FIELD GUIDESource-led reference

video question

HDMI to RCA or RCA to HDMI: which direction does the converter support?

Compare two named powered converters by input, output, separate audio and power—not by the connector pair alone.

The answer

Short answer Each converter works one way: HDMI-to-RCA for an HDMI source, RCA-to-HDMI for an RCA source.

The direction belongs to the exact converter. HD2VID2 documents HDMI input and composite output; VID2HDCON2 documents composite input and HDMI output. Matching connector shapes do not make either device reversible.

HDMI Type-AComputer-generated illustration, not a photograph
RCA connector — original, not-to-scale identification schematic; drawing review pending
RCA connectorOriginal identification schematic · not to scale · review pending

Why the simple answer is not enough

Keep the evidence layers separate

1Reasoning step

Write down which device is producing the signal and which is displaying it before interpreting a product name. “HDMI/RCA adapter” omits this crucial direction.

2Reasoning step

HD2VID2 carries supported HDMI audio to separate left/right RCA outputs. VID2HDCON2 instead takes separate left/right RCA audio inputs. Those two RCA audio channels are not composite-video connectors.

3Reasoning step

Both manuals describe a separate power-adapter connection. A DC/5V label alone does not establish a replacement adapter’s connector, polarity or other requirements.

4Reasoning step

HD2VID2 lists 1080p among input modes but 480i NTSC and 576i PAL for composite output. An input limit is not an output resolution. No output timing is normalized here for VID2HDCON2 from its quick-start guide.

5Reasoning step

The cable explorer’s endpoint filters are intentionally unordered. Read the direction and represented-path notes in each result; filter matches and reference handoffs do not prove a complete connection will work.

Two named converter paths — not a universal adapter specification
ExampleVideo input → outputSeparate audioPower evidenceEvidence
HD2VID2HDMI → compositeLeft/right RCA outputsUniversal power adapter; DC/5V portC326A (private workspace) · C326B (private workspace)
VID2HDCON2Composite → HDMILeft/right RCA inputsUniversal power adapter; DC/5V portC327A (private workspace) · C327B (private workspace)

Scroll horizontally on narrow screens. S-Video is an alternate VID2HDCON2 input, not part of this normalized composite path. Neither guide is an end-to-end compatibility approval.

What to check next

  1. Identify source and display model and port labels.
  2. Match the converter’s documented input and output direction.
  3. Treat audio, auxiliary power and video as separate connections.
  4. Check exact timings, supported audio and manufacturer power instructions; keep absent evidence unresolved.

Canonical connector and cable notes

Structured Cable & Adapter Atlas profiles

Your next step

Continue with the relevant reference.

Question pages do not create compatibility verdicts.

They reorganize facts and uncertainty already represented in the atlas. Exact-device, cable, protocol, power, safety and performance requirements remain separate where the evidence says they are separate.

Evidence behind this page

Scope first. Source second. Approval separate.

14 linked sources · 19 scoped claims · 0 sources with inspection/access flags.

Page scope: Evidence attached to records and cable profiles referenced by this guide; not a sentence-by-sentence editorial approval.

Assessment 2026-10-22 · earliest scheduled source review 2026-12-30. This is a recorded-date assessment, not a live source check. Page-level independent review is not established by this panel.

Inspect 14 source scopes, access limits and dates

S012 · HDMI 2.1 feature implementation FAQ

HDMI Licensing Administrator · Standards-organization domain · inspected 2026-10-01 · due 2026-12-30

Within inspection window

Scoped support: A version number alone does not identify implemented features.

Not established / limitations:

Locator: FAQ about HDMI 2.1 supporting TMDS without FRL

S018 · Video connector guide

C2G / Legrand · Manufacturer / product-owner domain · inspected 2026-10-01 · due 2026-12-30

Within inspection window

Scoped support: Narrow physical identifiers only, not historical speed or video capability descriptions.

Not established / limitations: The old DisplayPort technology/speed description on this page is not relied on.

Locator: HD15, HDMI, HDMI Mini, HDMI Micro, DVI-D and RCA sections

S365 · TE 1747981-1 Standard HDMI connector

TE Connectivity · Manufacturer / product-owner domain · inspected 2026-10-06 · due 2027-01-04

Within inspection window

Scoped support: Manufacturer example supporting the 19-position contact count for the standard/full-size HDMI connector form.

