Another cable box problem...help!

Mirko · 09-05-2003, 11:56 PM

I have a Motorola digital cable box provided by Adelphia here in Fullerton, CA.

The only output on the box is coaxial cable and video composite (the yellow RCA cable) as well as white and red audio output. The local Adelphia office, as well as their installer tell me that I can hook up the box to my receiver using the yellow composite as well as the two audio outputs. He says he's done it many times. The tech on their 800 number tells me that the composite outputs on their boxes don't work and I should route the signal thru a vcr. Don't want a VCR. I got a new replacement box from Adelphis today and still no go. It's like they want me to go to a dish!

I have a Yamaha RX-v630 receiver and a Panasonic plasma TH-42PWD6. My Yamaha outputs to the Panasonic via a three color component cable (Green blue and red, I think). My DVD is connected to the Yamaha via three color component as well as two RCA jacks for audio. DVD player works fine.

My cable box, however is a problem. I have the yellow video cable from the cable box connected to the appropriate input on the Yamaha and the two audio cables connected to the Yamaha as well. No signal, audio or video. The Yamaha site says that their receivers like it when all connections are of the same type. Is this right? My DVD is connected to the Yamaha via component and the output from the Yamaha to the Panasonic is also three color component.

What can I do so I can get cable channels from the digital cable box to my Yamaha and displayed on my Panasonic. Adelphia informs me that they will have HD boxes soon that will have component outputs and that will solve my problem then.

Thanks to all for your help. Hope I'm getting my component and composite right. That's why I mentioned colors as well. If I screwed up, please help me get smarter.

By the way, the Panasonic is bitchin' and for less than $3,000.

Thanks,

Mirko

DavidES · 09-06-2003, 12:19 AM

If you are using the receiver to switch video like I think you are, then you'll ALSO need to run a composite cable from receiver "tv/monitor out" composite (yellow) to tv composite (yellow) "in" to watch the cable and setup tv for that input. Receiver doesn't change video format. Composite in to composite out. Same goes for S-video and component. Although it kinda sucks because you'll have to switch tv inputs everytime. If you're going to do that, you might as well connect both dvd and cable box video outs directly to appropriate tv inputs bypassing the receiver to get best quality picture possible since you'll need to switch tv inputs anyway.

Hope this helps

Mirko · 09-06-2003, 12:45 AM

David,

I thank you for your response but I am still mixed up. I've only had this thing set up a few days now and I got too stressed trying to figure it all out so I took a break and enjoyed watching DVD's for a while.

I have a hard time figuring how to connect the DVD directly to the monitor. If i do that, how do I switch from DVD to cable box. Does the monitor give me the ability to do that? You are not suggesting that I plug and unplug cables everytime I switch from DVD to cable are you? I always thought the receiver would be the "brain" of my system.

I want to keep the component video out to from my receiver to the in in my monitor. That much I know. Unless you think composite video would give me as good of a picture. If I go composite from the receiver to the monitor, would both the DVD and cable work then?

sorry to be so confused but I know I'll get the hang of this. They sure as hell are not going to make these be everyday consumer items unless they make them easier to hook up!

Thanks again.

Looking for more input.

ChrisWiggles · 09-06-2003, 01:44 AM

Ok, I'm not familiar with your TV, but presumably it has BOTH component and composite inputs (component being the 3-cable connection that you are using from your DVD, and composite being the single yellow from your cable box). You can deal with video switching in two main different ways:

1) Directly to the display.

This method eliminates video switching, which, especially on recievers can sometimes degrade the signal. Many times on recievers, the component switching does not have the bandwidth to pass full HD signals, so picture degradation may occur.

2) Use your reciever as the video switcher

This runs all your video through your reciever, and lets IT act as the video switcher, which can simplify changing sources. Rather than having to switch audio on the reciever, and then switch video inputs on the TV, one change can do both.

Your situation has two different video methods, composite, and component, and your reciever will not change one into the other. So, if you have component coming in (from your DVD), you need component going out to your TV. And since you ALSO have composite from your cable box, you ALSO need to run another composite cable to your TV. Unfortunately, this probably means that you'll STILL have to switch sources manually on your tv, in which case you might as well run everything direct to your TV and save the cost of another cable run. Then again, cheapie video cable for composite isn't that expensive at, sawy radio shack, and should more than suffice.

As for the audio, I do not see why it's not working if you are using your reciever to deal with the audio from the cable box (which i'm assuming is what you're trying to do). You will need to go more in-depth more likely, in terms of what your audio problem is. With the stereo jacks connected, you should be getting audio through your sound system.

