Component-video outputs

these outputs provide the highest quality video signal to your TV. They are quite rare right now; only the newest high-end TVs can support them. But, if you have such a TV, you'll definitely want a DVD player with component video outputs. There are three separate connectors (Y, Pb and Pr) for component video output. The player pictured below has one component video output.

S-video outputs

TVs with this type of connection are more common. S-video provides very good picture quality and every DVD player has at least one such output. The Sony DVD-NS955V has two.

Composite-video outputs

these are the most common types of output and they provide satisfactory picture quality. Usually, they have a yellow RCA connector. The Sony DVD-NS955V has two.

AUDIO OUTPUTS

Coaxial digital output - Optical digital output.

These outputs provide the highest-quality audio. They send the digital sound information to the receiver for decoding. You can use either one of these if you have a Dolby Digital receiver.

5.1 channel outputs

5.1 channel is a set of six analog outputs, one for each of the Dolby Digital channels (left front, center front, right front, left rear, right rear and subwoofer). The DVD player decodes the Dolby Digital signal and uses its own DAC to output an analog signal. These are the outputs you'll need to use if you are hooking the DVD player up to a "Dolby Digital ready" receiver. Players with 5.1 channel outputs will always have Dolby Digital decoders and they may or may not have DTS decoders. If you have a "Dolby Digital ready" receiver and you want DTS sound, you will need a DVD player with a built-in DTS decoder.

Stereo outputs

These outputs carry only the stereo music signal. You would use these if you were hooking your DVD player up to a TV that has only two speakers.