Audio and video connector - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Audio connectors and video connectors are electrical connector

Electrical connector

An electrical connector is an electro-mechanical device for joining electrical circuits as an interface using a mechanical assembly. The connection may be temporary, as for portable equipment, require a tool for assembly and removal, or serve as a permanent electrical joint between two wires or...

s (or optical connectors) for carrying audio signal

Audio signal

An audio signal is an analog representation of sound, typically as an electrical voltage. Audio signals may be synthesized directly, or may originate at a transducer such as a microphone, musical instrument pickup, phonograph cartridge, or tape head. Loudspeakers or headphones convert an electrical...

and video signal, of either analog or digital

Digital

A digital system is a data technology that uses discrete values. By contrast, non-digital systems use a continuous range of values to represent information...

format. Analog A/V connectors often use Shielded cable

Shielded cable

A shielded or screened cable is an electrical cable of one or more insulated conductors enclosed by a common conductive layer. The shield may be composed of braided strands of copper , a non-braided spiral winding of copper tape, or a layer of conducting polymer. Usually, this shield is covered...

to inhibit radio frequency interference (RFI) and noise

Noise

In common use, the word noise means any unwanted sound. In both analog and digital electronics, noise is random unwanted perturbation to a wanted signal; it is called noise as a generalisation of the acoustic noise heard when listening to a weak radio transmission with significant electrical noise...

Audio only

Audio connectors are electrical connector

Electrical connector

s designed and used for audio

Sound

Sound is a mechanical wave that is an oscillation of pressure transmitted through a solid, liquid, or gas, composed of frequencies within the range of hearing and of a level sufficiently strong to be heard, or the sensation stimulated in organs of hearing by such vibrations.-Propagation of...

frequencies. They can be analog or digital

Digital

A digital system is a data technology that uses discrete values. By contrast, non-digital systems use a continuous range of values to represent information...

. Common audio connectors include:

Single-conductor connectors:
- Banana connector
  Banana connector
  A banana connector is a single-wire electrical connector used for joining wires to equipment. The term 4 mm connector is also used, especially in Europe, although not all banana connectors will mate with 4mm parts...
  
  s
- Five-way binding posts
  Binding post
  A binding post is a connector commonly used on electronic test equipment to terminate a single wire or test lead. They are also found on loudspeakers and audio amplifiers as well as other electrical equipment....
  
  and banana plugs
  Banana connector
  A banana connector is a single-wire electrical connector used for joining wires to equipment. The term 4 mm connector is also used, especially in Europe, although not all banana connectors will mate with 4mm parts...
  
  for loudspeaker
  Loudspeaker
  A loudspeaker is an electroacoustic transducer that produces sound in response to an electrical audio signal input. Non-electrical loudspeakers were developed as accessories to telephone systems, but electronic amplification by vacuum tube made loudspeakers more generally useful...
  
  s
- Fahnestock clip
  Fahnestock clip
  A Fahnestock clip is an early technology for a electrical terminal. It is still used occasionally in educational electronic kits and teaching laboratories in schools. It is designed to grip a bare wire securely, yet release it with the push of a tab. The clip was patented February 26, 1907by...
  
  s on early breadboard
  Breadboard
  A breadboard is a construction base for prototyping of electronics. The term is commonly used to refer to solderless breadboard ....
  
  radio receivers.

Multi-conductor connectors:
- DB25
  D-subminiature
  The D-subminiature or D-sub is a common type of electrical connector. They are named for their characteristic D-shaped metal shield. When they were introduced, D-subs were among the smaller connectors used on computer systems....
  
  is for multi-track recording and other multi-channel audio, analog or digital
- DIN
  DIN connector
  A DIN connector is a connector that was originally standardized by the , the German national standards organization. There are DIN standards for a large number of different connectors, therefore the term "DIN connector" alone does not unambiguously identify any particular type of connector unless...
  
