This is not entirely related to Amiga Gaming, but does apply to very narrow circumstances when talking about NG Amiga Gaming display from the HDMI output on some of the newer video cards and trying to connect that output to the input on an older (one of the first made) HD televisions that does not have HDMI inputs, only Coaxial, Composite, S-Video, and Component.

The Component input on my old rear screen projection HD television is the best available input of all those I listed above. The TV has 2 separate Component inputs, so multiple devices can be connected and switched to with the Input Select function of the TV.

My question is this; HDMI is a digital signal, while Component RGB is an analog signal, but I see many cables available which are HDMI on one end and Component Video and Stereo Audio (5 RCA jacks) at the other end. How can such a cable work, if no conversion of the digital to analog signal is taking place? Would the use of such a simple and inexpensive cable harm any devices at either end, if plugged in to see if it would work?

I have looked for HDMI to Component Video and Stereo Audio adapters/convertors, but they are fairly rare. Most devices are only designed for the reverse, to convert Component output to HDMI input, so that some of the older Game Consoles, like the PS3, or X-Box One (which I believe have Component output RCA jacks, but no HDMI outputs), can work with newer monitors or TV’s which only have Composite, Coaxial and HDMI inputs (some of the newest monitors and TV’s don’t even come with coaxial inputs any longer).

I have no problem buying the correct convertor box to do the digital to analog conversion from HDMI output from my video card (as well as my Blu-Ray player) to Component Video & Stereo Audio, so I can connect to the best inputs on my old large screen projection 1080i or 1080p TV, but I thought I would ask the smartest people I know (fellow Amiga.org members) if they have ever had any experience with these cheap cables, to ask if they will damage any of my equipment if I plug them into my TV to test what results I would get.

I don’t understand why such a cable would be manufactured (and there are tons of these cables available), if they can’t be used on anything.

Can any of you explain this to me, and why such cables exist in such large numbers from so many different outlets, if they won’t work, because of the digital to analog signals present on the two different connection standards?