Connecting A/V equipment can be daunting if someone isn't properly educated in how to do so. Sure, some people like to tinker around and figure things out that way but some just need a general knowledge of what they're dealing with before they can put two and two together. For the latter of those people, a small introduction to the world of A/V would serve well.

A/V cabling and equipment is a category reserved for anything that emits or conducts sound and video or works in a system to facilitate the emission or conduction. A/V equipment is connected to other A/V equipment by A/V cabling and cabling is the area that confuses people the most. People aren't sure whether cables go in or out, which red on the TV connects to the red on the gaming system, Blu-Ray player, or some other piece of equipment.

By reading the labels on the devices, a person cal tell what cables a device is capable of using and help eliminate some of the other cord types. Someone can also tell if they are able to connect other devices like A/V receivers to achieve a surround sound effect in their setup by examining cabling connections on devices.

If a particular device has HDMI, it's the simplest connection type a person can ask for. Currently, HDMI is the best quality cabling provided that combines audio and video into one. HDMI can deliver crystal clear picture and sound with it's single plug and play connector. While there are other cables capable of delivering a better quality of audio, they cannot also deliver video, making HDMI the best bet for a simplified and speedy setup.

Components also work to deliver audio and video but a normal component set consists of a red, blue, and green cable which are then coupled together with what ware usually red and white composite cables. The reason for this is the red, blue, and green in a component set are only capable of delivering HD picture and must include extra connections to deliver the sound, which is usually not HD quality.

Composites are usually the most common types of A/V cables and many TVs feature the red, white, and yellow color coded connectors to make using them easier.

By having a general knowledge of A/V cabling a person can simplify their encounters with hooking up TV, stereo, and other forms of electronic equipment. If someone spends less time connecting their equipment, they can spend more time using it.