  connectors and mini-DIN connectors
- RCA connector
  RCA connector
  An RCA connector, sometimes called a phono connector or cinch connector, is a type of electrical connector commonly used to carry audio and video signals...
  
  s, also known as phono connectors or phono plugs, used for analog or digital audio or analog video
- Speakon connector
  Speakon connector
  The Speakon is a type of cable connector, originally manufactured by Neutrik, mostly used in professional audio systems for connecting loudspeakers to amplifiers. The same manufacturer produces another connector dubbed PowerCon, which is designed to carry mains power rather than audio signal...
  
  s by Neutrik
  Neutrik
  Neutrik is a Liechtenstein company which manufactures connectors which are used in audio and video recording studios and concert sound systems. Their product range includes XLR-type connectors, speakON connectors, powerCON connectors, patch bays, BNC connectors and special connectors for industrial...
  
  for loudspeaker
  Loudspeaker
  A loudspeaker is an electroacoustic transducer that produces sound in response to an electrical audio signal input. Non-electrical loudspeakers were developed as accessories to telephone systems, but electronic amplification by vacuum tube made loudspeakers more generally useful...
  
  s
- TRS connector
  TRS connector
  A TRS connector is a common family of connector typically used for analog signals including audio. It is cylindrical in shape, typically with three contacts, although sometimes with two or four . It is also called an audio jack, phone jack, phone plug, and jack plug...
  
  also known as tip-ring-sleeve plug, phone plug, jack plug, mini-jack, and mini-stereo. This includes the original 6.35mm (quarter inch) jack and the more recent 3.5mm (miniature or 1/8 inch) and 2.5mm (subminiature) jacks, both mono and stereo (balanced) versions.
- XLR connector
  XLR connector
  The XLR connector is a style of electrical connector, primarily found on professional audio, video, and stage lighting equipment. The connectors are circular in design and have between 3 and 7 pins...
  
  s, also known as Cannon plugs, used for analog or digital balanced audio
  Balanced audio
  Balanced audio is a method of interconnecting audio equipment using impedance-balanced lines. This type of connection is very important in sound recording and production because it allows for the use of long cables while reducing susceptibility to external noise.Balanced connections use...
  
  with a balanced line
  Balanced line
  In telecommunications and professional audio, a balanced line or balanced signal pair is a transmission line consisting of two conductors of the same type, each of which have equal impedances along their lengths and equal impedances to ground and to other circuits. The chief advantage of the...

Digital audio interfaces and interconnects:
- ADAT
  ADAT
  Alesis Digital Audio Tape or ADAT is a magnetic tape format used for the simultaneous digital recording of eight analog audio or digital audio tracks at once, onto a Super VHS tape that is used by consumer VCRs.- History :...
  
  interface (DB25)
- AES/EBU
  AES/EBU
  AES3 is the standard used for the transport of digital audio signals between professional audio devices. It is also known as AES/EBU and is published by the Audio Engineering Society and as part of IEC 60958. It was developed by the AES and the European Broadcasting Union and first published in...
  
  interface, normally with XLR connector
  XLR connector
  The XLR connector is a style of electrical connector, primarily found on professional audio, video, and stage lighting equipment. The connectors are circular in design and have between 3 and 7 pins...
- S/PDIF
  S/PDIF
  S/PDIF is a digital audio interconnect used in consumer audio equipment over relatively short distances. The signal is transmitted over either a coaxial cable with RCA connectors or a fiber optic cable with TOSLINK connectors. S/PDIF interconnects components in home theaters and other digital high...
  
  , either over electrical coaxial cable
  Coaxial cable
  Coaxial cable, or coax, has an inner conductor surrounded by a flexible, tubular insulating layer, surrounded by a tubular conducting shield. The term coaxial comes from the inner conductor and the outer shield sharing the same geometric axis...
  
