A Composite Video is analog television signal's format before a sound signal is combined with it and modulated onto an RF carrier. It is the most common type of video interface that is used for receiving and sending an analog video signal to and from a television set. A CVBS (Composite Video with Burst and Sync) is usually used to designate a composite video and CVBS.

Modulating the proper RF carrier frequency with composite video allows the composite video to be easily directed to any available broadcast channel. For most of the home applications, an RCA Jack is usually used to connect the composite video whereas BNC connectors are used for professional applications. Most of the analog home video equipment records a signal in the composite format and a composite video interface is used to connect a VHS tape player, game consoles or a DVD player to the television.

In composite video, three source signals are combined with sync pulses to form a composite video signal. The three source signals are referred as YUV in which Y represents the brightness of the picture and it also includes the synchronizing pulses. The color information is carried between U and V. However, two orthogonal phases of a color carrier signal are mixed with them in the first place to form a signal called as chrominance. The Y signal and the UV signal are then combined together and this is equivalent to the frequency-division multiplexing. The signals are compressed and then channeled through a single wire. Comb filter present in the television set is used to separate the signals. This results in degradation of signal quality.

Composite Video

Composite video is generally present in a standard format such as PAL, SECAM or NTSC. Signaling pulses that automatically switch the display from one format to another are provided in the PAL television standard and no such pulses are provided in the NTSC standard. So, you need to manually switch the display in the NTSC standard.