Cable Setup Questions (1 Viewer)

[HowardGjr]

Help me!

For reference,
A. Pre/Pro is Rotel RSP-1066.
B. TV is Sony Wega 32"
C. VCR is some Sony Model
D. DVD is Integra DPS 7.2 (Nice sound, not progressive scan)

1. My home theater equipment will be located in the back of the room except for the TV and a VCR. I need to be able to send stereo audio from TV and VCR back to the rack in the back. The distance is about 25 ft. Any manufacturer suggestions? Looking at something comparable to Acoustic Research / Dayton price point.

2. How do I hook the Cable/VCR/TV combo into the receiver so that I can use the tuner in the VCR to record a program while watching a different channel on the TV? Do I just take audio and video from the VCR back to the pre/pro? or should I make separate connections for the VCR and TV back to the pre/pro?

3. What is the advantage of switching the video through the preprocessor other than if I stay with component video for all inputs, I'll always be able to see the OSD for the prepro?

4. Would any of this change when I go to a plasma display in future?

5. Would I see a significant improvement if I go to S-Video or Component Video from the DVD?

 

[Bill_Weinreich]

Howard,

Any reason the VCR needs to stay up front with the TV? I would suggest moving it back to the rack and maybe moving the DVD up front.

First things first. Does your Rotel have s-video switching? If so then I would suggest this: Everything on the back rack, cable into cable box, cable box to VCR, VCR A/V to Rotel with video running through an s-video converter. DVD audio and s-video to Rotel and one s-video to TV. The VCR's tuner should be cable ready and be able to record one channel while watching another.

If s-video switching is not available: DVD in front of room, everything else in back. cable to cable box, cable box to VCR, VCR A/V to Rotel (no s-video converter needed now), and composite video cable to TV. Hook the DVD video directly yo TV via s-video or component. Run single digital coax(audio) back to Rotel.

P.S S-video or component should yield a much better picture over composite connection.

Bill

 

[Neil Joseph]

Do not use the composite connection from your DVD player. You will notice a huge jump in resolution from composite to s-video and a slight improvement again going to component. Keep in mind that if you need long runs of video cable (considering you may use your receiver as a video switching device), you can use RG6 cable with F-RCA adaptors on each end. I have compared 12' AR component runs with 33' RG6 runs and noticed no difference at all between the two PQ wise.

 

[HowardGjr]

S-Video it is. I thought the Rotel wouldn't support OSD using the S-Video output. I was wrong...again :b.

Moving the VCR to the rack in the back isn't a real big problem. I was just trying to make this as seamless for my wife as possible.

Please check to see if this seems right. (I excluded the DVD-Audio, SACD, Tuner, multichannel switcher and amp connections for brevity).

CATV -> VCR -> TV

VCR Composite -> S Video Converter -> Rotel S-Video In
VCR RCA Stereo -> Rotel Audio In

TV Monitor Out (S-Video) -> Rotel S Video In
TV RCA Stereo -> Rotel Audio In

DVD Digital Coax -> Rotel Digital Coax In
Rotel S-Video Out -> TV S-Video In

In this case, the only long cables (from rack to TV) I need are:
1. RCA Stereo Audio from TV to Rotel.
2. S-Video from Rotel to TV
3. CATV (F-Type) between VCR and TV.

 

[Bill_Weinreich]

IMO there is no need to run cables from TV outs to Rotel unless you have something against leaving the VCR on while watching CATV programs. This will eliminate two wire runs and one more break in the audio chain. When watching CATV, set your pre/pro on VCR (or whatever input connected), and all sounds from CATV viewing or VCR viewing will come through stereo speakers. With everything on the back rack, only a single s-video wire is needed to run to the TV.

One note though: There will be no sound coming from TV's internal speakers. System will have to be on when watching any program. If you wanted that, you could run a set of RCA's from the Rotel's preouts to the TV's inputs, but I would just use the systems speakers.

Bill

 

[HowardGjr]

Bill,

Thanks that makes good sense.