  (with RCA jack
  RCA connector
  An RCA connector, sometimes called a phono connector or cinch connector, is a type of electrical connector commonly used to carry audio and video signals...
  
  s) or optical fiber
  Optical fiber
  An optical fiber is a flexible, transparent fiber made of a pure glass not much wider than a human hair. It functions as a waveguide, or "light pipe", to transmit light between the two ends of the fiber. The field of applied science and engineering concerned with the design and application of...
  
  (TOSLINK
  TOSLINK
  TOSLINK is a standardized optical fiber connection system. Also known generically as an "optical audio cable," its most common use is in consumer audio equipment , where it carries a digital audio stream from components such as MiniDisc, CD and DVD players, DAT recorders, computers, and modern...
  
  ).

Color codes

white RCA/TS	analogue audio, left channel; also mono Monaural Monaural or monophonic sound reproduction is single-channel. Typically there is only one microphone, one loudspeaker, or channels are fed from a common signal path... (RCA/TS), stereo (TRS only), or undefined/other
black RCA/TS/TRS
grey RCA/TS/TRS
red RCA/TS	analogue audio, right channel
orange RCA	SPDIF digital audio

For computers:

green TRS 3.5mm	stereo output, front channels
black TRS 3.5mm	stereo output, rear channels
grey TRS 3.5mm	stereo output, side channels
gold TRS 3.5mm	dual output, center and subwoofer Subwoofer A subwoofer is a woofer, or a complete loudspeaker, which is dedicated to the reproduction of low-pitched audio frequencies known as the "bass". The typical frequency range for a subwoofer is about 20–200 Hz for consumer products, below 100 Hz for professional live sound, and below...
blue TRS 3.5mm	stereo input, line level Line level Line level is a term used to denote the strength of an audio signal used to transmit analog sound between audio components such as CD and DVD players, TVs, audio amplifiers, and mixing consoles, and sometimes MP3 players....
pink TS 3.5mm	mono microphone Microphone A microphone is an acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. In 1877, Emile Berliner invented the first microphone used as a telephone voice transmitter... input

There are exceptions to the above:

Hosa cables use grey and orange for left and right analogue channels.
RadioShack
RadioShack
RadioShack Corporation is an American franchise of electronics retail stores in the United States, as well as parts of Europe, South America and Africa. As of 2008, RadioShack reported net sales and operating revenues of $4.81 billion. The headquarters of RadioShack is located in Downtown...

cables sometimes use grey and black for left and right.
Older sound card
Sound card
A sound card is an internal computer expansion card that facilitates the input and output of audio signals to and from a computer under control of computer programs. The term sound card is also applied to external audio interfaces that use software to generate sound, as opposed to using hardware...

s had non-standard colour codes until after PC99, prior to that there were no colours at all.

Video only

Video connectors carry only video

Video

Video is the technology of electronically capturing, recording, processing, storing, transmitting, and reconstructing a sequence of still images representing scenes in motion.- History :...

signals. Common video-only connectors include:

Component video
Component video
Component video is a video signal that has been split into two or more component channels. In popular use, it refers to a type of component analog video information that is transmitted or stored as three separate signals...

aka YPbPr
YPbPr
' is a color space used in video electronics, in particular in reference to component video cables. is the analog version of the YCBCR color space; the two are numerically equivalent, but YPBPR is designed for use in analog systems whereas YCBCR is intended for digital video. cables are also...

(3 RCA
RCA connector
An RCA connector, sometimes called a phono connector or cinch connector, is a type of electrical connector commonly used to carry audio and video signals...

or BNC
BNC connector
The BNC connector ' is a common type of RF connector used for coaxial cable. It is used with radio, television, and other radio-frequency electronic equipment, test instruments, video signals, and was once a popular computer network connector. BNC connectors are made to match the characteristic...

; or D-Terminal)
Composite video
Composite video
Composite video is the format of an analog television signal before it is combined with a sound signal and modulated onto an RF carrier. In contrast to component video it contains all required video information, including colors in a single line-level signal...

