BrightIco
Yes, Component will make a big difference.
Monster Component cables will make an even bigger difference...
You should calibrate your television set.
My Sony Wega has been calibrated by myself to my PS2's DVD player.
I switched from Sony brand Component cables to Monster brand component cables and the difference was very noticeable, even at 480i...
FFX-2 looks drastically better with almost 0 alaising issues(except for the shadows from the girls) and very minimal shimmer. The special effects look so crisp and colorful I can't describe them. Imagine a giant Jolly Rancher candy.
I adjusted:
Red Push <-Service Menu
Black Levels <-Service Menu
Geometry *Including Horizontal Size, Vertical Size, all four corner Pins, Horizontal Center, Vertical Center, Vertical Score, Vertical Angle, etc, etc, etc, etc.*<-Service Menu
Turned off Velocity Scan Modulation <- from the Service Menu.
Black Levels (Brightness) <- User Menu
Sharpness to 0 <- User Menu
Contrast <- User Menu
Color <- User Menu
Set the Picture input strength to the highest setting <- User Menu
Cleaned the screen with Endust
This took a long, long, time but was well worth it.
Ofcourse having a Sony Wega with Trinitron Technology and better component color seperation helps a bit
Just thought i would help to clear some things up for you.
Changing your cables shouldent effect your picture THAT much. As has already bee discussed in this thread, ive had my TV set ISF callibrated. I switched from the Sony component cables, to the Monster component cables (for length issues), and noticed no enhancment in picture quality at all whatsoever.
IMHO, if you noticed an improvment, it was do to outside interfearence that was acting on your older SONY brand component cables. Such as a power cord, or a front mounted input on your TV, which can be "colored" by the EMF from the tubes in the TV due to where the wires run int eh cabinet.
There have been literally hundreds of studied on this. Monster cables are actually preaty mediocre in their quality. Not saying you shouldent buy them. Just saying dont go out of your way to shell out the $40+ to get them. WHen an off brand cable will suit you just as well. And infact, may very well be made in the same facility as Monster has theirs made in (this is the case with teh new XBOX component cable from Microsoft, it has the same lead, and cable ends as the monster cable set, and costs $15 less).
Also, changing any setting on your TV in the service menu, without proper understanding of what your doing, is a HUDGE no, no. You can seriously damage your set doing it. For teh advanced user, this is no problem. For the average joe on this messageboard, its information you simply dont give out, or suggest.
And if you are going to balance your TV, dont use a transport as CRAPTACULAR as a PS2, to do it. If you actually do a proper line level test with a PS2, you will find out that color output is terribly off, geometry is skewed at random, and it has a tendency to overscan and onderscan at random as well. Missing pixels on screen edges, and mis-represented colors are common amongts the PS2 DVD players flaws. So to hear you say you corrected red-push, and geometry flaws with a PS2 DVD player...honestly makes me laugh. Chances are you threw your TV further out of alignment, then it was at the stock settings. If your going to calibrate useing your DVD player. Be DARN SURE you know what kind of video issues your player has, before you trust it with the life of your $2000+ TV.
And lastly, you do know that Sony, and its amazing Trinitron uber technology, hasent been made by Sony, and put into any of their TV's for the last 4 years? Yes, thats right, Sony dosnt make their own trinitron tubes anymore. They are all farmed out to companies in China, and Korea. And are the same facilities that produce them for GE, RCA, Sylvania, Mitsubishi, and Samsung, just to name a few. The only thing that really makes sony's TV's any differnt is the video processors. Which have a tendency to make teh picture a bit to bright. At any rate, Trinitron line grid alignment is not elite exclusive technology anymore, and shouldent be treated as such. As long as your happy with it, fine. But dont read the marketing material as if it where gospel. Especially after you calibrate it with a PS2. THats like saying, "i drive a Ferrari 360, and i keep her fueled up with ARCO." Kinda defeates the purpose.
And, as a side note, component cables dont seperate the colors...its seperates the Chrominance, and Luminance from the video signal, which helps eliminate dot crawl, and image bleed. WHich as a result provides sharper colors. But it doesnt seperate them. Infact, the color all comes across on a single cable.
no way... 
👎
