I have bought a TV and DVD player. The instructions say that the two should be connected using an RCA cable. Is there anything special about an RCA cable or it just a cable with phono connectors. I have connected the two together using cables with phono connectors, connecting the Y, Pb and Pr connections on the TV and DVD player but I can only get the sound and no picture. I would be grateful for any help, thanks.
A RCA connector is the same as a phono connector. So, a RCA cable is pretty much a generic term for a cable with phono connectors. Sort of llike people calling all facial tissue Kleenex. I would make sure you have the same type of inputs and outputs on both the TV and the DVD player. If one has regular composite video (yellow) it would not work with component (Y, Pb, Pr). Both devices need to be using either the yellow or the Y, Pb, Pr connections.
There are a few varaints; yellow composite video cables offer more shielding to protect the video signal, and the green/blue/red component video cables are often capable of higher bandwidth to be able to successfully transfer progressive-scan and HD signals. In your case, it sounds like you connected the component video cables, but not the audio cables. You still need to attach the red and white audio cables to get sound. Component video cables are nothing more than video cables, except carried on 3 different cables for a higher quality signal.
RCA cables are the ones with Red, Yellow White ends. They connect both sound video between the components.
Generally it is cable (usually a form of coaxial) with a phono connector. Specifically though, for video it should be a 75 ohm cable with a braided shield, or better. The cheap red/white/yellow cables are usually a wrapped shield of indeterminate impedance, which is fine for line audio. Your situation is you might be matching the wrong connections, or do not have component turned on.
In standard RCA cables the video connection is always the yellow one. The Red and White are the audio. The Y, Pb and Pr are three cables for the video only and usually used to transmit a higher definition picture or signal. It is easier to just use the Red, White and Yellow RCA Cables. If this is an up-converting HD DVD player you will sacrifice some of the picture quality. If it is a traditional DVD player than don't worry about it. If you are not getting a picture then plug one of the cables into the yellow port on the DVD player and into one of the yellow ports on the TV (make sure you switch the TV input to what ever video (yellow) port you selected, such is Video1, Video2, etc. The cable you choose doesn't matter as long as each end of it are in the yellow ports on both the TV and the DVD player.
