65.