Video Asylum

Posted by New2Video on October 14, 2001 at 17:35:50

I have just received a Panasonic DVD player as a present and am having trouble with system integration. My system consists of a TV with regular cable and a VCR, the audio from all of which is routed into my aging but still high end stereo system (Audio Research, Genesis, etc.). I can't daisy chain the video from from the DVD player into the VCR because the manual claims there will be be problems due to the copy protection scheme, nor can I run the video from the VCR into the DVD player due to a lack of video inputs. The DVD player has S-video and component video outs. My choices, assuming I don't want to swap cables every time, seem to be either (i) buy a video switcher, or (ii) buy an A/V receiver. The only video switcher I could find was the Entech A/V Distribution System at Audio Advisor for $350, which seems silly because it is almost double the cost of the DVD player (nothing at Audiogon). I don't really want to buy an A/V receiver solely for video switching either. Are there any less expensive or more elegant solutions? I would be grateful for any suggestions.

Dexter