(1 RCA
RCA connector
An RCA connector, sometimes called a phono connector or cinch connector, is a type of electrical connector commonly used to carry audio and video signals...

, Antenna socket, or BNC
BNC connector
The BNC connector ' is a common type of RF connector used for coaxial cable. It is used with radio, television, and other radio-frequency electronic equipment, test instruments, video signals, and was once a popular computer network connector. BNC connectors are made to match the characteristic...

)
DB13W3
DB13W3
DB13W3 is a particular style of D-subminiature connector commonly used as an analog video interface connector that was used primarily on Sun Microsystems, Silicon Graphics and IBM RISC workstations, as well as some displays from Apple Computer, NeXT Computer and Intergraph Corporation...

("13W3" computer video connector)
DMS-59
DMS-59
DMS-59 is a 59-pin electrical connector generally used for computer video cards. It provides two DVI or VGA outputs on a single connector. An adapter cable is needed for conversion from DMS-59 to DVI or VGA , and different types of adapter cables exist...

, single connector carrying two DVI and two VGA
Musa
Musa connector
The Musa connector is a type of coaxial connector, originally developed for the manual switching of radar signals. It had a characteristic impedance of 50 Ω, and was adopted for use in the emerging broadcast industry...

, British connector used in broadcasting and telecommunications
PAL connector
TV Aerial Plug
Domestic antenna plugs and sockets are devices that connect the TV set to the TV antenna so that TV signals can flow to them using a tuner .Antenna plugs are male antenna connectors that fit into female antenna sockets....

, common in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

as an antenna connector
S-Video
S-Video
Separate Video, more commonly known as S-Video and Y/C, is often referred to by JVC as both an S-VHS connector and as Super Video. It is an analog video transmission scheme, in which video information is encoded on two channels: luma and chroma...

(1 Mini-DIN)
SDI
Serial Digital Interface
Serial digital interface is a family of video interfaces standardized by SMPTE. For example, ITU-R BT.656 and SMPTE 259M define digital video interfaces used for broadcast-grade video...

- Broadcast grade digital interface over BNC
BNC connector
The BNC connector ' is a common type of RF connector used for coaxial cable. It is used with radio, television, and other radio-frequency electronic equipment, test instruments, video signals, and was once a popular computer network connector. BNC connectors are made to match the characteristic...

cables
VGA connector
VGA connector
A Video Graphics Array connector is a three-row 15-pin DE-15 connector. The 15-pin VGA connector is found on many video cards, computer monitors, and some high definition television sets...

A type of D-sub connector standard on most video cards
Mini-VGA
Mini-VGA
Mini-VGA connectors are used on some laptops and other systems in place of the standard VGA connector, although most laptops use a standard VGA connector. Apple and HP have separate implementations using the same name...

Found on some laptop computers
5 BNC Connectors can also be used to carry the VGA signal as R, G, B, HSync, VSync
Digital Visual Interface
Digital Visual Interface
The Digital Visual Interface is a video interface standard covering the transmission of video between a source device and a display device. The DVI standard has achieved widespread acceptance in the PC industry, both in desktop PCs and monitors...

(DVI) A hybrid analog/digital connector commonly found on PC graphics cards and LCD monitors
Mini-DVI
Mini-DVI
The Mini-Dvi connector is used on certain Apple computers as a digital alternative to the Mini-VGA connector. Its size is between the full-sized DVI and the tiny Micro-DVI...

Found on some Apple laptops
Enhanced Graphics Adapter
Enhanced Graphics Adapter
The Enhanced Graphics Adapter is the IBM PC computer display standard specification which is between CGA and VGA in terms of color and space resolution. Introduced in October 1984 by IBM shortly after its new PC/AT, EGA produces a display of 16 simultaneous colors from a palette of 64 at a...

