dealy

Pioneer D703 cabling questions

Hi,

I recently inherited a Pioneer D703 LD player and 31 LDs (includint the SW trilogy, yea!). Unfortunately it required some repairs to get working properly which cost a bunch of money. Now I want to maximize what I'm getting out of this machine.

I've been getting conflicting reports about which outputs I should be using in my system. I would like to hear your opinions about the appropriate ones.

I have a Toshiba TW56x81 widescreen tv, which looks pretty great with my DVD player. It has options for composite, s-video and component video inputs.

My A/V receiver is a B&K AVR 202 (I think). A year 2000 model w/105 watts x 5 channels and no component video switching, but it can handle everything else.

I also have a simca A/V switch that can handle 2 channel audio, s-video and composite video switching between 4 sources.

I've never been happy running s-video through the B&K so currently I have a high quality s-video cable running from my s-vhs vcr directly to the tv, this will have to change when I add the LD player if I use s-video.

I've had some people say I should be using the composite out from the D703, but the guy repairing the unit now says I should use the s-video out. Any complete and well thought out reasons why I should prefer one over the other? I don't particularly want to go through the hassle of buying both types of cables and returning one. I'll most likely be using bettercables, as I've been happy with them before.

From a convenience perspective I'd prefer s-video, since I'd only have to buy 2 1 meter cables (for the vcr and LD to which ever switch I choose) as opposed to buying a 10' long composite cable to run to the TV.

Also what is going to give me the best audio from this D703? The digital coax, toslink or standard 2 channel rca outputs? The unit doesn't output AC3, so I think my B&K can handle the digital out, but I'm not sure. Anyone of you know if that is the case? What do you think the best options are here?

Thank in advance, Derek
dealy663@hotmail.com

Michael Reuben

You should spend some time with the extensive laserdisc discussion in our Beginner's Primer and FAQ. Use the link in my signature.

Short answers:

1. Use the composite connection for video. LD is a composite format. Whether or not to use S-video depends on whether your display or your player has the better comb filter. Your TV is much newer than your player; its comb filter will almost certainly be superior.

2. Use either Toslink or coax for digital sound. Your receiver will have better DACs than the LD player. There's no meaningful difference between Toslink and coax, for these purposes.

3. You should run left and right analog audio connections in addition to the digital ones. Otherwise, you will not be able to access commentary tracks on LD, which will be solely on the analog tracks.

M.

"Most people never have to face the fact that, at the right time and the right place, they're capable of anything." -- Chinatown

"What kind of movies would there be if everyone in them had to do what we thought they should do?" -- Roger Ebert

HTF Beginner's Primer and FAQ