Component video cables (1 Viewer)

[gregmc]

Hi all,

After hours of trying to connect up my home theater I came across this forum and might have found the answer to my problem but would like someone to comfirm.

I've just bought a Sony AV Receiver STR-DG500 and connected it to my Sony TV (KV-SR34) using a component cable. I've also connected my DVD Player (DVP-NS61P) to the receiver with a component cable.

When I play a DVD all works 100% - with the TV set to 'dvd'

I've now plugged my PS2 into the receiver (Video1) with a composite cable (I think its a composite cable - yellow with red and white)

With the TV set to dvd and receiver set to video1 I dont get a picture - there is sound though.

To get a picture I need to connect a composite cable (yellow) from the "monitor out" of the receiver to the video1 on the tv. With the tv set to video1 I now get a picture.

Is it not possible to leave the TV on dvd and control the dvd/ps2 via the receiver.

From what I've read so far it looks like I need something called component upconversion? The receiver cannot take a composite signal and output it via component cable....correct?

Is there any way around this?

 

[Alon Goldberg]

Unfortunately your receiver is not capable of upconversion to component video. You may want to try connecting the receiver as follows:

1. PS2 composite output ===> Receiver composite input
2. Receiver composite output ===> TV composite input

You can purchase a reasonable quality composite cable on Monoprice (

 

[gregmc]

Alon,

Thanks for the reply - that just as I suspected :frowning:

I've connected the composite cables as you suggested and its working. Its a bit of a mission to have to change the tv from dvd to video1 and the receiver from dvd to video1 each time , but I guess its the best I'm going to get.

 

[Alon Goldberg]

Time to purchase a Universal Remote

I'd suggest a Logitech Harmony, this is by far the most popular remote series. I own two Harmony 880's

 

[gregmc]

Funny enough, I was just looking at them. They look awesome!!

 

[Robert_J]

They are awesome. The WAF (wife approval factor) is directly proportional to how complicated your system is. I have an 880 in the living room and an 880 in the theater room. Both are set up EXACTLY the same way. The "Watch HD Tivo" activity on the living room remote has the same results as "Watch HD Tivo" activity in the theater room. My wife doesn't care what equipment is turned on or what the settings are. It works and that makes her happy.

-Robert

 

[Bob McElfresh]

Hi Greg.

My advice: hook DVD and PS2 with SVideo cables, then 1 SVideo cable to the TV.

This makes things easy to operate as the receiver will now switch both.

You DONT want to use composite for a game system as the SVideo cable will give you 20% improved picture on straight edges and with bright, contrasting colors. SVideo will look sharper and more solid.

Hope this helps.

 

[gregmc]

Bob - thanks for the tip. I didnt know S-Video would give that much of an improvement. I'll definately look into it.

 

[Al.Anderson]

S-Video is a reduced quality connection compared to component. But, I didn't look up the specs of your DVD and TV; depending on the equipment you may not notice a difference. Connecting with S-video as suggested would make switching easier if you don't go with the Universal remote.

 

[zmurphy]

You can buy a component cable for your PS2 for probably less than $20. it will look much better and you can use it the way you had it orignally setup and use the receiver to change your video sources.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...t=1#largeimage

plus its universal, you could use it if you decide to buy another platform.

 

[Bob McElfresh]

SD Connection Types:

Home Theater magazine came up with these loose numbers for a 50" rear projector TV from a DVD player:

Composite - baseline
SVideo - 20% improvement over Composite
Component - 25% improvement over Composite

So Component is better than SVideo - but only slightly.

They also noted in the article that smaller TV's show less difference and larger TV's show more. (So have a front-projector - use component).

So for that 34" Tube , you are not gaining much using component cables. Using svideo lets the receiver do all the switching and makes the system easier to use.

 

[Al.Anderson]

I have to confess I'm amazed at the numbers you provided. I knew it wasn't a large difference and the type and size of the equipment made a big difference; but based on anecdotal decriptions over the years I would have expected another 20% improvement from S-vid to component upgrade.

I never did a comparison on my smaller monitor set-ups. Now I have to break out the cables for a personal look.

 

[zmurphy]

sorry, but i am a bit of a newb still. just so i completely understand, when it comes to "Standard Definition" component has only a slight advantage over s-video.

so if i am running a SD dvd player to my PJ, it won't really matter whether its Component or S-video, correct?

thanks! sorry to hijack the thread.

 

[Bob McElfresh]

Al - here is the reason you get a HUGE jump going from composite to SVideo:

When you feed Composite, the TV has to run the video through a circuit called a "Comb Filter" to produce separated video (or SVideo). This circuit is nearly the most expensive part of the TV and it is less than perfect.

If your source is a DVD player, Sat or even digital cable through a CATV box - the video shows up already separated. SVideo cables by-pass the Comb filter and your TV gets already perfectly separated video.

The SVideo to Component conversion inside the TV is a much easier conversion so component cables only offer a slight improvement.

Does this make sense?

 

[Al.Anderson]

Bob, yes it does. Very interesting, thanks a lot! (Funny what threads you learn stuff on. This one was just a pass through for me.)

I still want to experiment with it at home. But since my cables aren't easy to get to it'll likely wait for a snowy weekend.

 

[Bob McElfresh]

I was hoping to re-cable my system this weekend with HDMI, but the switcher has not shown up.

Now is actually a really good time to do a fall tune-up on your system so it is ready for the new movies coming out and the holidays.