Not established / limitations: A manufacturer component example supports connector-form contact count only; it does not establish HDMI version, video mode, cable capability or universal fabrication dimensions.

Locator: Configuration features: Standard HDMI connector; 19 positions; receptacle

S395 · NF2C-B/2 Profi phono plug — Assembly Instruction BDA 236 V3, 2023-01-25

Neutrik AG · Manufacturer / product-owner domain · inspected 2026-10-07 · due 2027-01-05

Within inspection window

Scoped support: Exact NF2C-B/2 RCA example; two conducting paths, not two numbered PCB terminals.

Not established / limitations: No universal solder-lug numbering, switch-contact arrangement, mechanical tolerance, cable rating or fabrication procedure is inferred from this component example.

Locator: Single page; illustrations B, C and F show the separate center-conductor and shield paths and assembled concentric contacts.

S396 · Denon AVR-1507 Owner’s Manual — Cable indications

Denon · Unclassified publisher domain · inspected 2026-10-07 · due 2027-01-05

Within inspection window

Scoped support: Named-manual examples of pin-plug audio/video uses, color conventions, and 75-ohm cable descriptions for coaxial digital audio and composite video.

Not established / limitations: The table is a receiver-manual example, not a guarantee that color identifies an unknown socket. It does not establish an arbitrary cable’s impedance, waveform or replacement suitability.

Locator: Printed page 10 (PDF page 13), Cable indications: groups A, B, C, F and H and signal-direction legend.

S397 · NF2C-B/2 Profi phono plug — manufacturer product description

Neutrik AG · Manufacturer / product-owner domain · inspected 2026-10-07 · due 2027-01-05

Within inspection window

Scoped support: Exact NF2C-B/2 contact sequencing; naming context only.

Not established / limitations: The ground-first feature is specific to this design and is not generalized to all RCA plugs. Electrical-rating fields elsewhere on the page are not used here.

Locator: Product description and Features & Benefits: phono/RCA/CINCH naming and ground-before-signal contact sequence.

S399 · HD2VID2 Quick-Start Guide — HDMI to composite with audio

StarTech.com · Manufacturer / product-owner domain · inspected 2026-10-07 · due 2027-01-05

Within inspection window

Scoped support: Exact HD2VID2 direction, separate RCA stereo output, power-adapter requirement and the distinction between input resolutions and composite output.

Not established / limitations: Do not confuse HD2VID2 with HD2VID. Do not reinterpret the listed 3.58/4.43 MHz values as refresh rates, fix the apparent PC timing typo, infer codecs/HDCP behavior, or select a replacement supply from a 5V label alone.

Locator: PDF page 1: port/function tables and installation steps 1–4; PDF page 2: Supported Resolutions table. No revision date is printed in this inspected copy.

S400 · VID2HDCON2 Quick-Start Guide — June 26, 2019

StarTech.com · Manufacturer / product-owner domain · inspected 2026-10-07 · due 2027-01-05

Within inspection window

Scoped support: Exact VID2HDCON2 composite/S-Video inputs, RCA audio inputs, HDMI output and separate DC/5V power-adapter port.

Not established / limitations: Only the composite-input path is normalized. No output timing, latency, audio codec, replacement adapter specification or reverse conversion is inferred from this quick-start guide.

Locator: PDF page 1: port/function table and selectable video-input paths; PDF page 2: operation steps 3–7. Revision June 26, 2019 2:26 PM.

S450 · Elgato Game Capture 4K X — Technical Specifications

Elgato · Manufacturer / product-owner domain · inspected 2026-10-08 · due 2027-01-06

Within inspection window

Scoped support: USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C host link; HDMI input and passthrough output.

Not established / limitations: Page displays September 3, 2024 update. Do not flatten abbreviated maximum capture/HDR bullets into an all-mode promise; use the detailed mode article. Not 4K Pro, 4K S or HD60 X.

Locator: Technical Specifications → Interface

S451 · Elgato Game Capture 4K X — Xbox Series X|S Setup

Elgato · Manufacturer / product-owner domain · inspected 2026-10-08 · due 2027-01-06

Within inspection window

Scoped support: One HDMI input, one HDMI output and one USB-C host output; signal direction and reduced capture on USB Gen 1.

