composite video

The first analog video color format, which uses one channel and a single cable (audio transmits in separate channels and cables). All old analog TVs and many digital TVs have composite video inputs (see LG example below). Analog TVs also included S-video inputs, and many also supported the higher-quality component video. See S-video and component video.

Back to the 1950s

Composite video was created when color was added to black & white TV in 1954. Two color signals (U and V) were multiplexed with the original monochrome signal (Y) and transmitted in the same TV channel (see YUV and NTSC).