Audio Asylum Thread Printer

Get a view of an entire thread on one page

FAQ / News / Events

Video Asylum

Some help

199.170.59.57

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ Thread: Display Email ] [ Video Asylum ] [ FAQ ]

In Reply to: Confused about connections -- please advise! posted by Jim Johnson on December 31, 2002 at 11:21:48:

I've had the best luck running video sources (DVD & cable) directly into TV, and audio (DVD & cable boxes' audio out) into receiver.
Unless your receiver is an audiovisual, or A/V, one that passes through S-video signals, you might have to use the composite (sinbgle yellow-coded RCA-connector cable) from cable box to TV. If your receiver is NOT an A/V with internal digital decoders, you'll have to run a pair of regular RCA-ended interconnects from DVD player into whatever receiver input you want (except phono, which is a different input impedance). Same for cable box -- pair of interconnects into receiver. Then you chance the TV's inputs for video and the receiver's inputs for audio. This should work.
An A/V receiver makes everything SO much simpler (one digital cable for 5.1 surround sound, accepts multiple S-video inputs with only one output to TV) that it's worth the $200-300 that a decent one costs these days. I've heard the lower-priced Panasonics are very good values for the $$$, and I happen to own and like Yamaha.
Good luck and post any additional follow-on questions if this isn't adequately clear.

Follow Ups:

Thanks to both of you -- one more question - Jim Johnson 12:49:25 12/31/02 (1)
You're right -- my receiver is an old audio-only one, though I also have an integrated Linn Majik amp that I could use that may be slightly more useful (but priobably not).
Just to be clear, what will the TV be connected to, aside from cable box and DVD player?
Thanks again for the very helpful answers.
Jim
- Re: Thanks to both of you -- one more question - williak 14:45:32 12/31/02 (0)
  Jim,
  TV will get "processed" video feeds from both the cable box and the DVD player. TV may or may not get "unprocessed" feed directly from incoming cable. Let me explain this.
  "Digital" cable channels are added onto the existing analog channels. The physical cable wire thus carries both the analog and digital channels. If you split the cable into two feeds (one directly to the TV and one to the cable box then via S-video or composite to the TV), you will be able to watch the analog channels either directly on your TV or via the cable box. You will, of course, only be able to view the digital channels via the cable box input. In many cases, the cable box degrades the picture quality of the analog channels. Therefore, to watch analog channels, you would switch away from the cable box and onto the direct feed to your TV. If this is not true in your situation, you may do away with the direct feed and view all your TV through the cable box.
  As far as audio, everything goes into your receiver and on out to your bookshelves. You've already seen (heard) that running ANY audio to your TV speakers is a waste of time. The only exception is the "wife" mode configuration where you allow viewing of direct fed analog channels and audio via the TV's speakers.
  Let me know how it goes - I think you might be very impressed with what you end up with once you shitcan the TV speakers.
  Austin

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:

You can not post to an archived thread.