Help connecting the audio for a DVD and an LD player??? (1 Viewer)

[Jim_C]

I'm picking up a used Pioneer laserdisc player tomorrow and I have a question about how to connect the audio to my Yamaha HTR-5250. The player (CLD-59) has analog, coaxial, and DD RF outputs. The analog isn't a problem but the coaxial is more difficult. I'm using the DVD/LD coaxial input on the 5250 for my DVD player. I don't have a free coaxial input for the LD and I want to use the PCM track on my newly acquired SW THX discs.

Video is going directly to the TV so it isn't a factor.

These are the options as I see them:

1) get a 'Y' splitter and connect both the DVD and LD to one end and the other to the receiver input.
2) keep the DVD coaxial connected to the DVD/LD input and connect the LD to the coaxial input for the Cable/Sat. Use the Cable/Sat. source when watching the LD player. (I don't know if there are problems with this. It's one of the reasons I'm posting.)
3) use the optical input for the DVD player and the coaxial for the LD. You might think 'duh, use this option'. I've read that the optical cable is fragile and that you need to be careful when installing it. I've got a twisted rats nest of wire in my rack and I don't think that I can get a clean path from the DVD to the receiver.

My preferred option is #2 but I don't know if there are other problems with that. The cable/sat connection is meant for a digital source so I think that I can use it for the LD.

If I use a 'Y' splitter does I assume that it has to be a coaxial one. Do they even make a coaxial 'y' splitter?

Any help???

 

[Vince Maskeeper]

Any of the 3 options will work.

1 is not ideal, as while it will usually work- the split will change the signal in a way which your decoder might/might not tolerate. Best to avoid.

2 is fine- the names for the modes are just that, names. It should be fine.

3 is best IMHO- I'd say it's a good time to clean your cabling up. Tolink optical is not THAT fragile, but all the same- I'd go this route and use it as an excuse to get some clean cable routing.

BTW- even if you use the analog outputs on the player- you can get the PCM audio track, as handled by the player's internal converters. In the digital config, the only difference is that you're using the receiver's converters instead of the ones in the player. Probably better to do it at the receiver stage (using a digital connection)- but wanted to be clear that on most modern players, they have internal D/A conversion and can play the digital tracks from the analog jacks.

-Vince

 

[Michael Reuben]

I'd go with the optical connection. Optical cables may be somewhat more fragile than heavily shielded coax, but it's not like you have to handle them with kid gloves. With two DVD players, two LD players, a VCR, digital cable box, TiVo, two amps and a separate pre/pro, I have a pretty good rat's nest myself, and neither of my two optical connections seems to have suffered.

M.

 

[Jim_C]

Okay, I yield....optical it is. Thanks for the help guys.