Not established / limitations: Page displays June 1, 2026 update. Setup example is not certification of an arbitrary console, cable, host or mode. Selected inventory excludes analog line input.

Locator: Inputs and Outputs; Required Items

S452 · Elgato Game Capture 4K X — Supported Resolutions and Frame Rates

Elgato · Manufacturer / product-owner domain · inspected 2026-10-08 · due 2027-01-06

Within inspection window

Scoped support: Passthrough/capture distinction, USB/codec/software conditions and no capture of DSC video.

Not established / limitations: Page displays May 21, 2026 update. No complete matrix copied, no fixed universal capture ceiling, no device firmware or software installation inspected.

Locator: Input/Passthrough versus Capture definitions; Detailed Capture Codec Specifications; DSC

S453 · Blackmagic ATEM Mini Pro ISO — Product Technical Specifications

Blackmagic Design · Unclassified publisher domain · inspected 2026-10-08 · due 2027-01-06

Within inspection window

Scoped support: Four HDMI Type A inputs, one HDMI program output, one USB-C interface; no Ultra HD video standards.

Not established / limitations: Exact ATEM Mini Pro ISO, not Pro, Extreme, G2 or sibling products on the combined website. Total outputs is not HDMI-output count. USB mode list alone does not establish simultaneous webcam and external recording.

Locator: Model-specific PDF pages 1–2: Connections, labeled panel diagram, Standards

S518 · HDMI LA — Active cable power and direction

HDMI Licensing Administrator · Standards-organization domain · inspected 2026-10-11 · due 2027-01-09

Within inspection window

Scoped support: Feature-scoped active HDMI cable behavior. Not a universal prescription for all active converters.

Not established / limitations: Feature-scoped active HDMI cable behavior. Not a universal prescription for all active converters. Retrieval locators and observations retained; raw acquisition is recorded separately.

Locator: HDMI Cable Power requirements, direction paragraph and separate power connector

S606 · TE C-1747981 HDMI receptacle customer drawing

TE Connectivity · Manufacturer / product-owner domain · inspected 2026-10-13 · due 2027-01-11

Within inspection window

Scoped support: 1747981-1 is linked by the sheet 1 table to the without-flange family view. Mouth, mounting features and PCB footprint are different views; no exact installed-device identity.

Not established / limitations: Not a hardware inspection, certification, pinout, dimensional mating check or blanket product-compatibility statement.

Locator: Rev H, 1 September 2022; sheet 1 variant table and sheet 6 without-flange form visually inspected.

Trace 19 claims to their source records

C008A · P008

The familiar full-size HDMI connector is Type-A; Mini and Micro HDMI use different physical forms.

Claim scope: Consumer identification / documented standard or product class only

Source links: S018 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C008B · P008

HDMI version labeling alone does not identify every optional feature implemented by a product.

Claim scope: Narrowly stated supporting distinction; not an end-to-end device guarantee

Source links: S012 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C008C · P008

TE's cited Standard HDMI receptacle is a 19-position connector example, supporting a 19-contact engineering count for the full-size HDMI form without implying HDMI version or video capability.

Claim scope: Connector-form contact count supported by one manufacturer example; protocol/version capability explicitly excluded.

Source links: S365 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C008D · P008

Elgato 4K X has one HDMI input for an unencrypted video source and one HDMI passthrough output to a display; captured video reaches a computer through a separate USB-C connection.

Claim scope: 4K X only; input/output direction must not be exchanged and the selected profile is not a full connector inventory.

Source links: S450 · S451 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C008E · P008

Elgato separates supported 4K X HDMI passthrough signals from capture formats. Its detailed guidance says DSC video cannot be captured even when a passthrough image is visible.

Claim scope: DSC limitation and mode-selection boundary, not a diagnosis of every black capture frame or a universal HDMI limit.

Source links: S452 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C008F · P008

The ATEM Mini Pro ISO specifies four HDMI Type A inputs and one HDMI program output; the separately listed total of two outputs is not a count of HDMI output sockets.

Claim scope: Exact Pro ISO Connections table and labeled panel diagram; not a sibling model’s connection count.

