Can someone clear up an issue for me? I was recently at CEDIA and heard different stories from different reps. Can you use component cables to pass 1080p or does it have to be HDMI. I understand HDMI is pure uncompressed signal but if you don't want to use HDMI is there other options?

As far as I know, there is no common delivery mechanism for 1080p. That's progressive 1080. 1080i is a standard format. That you can get off-air, from cable, and (only recently) from HD-DVD or BlueRay disc.

You can use a component (RGBHV) cable to deliver the signal but that is analog. Currently, only HDMI will deliver the signal in a DIGITAL format. I'm running RGBHV from a cable box and I thinkthe HD looks great. The problem will come with an HD-DVD or BlueRay because, if you take the RGB feed from that, it REDUCES THE RESOLUTION to 480p. You can ONLY get full 720p/1080i with HDMI cable, and most of those cables are (shall we say) less than ideal.

It's a long story why you are forced to go that way. If you want to hear it, I would be glad to type!

Yes, except that you left out DVI cables are also the same as HDMI as far as performance and receiving 720p/1080i. DVI is basically the same digital cable for video but contains no audio as an HDMI cable does and uses a different connector.

Microsoft is answering some questions about the Xbox360's HD-DVD drive in another forum. Their component video output will play HD-DVDs in 1080i. As Steve indicates above, that is as far as the spec goes (EIA/CEA-770.3-C). However the XB360 will do 1080p through it's VGA output, and there will be no HDMI with the current system.
If your question is more oriented towards 'Can' component handle 1080p? Then the answer is yes. Pretty much anyhting VGA can do, component is capable of.

the problem lies in the source and display inputs and outputs.... i dont believe there any HDTVs out there that will except 1080p thru the component inputs..let alone any source equipment that will output 1080p thru component outputs....but yes the cables themselves can handle the bandwidth required to pass the signal

I’m not trying to be controversial or anything but isn’t RGBHV where red, green and blue are separate from the horizontal and vertical sync where component video combines the sync in on the chrominance (green cable on component video)? Is RGB the full bandwidth and component video (different from RGB) the subtractive format of RGB?|

From what I understand it is up to the producer of the disc. If they decide to have the disc only output the max resolution through HDMI they will set the digital flag known as the ICT or Image Constraint Token to on. If the ICT flag is set to off, component video will be able to pass the max resolution.

Although I can't remember what the limitations are on component video so I am not 100% on whether or not it can pass 1080p.

So far, and as far as I know, none of the Discs realeased for HDDVD have had the component output limitation activated.

they are both right depending on the question.

Component can carry 1080p but if you are talking BD or HD DVD, AACS does not allow 1080p over analog, for VGA it only allows legacy formats (no 1080p but wuxga-1920x1200 or wsxga 1680 X 1050 are allowed). Don't know about DVI

yes, but AACS dictates 1080i max and if ICT is in use it is around 540p

none of the disks for either format. On the other hand none of the HD DVD players now can output 1080p at all. HDMI or component it is 1080i max

Vertical and Horizontal sync are required for VGA not component

i think that the confusion lies in the component does not have a seperate sync wire, but it is embedded in the luminance or Y component signal. the color space is via the Pr and Pb or Cr and Cb.

RGB has horizontal and vertical sync that can exist as seperate wire leads (HV), combined (S), or can be transmitted "sync on green" (SOG), which is a 3 wire RGB connection. RGB's color is produced discretely by each of the 3 color wires, unlike component.

dont forget that 720p is better than 1080i