(EGA)
RGBI interface
RGB interface

Color codes

yellow RCA/BNC	composite video
red RCA/BNC	red or Pr/Cr chrominance
green RCA/BNC	green or luminance
blue RCA/BNC	blue or Pb/Cb chrominance
white BNC	horizontal sync
black BNC	vertical sync

Newer connectors are identified by their shape and not their colour.

Multiple signals

Some connectors can carry both audio and video signals simultaneously:

HDMI
HDMI
HDMI is a compact audio/video interface for transmitting uncompressed digital data. It is a digital alternative to consumer analog standards, such as radio frequency coaxial cable, composite video, S-Video, SCART, component video, D-Terminal, or VGA...

is a new digital standard
FireWire is used on Camcorders, commonly ones using MiniDV tapes, and high-end audio equipment.
Digital Media Port
Digital Media Port
The Digital Media Port is an interface for analog audio and video signal and digital control that Sony has started to propose on its A/V products in 2007. As of January 2009, Sony seems to be the only manufacturer proposing this interface...

a connector proposed by Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....

on its audio/video products
DisplayPort
DisplayPort
DisplayPort is a digital display interface standard produced by the Video Electronics Standards Association . The specification defines a royalty-free digital interconnect for audio and video. The interface is primarily used to connect a video source to a display device such as a computer monitor...

carries digital audio and video, as well as auxiliary information
Unified Display Interface (UDI)
F connector
F connector
The F connector is a type of coaxial RF connector commonly used for "over the air" terrestrial television, cable television and universally for satellite television and cable modems, usually with RG-6/U cable or, in older installations, with RG-59/U cable. It was invented by Eric E...

s are used with RF
Radio frequency
Radio frequency is a rate of oscillation in the range of about 3 kHz to 300 GHz, which corresponds to the frequency of radio waves, and the alternating currents which carry radio signals...

modulators for television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...

s without direct inputs
SCART
SCART
SCART is a French-originated standard and associated 21-pin connector for connecting audio-visual equipment together...

, now the most common in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
TRS connectors with more than one ring, or Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....

's hybrid RCA with a TRS pin
Coaxial cable
Coaxial cable
Coaxial cable, or coax, has an inner conductor surrounded by a flexible, tubular insulating layer, surrounded by a tubular conducting shield. The term coaxial comes from the inner conductor and the outer shield sharing the same geometric axis...

/RG-6
RG-6
RG-6/U is a common type of coaxial cable used in a wide variety of residential and commercial applications. The term "RG-6" itself is quite generic and refers to a wide variety of cable designs, which differ from one another in shielding characteristics, center conductor composition, and...

/RG-59
RG-59
RG-59/U is a specific type of coaxial cable, often used for low-power video and RF signal connections. The cable has a characteristic impedance of 75 ohms. The 75 ohm impedance matches a dipole antenna in free space. "RG" was originally a unit indicator for bulk radio frequency cable in the...

/Cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...

(CATV)

Other composite connectors that carry video, audio, power, and USB

Universal Serial Bus

USB is an industry standard developed in the mid-1990s that defines the cables, connectors and protocols used in a bus for connection, communication and power supply between computers and electronic devices....

ADC
Apple Display Connector
The Apple Display Connector is a proprietary modification of the DVI connector that combines analog and digital video signals, USB, and power all in one cable...

, now-defunct Apple Display Connector
Apple 30-pin dock connector, a docking cradle for Apple iPod, iPhone and iPad
Portable Digital Media Interface
PDMI
PDMI is an interconnection standard for portable media players. It has been developed by CEA as ANSI/CEA-2017-A standard Common Interconnection for Portable Media Players in February 2010...

(PDMI) - includes DisplayPort
DisplayPort
DisplayPort is a digital display interface standard produced by the Video Electronics Standards Association . The specification defines a royalty-free digital interconnect for audio and video. The interface is primarily used to connect a video source to a display device such as a computer monitor...

for digital video and audio, analog audio, USB 3.0, and power

Audio only

Color codes

Video only

Color codes

Multiple signals

See also