Lastly, I noticed that you had your DVD player connected via stereo jacks. I'm assuming you have a surround sound speaker system with your reciever, in which case you NEED to use a digital connection for the audio, either coax or optical (coax is cheaper, and if you want to get REALLY audiophile-picky, arguably better too), or you will NOT be getting dolby digital, only pro-logic II. Hope this helps, and clears some things up. This should get the video up and running, as for the audio, we may need more info.

Good luck!

DavidES · 09-09-2003, 02:04 AM

I just realized something. If you want the On Screen Display aspect of receiver, you'll need the composite out of receiver to composite in of tv unless your receiver outputs its display over component.

Quote:

Unless you think composite video would give me as good of a picture.

Rating of video connection quality:

Worse is composite: it carries both luminance (shades of gray) and color information "composited" as one signal. It's the standard NTSC format. The problem is when contrasting colors are displayed, there is a dot-crawl or staircase pattern that occurs because the color separator is outputting luminance info instead of the color info like it's supposed to do and vice versa for the color info. Now the type of color separator in the tv can improve that symptom. 3-D being the best.

Next upward is S-video (the mini-round DIN connector with 4 pins): it carries the luminance and color info separately. That bypasses the tv's color separator and eliminates the dot-crawl. This only works though if the lum. and color info has been kept separate all the way from the source. Digital cable, DSS (digital satellite service), DVD and commercial pre-recorded VHS/Beta fall into that category. Analog cable, off-the-air analog signals, and the old laserdiscs do not.

Component is the best because the 2 color difference signals that make up the total transmitted color signal are kept separate. This bypasses the tv's color demodulator. I don't want to get anymore technical on you. Google search "NTSC" if you want to know. Here is one site. But anyway, component is only great on the digital sources.

Each consecutive type of connection reduces the number of amplifier/processing circuits that the signals have to go through, thereby reducing the amount of video noise and other degradations that would occur but they are dependant on how the video information is stored and/or transmitted to you. Any source that combines the luminance and color signals into one will not benefit from s-video or component connections.

It's too bad the cable box doesn't have an s-video out with a great color separator in it.

Now your cable company maybe offering digital cable. Might check that out if you are getting premium channels now!!! The digital box will be a different type and might have s-video outs and digital audio outs.

Quote:

I want to keep the component video out to from my receiver to the in in my monitor. That much I know. Unless you think composite video would give me as good of a picture. If I go composite from the receiver to the monitor, would both the DVD and cable work then?

Yes. But remember that you will need to switch the inputs on your tv everytime you go from cable to DVD.

Quote:

Does the monitor give me the ability to do that?

It should if it has separate types of inputs.
You would need to read your equipment owner's manuals to setup correctly especially your tv's manual.

Hope this helps and everything that ChrisWiggles posted is most accurate also,

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Mirko · 09-09-2003, 11:33 AM

Actually, I am paying for the most expensive premium package and this is the latest and greates box Adelphia offers in my area. Composite or straight cable output only and even their 800 support number tells me that the composite output is dissabled in all their Motorola boxes (which I have). Their local tech denies this.

I'm thinking of just giving up and going with some kind of dish but have had no replies to my inquiries re: Dish vs. cable on that section. I didn't come to America to have to put up with this crap from cable. Their boxes are such clunkers.

You know, all this may be second nature to you, but there is no way to get up to speed in a few days. There is so much technology to learn about. I guess that's why it's a hobby. I notice there are no microwave hobbysts...they just work!

scott>sau · 09-09-2003, 02:49 PM

Mirko, DCT cable boxes like scienctific Alantic come stock with SP/DIF and S-Video output connections. The Motorola and General Instrument boxes have sheet metal stamped over the SP/DIF and S-Video outputs. You have to send the box to Texas and they solder these connections into the PC board. Get on Adelphia, they can do it.

Ted Lee · 09-10-2003, 12:41 AM

it sounds like you're trying to convert a composite signal (from your cable-box) to a component via your receiver?

as already mentioned, chances are your receiver isn't capable of doing this. afaik, only the higher end models are currently capable of that.

i bet if you ran composite cabling it would all work. try running the composite monitor-out to the tv...

Quote:

even their 800 support number tells me that the composite output is dissabled in all their Motorola boxes (which I have). Their local tech denies this.

this is easy to test. just run a composite wiring from the cable-box to your tv's composite input. see if you get a signal or not.

Jake K · 09-10-2003, 03:07 AM

Quote:

The Motorola and General Instrument boxes have sheet metal stamped over the SP/DIF and S-Video outputs. You have to send the box to Texas and they solder these connections into the PC board. Get on Adelphia, they can do it.

Really!, I've talked to numerous Adelphia people on the phone about the lack of digital audio connections and they never said anything about this. It does say Dolby Digital on the front though. Not that it matters, I'm going DirecTV, I've had enough crap from Adelphia.