Audio and video connector

RCA connectors are commonly used for home stereo and video equipment.

Audio connectors and video connectors are electrical connectors (or optical connectors) for carrying audio signal and video signal, of either analog or digital format. Analog A/V connectors often use Shielded cable to inhibit radio frequency interference (RFI) and noise.

Audio only

Audio connectors are electrical connectors designed and used for audio frequencies. They can be analog or digital. Common audio connectors include:

• Single-conductor connectors:
  • Banana connectors
  • Five-way binding posts and banana plugs for loudspeakers
  • Fahnestock clips on early breadboard radio receivers.

• Multi-conductor connectors:
  • DB25 is for multi-track recording and other multi-channel audio, analog or digital
  • DIN connectors and mini-DIN connectors
  • RCA connectors, also known as phono connectors or phono plugs, used for analog or digital audio or analog video
  • Speakon connectors by Neutrik for loudspeakers
  • TRS connector 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 connectors, also known as Cannon plugs, used for analog or digital balanced audio with a balanced line

• Digital audio interfaces and interconnects:
  • ADAT interface (DB25)
  • AES/EBU interface, normally with XLR connector
  • S/PDIF, either over electrical coaxial cable (with RCA jacks) or optical fiber (TOSLINK).

Color codes

white RCA/TS	analogue audio, left channel; also mono (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
blue TRS 3.5mm	stereo input, line level
pink TS 3.5mm	mono microphone input

There are exceptions to the above:

• Hosa cables use grey and orange for left and right analogue channels.
• RadioShack cables sometimes use grey and black for left and right.
• Older sound cards had non-standard colour codes until after PC99, prior to that there were no colours at all.

Video only

Main article: List of video connectors

A VGA connector

Video connectors carry only video signals. Common video-only connectors include:

• Component video aka YPbPr (3 RCA or BNC; or D-Terminal)
• Composite video (1 RCA, Antenna socket, or BNC)
• DB13W3 ("13W3" computer video connector)
• DMS-59, single connector carrying two DVI and two VGA
• Musa, British connector used in broadcasting and telecommunications
• PAL connector, common in Europe as an antenna connector
• S-Video (1 Mini-DIN)
• SDI - Broadcast grade digital interface over BNC cables
• VGA connector A type of D-sub connector standard on most video cards
• Mini-VGA 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 (DVI) A hybrid analog/digital connector commonly found on PC graphics cards and LCD monitors
• Mini-DVI Found on some Apple laptops
• Enhanced Graphics Adapter (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 is a new digital standard
• FireWire is used on Camcorders, commonly ones using MiniDV tapes, and high-end audio equipment.
• Digital Media Port a connector proposed by Sony on its audio/video products
• DisplayPort carries digital audio and video, as well as auxiliary information
• Unified Display Interface (UDI)
• F connectors are used with RF modulators for televisions without direct inputs
• SCART, now the most common in Europe
• TRS connectors with more than one ring, or Sony's hybrid RCA with a TRS pin
• Coaxial cable/RG-6/RG-59/Cable television (CATV)

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

• ADC, now-defunct Apple Display Connector
• Apple 30-pin dock connector, a docking cradle for Apple iPod, iPhone and iPad
• Portable Digital Media Interface (PDMI) - includes DisplayPort for digital video and audio, analog audio, USB 3.0, and power

See also

• High-end audio cables
• Audio and video interfaces and connectors
• List of video connectors
• Category:Digital display connectors
• Category:Telecommunications standards