Source links: S453 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C008G · P008

The ATEM Mini Pro ISO Standards table lists no Ultra HD video standards. Its description of finishing in Ultra HD via relinked media does not establish an Ultra HD HDMI input or output mode.

Claim scope: Pro ISO live video-interface standards versus post-production description; no new conversion or capture capability inferred.

Source links: S453 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C008H · P008

HDMI Cable Power requires support from both the active cable and the HDMI source. HDMI LA specifies source/sink direction for active cables and a separate power connector for sources without Cable Power support.

Claim scope: HDMI Cable Power feature scope; follow the exact cable’s instructions. Not monitor power or a universal converter-power rule.

Source links: S518 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C008I · P008

TE drawing C-1747981 H maps 1747981-1 to a without-flange HDMI board-receptacle form and presents its mating face separately from the reference PCB layout.

Claim scope: V146: Named drawing family and suffix table only. The drawing does not establish an installed port’s input/output role or HDMI feature set.

Source links: S606 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C023A · P023

RCA connectors are used in multiple audio and video applications.

Claim scope: Consumer identification / documented standard or product class only

Source links: S018 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C023B · P023

Neutrik NF2C-B/2 assembly instruction BDA 236 V3 shows a center-conductor path and a separate cable-shield path terminating in the concentric phono plug contacts. This reference counts two conducting paths, not component solder lugs or switched-socket terminals.

Claim scope: Exact component illustration used for center/surrounding-contact identification; no universal terminal numbering or audio/video signal assignment.

Source links: S395 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C023C · P023

Denon AVR-1507 page 10 distinguishes RCA-style pin-plug uses: white/left and red/right analog audio, a separate mono subwoofer connection, orange coaxial digital audio, yellow composite video, and green Y / blue PB-CB / red PR-CR component video.

Claim scope: Named-manual color and label examples, not a universal color guarantee. A red connector is not necessarily an audio channel; direction and signal type require device labels.

Source links: S396 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C023D · P023

The Denon AVR-1507 cable table specifies 75-ohm pin-plug cables separately for coaxial digital audio and composite video. A shared impedance description and RCA form do not make their signals the same.

Claim scope: Exact manual cable descriptions only; no inferred impedance, length limit, bandwidth or electrical approval for an unidentified RCA-ended cable.

Source links: S396 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C023E · P023

Neutrik describes the NF2C-B/2 as making its ground contact before its signal contact, and breaking signal before ground. The manufacturer also uses phono, RCA and CINCH as names for this plug type.

Claim scope: Exact product design and naming only; not a universal RCA contact sequence, safety guarantee or evidence that a socket is a turntable PHONO input.

Source links: S397 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C326A · P326

StarTech HD2VID2 accepts HDMI video and provides composite video with separate left/right RCA audio outputs for supported HDMI audio.

Claim scope: Exact HDMI-to-composite direction and separate audio role, not reverse conversion, arbitrary audio codec support or a single RCA carrying all three signals.

Source links: S399 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C326B · P326

The HD2VID2 guide identifies a DC/5V power port and use of its universal power adapter independently of the HDMI input.

Claim scope: Manufacturer power-adapter context only; connector size, polarity and replacement-supply suitability are not specified by this claim.

Source links: S399 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C326C · P326

The HD2VID2 resolution table lists 1080p among HDMI input modes, while the composite outputs are listed as 480i NTSC and 576i PAL.

Claim scope: Keep input and output separate. This does not establish 1080p composite output, universal PAL/NTSC timing support, latency or measured image quality.

Source links: S399 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C327A · P327

StarTech VID2HDCON2 uses a selected composite or S-Video input and separate left/right RCA audio inputs, with HDMI as its output.

Claim scope: Exact converter direction. The normalized profile selects the composite path; it does not model simultaneous video inputs or reverse conversion.

Source links: S400 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C327B · P327

The VID2HDCON2 guide shows a DC/5V power input and directs use of its universal power adapter as a separate connection.

Claim scope: Power requirement only, not a replacement-adapter rating, connector-size specification or power delivery to connected equipment.

Source links: S400 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

Prepare this page for review → (private workspace)Read the evidence method →

Recorded evidence only. An inspection date, publisher label, source link or generated packet is not independent technical review, hardware testing, fabrication approval or a compatibility verdict.