Coaxial

• No-frills coaxial RF cables connect devices in a single cable, at a low price.
  
  

Composite and S-Video

• Inexpensive and compatible with most A/V devices, composite, or RCA, cables have three plugs at each end: yellow for video and red and white for audio. S-Video cables, with round connectors containing four or seven pins, deliver better video quality, but require audio cables.
  
  

HDMI and Component

• If you have an HDTV and HD video source, use High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) or component video cables. HDMI cables, with rectangular plugs on each end, carry video and audio, provide the best picture and sound, and reduce cable clutter. Red, green and blue component cables -- sometimes confused with composites because both use RCA jacks -- provide crisp HD video, but require audio cables.
  
  

Cost

• Popular Mechanics and CNET conducted tests to determine if high-priced, brand-name HDMI cables perform better. They found no difference, and recommended buying online.
  
  

Developments

• HDMI remains the top A/V option as of 2010, but a standard called HDBaseT has emerged. It supports cable lengths up to 328 feet, replacing A/V cables and current Ethernet cables.